Always-outspoken filmmaker Spike Lee has had it with pop culture's promotion of "pimps and hos" (the latter as in "whores"). Bravo. Too few celebrities are willing to say this stuff out loud. Here's a report on a recent talk to students in Toronto.

His main message was about the plight of young African-American students who "fail class on purpose because of peer pressure. Somehow intelligence is being defined with being white and ignorance with being black," he said blaming the imagery and lyrics of hip-hop music. "It's not even gangsta rap, it's about pimp rap. When artists talk about 'Ho this' and 'Bitch this' and 'Skank this,' they're talking about our mothers, our sisters, our daughters."

The man's on point. Essence Magazine, aimed at black women, agrees, and is conducting a year-long "Take Back The Music" campaign. I've written before (here and here) about the marketing of Pimp N' Ho culture.

It doesn't stop, either. Two San Diego men have pled guilty and a third was facing trial earlier this month for running a teenage prostitution ring named "Pimp N' Ho's Daily." Here's more about the so-called "PhD" prostitution ring.

Get 'em young, alright. Now, there's an animated cartoon about pimps, hos and other playas. It's called "Lil Pimp," and features the voicework of David Spade, Rudy Ray Moore and rapper "Lil Kim," who happens to be looking at up to 20 years behind bars for her perjury and conspiracy convictions last week in connection with a 2001 shooting outside a New York radio station.

And the Boston Herald's shopping writer wants to make sure you don't forget about Pimp and Ho hand towels.

Presumably for childless couples.

Posted by Matt Rosenberg at March 21, 2005 05:33 PM

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