Pubdate: Thu, 23 Nov 2000
Source: Los Angeles Times (CA)
Copyright: 2000 Los Angeles Times
Contact:  Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles, CA 90053
Fax: (213) 237-7679
Website: http://www.latimes.com/
Forum: http://www.latimes.com/discuss/
Author: Jaymee R. Cuti
Note: News from Pasadena in the Times Community Newspapers

TAKING ON HIP-HOP LYRICS

Day One Calls For Thanksgiving Hunger Strike To Protest Drug References In
Music.

Local middle and high school students went on a hunger strike this
week, demanding that Target Stores not sell music with parent advisory
labels to kids under 18.

About 20 youth advocates from the anti-drug group Day One, which for
the past year has been protesting the use of positive drug images in
popular music, demonstrated Friday outside Target's Pasadena store on
Colorado Boulevard.

The demands of the children are: that Target not sell music with
parent advisory labels to underage youth; that the store consider
adopting Wal-Mart's policy of not carrying any music not appropriate
for people under 18; and that the NAACP stop nominating hip-hop
artists who glorify drug use in their lyrics for Image Awards.

Day One protested the Image Awards earlier this year at the Pasadena
Civic Auditorium.

Day One has written letters to Target's corporate office, to rapper
Dr. Dre -- a main target of the protest -- and the NAACP. None have
responded.

Management at the Target in Pasadena and at the store's district
office were not aware of the protest. Target's media relations
department did not return calls.

Michael Browning, executive director of Day One, explained that he and
the youngsters have been conducting research on drug references in
hip-hop music, and have found a strong link.

"We've been monitoring the music. We buy the magazines, go to the
concerts, go to the Web sites." He continued, "The message is clear:
There's an abundance of messages that say 'get high."'

Jessica Bennett, a 15-year-old sophomore at John Muir High School,
explained that hip-hop artists such as Snoop Dogg, Dr. Dre, Ice Cube,
and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony are perpetuating negative messages that might
influence some young people.

The youth advocates are practicing the hunger strike over the
Thanksgiving holiday.

Bennett said, "It's important to show that on a holiday that everyone
enjoys eating on, we're going to take a stand until someone listens to
us."

Browning said, "Two years of letter writing has not worked. The
symbolic hunger strike is the youths' way of saying 'we're still here."' 
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