Al Sharpton Wants to Target State Funds Going to Record Labels

The Rev. Al Sharpton recently expressed support for a state senator’s plan to cut state funds to record labels that refuse to act responsibly with regard to rap lyrics. According to the Associated Press, during a trip to Buffalo, NY, Sharpton backed Senator Antoine Thompson’s proposal, which would leverage the funds to open a dialogue with the labels about derogatory lyrics.  Thompson, who requested a breakdown of how these funds are distributed from the state comptroller, says that nearly $3 billion from the state pension fund is invested in the New York entertainment industry. Under his plan, that money would be withheld if the record labels refused to clean up their act.