Al Sharpton Brings Decency in Hip-Hop Campaign to Detroit, Collects Bars of Soap

Reverend Al Sharpton and Reverend Horace L. Sheffield III of the New Galilee Missionary Baptist Church announced the kickoff of the Detroit leg of the Decency in Hip-Hop Campaign on Saturday afternoon (June 2). According to the Detroit Free Press, Sharpton referenced musical legend Marvin Gaye while decrying the vulgarity of today’s music during a speech in front of the Motown Museum on West Grand Boulevard. "They did not make women objects of denigration," Sharpton said, referring to Gaye. After playing an instrumental role in the removal of shock jock Don Imus from the airwaves in April, Sharpton has now set his sites on the recording industry. The reverend’s goal is to have the terms “bitch,” “hoe” and “nigga” eliminated from popular music. Sharpton has stated that a double standard exists in the music industry, where lyrics that demean other groups are removed from rotation, but songs offensive to African-Americans are allowed to play. As part of the campaign to “clean up” rap music, Rev. Sharpton is asking like minded protestors to donate bars of soap as symbols of the effort.