TOMORROW could be an important day for hip-hop.But will a clash of egos derail a real discussion of critical issues?Former Nation of Islam leader Conrad Muhammad is organizing a summit tomorrow in Harlem aimed at finding ways to clean up rap’s act.
Invited are executives from Elektra, Motown and Ruff Ryder, as well as rappers including Fat Joe and one of rap’s founding artists, Afrika Bambaata.
The question is whether anyone will come.
The controversial Muhammad has, over the course of nearly a decade – first with the Nation of Islam and in recent years, independently – cultivated relationships with several respected rappers, including Q-Tip and KRS-One. Muhammad actually organized a hip-hop “day of atonement” after Tupac Shakur was killed five years ago.
But he may have alienated as many key hip-hop players as he’s recruited. And while they won’t speak on the record, many question whether he’s a credible leader.
One major executive who won’t be at Muhammad’s event is rap’s premier mogul, Russell Simmons.
The Def Jam founder is organizing a summit of his own – and pointedly tries to deter people from attending Muhammad’s event.
Simmons recently sent out his own call to arms on hip-hop – a counter-summit hosted by Louis Farrakhan, who ousted Muhammad from his leadership position at New York’s historic Mosque No. 7, which Malcolm X once led.
Simmons recently sent an e-mail to many on Muhammad’s guest list announcing his own event “to address various issues affecting the very survival of the integral spirit of hip-hop music.”
Simmons warned, “I urge that you do not support open and aggressive critics of the hip-hop community (i.e. C. Delores Tucker, Bob Dole or Conrad Muhammad).”
Simmons would not return calls to The Post to explain his harsh words for Muhammad, but lumping someone in with Tucker and Dole is something of an ultimate dis in hip-hop.
Also sitting out tomorrow’s powwow at the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building is the Rev. Al Sharpton, though he agrees in principle with the idea of cleaning up hip-hop music and has called for rappers to adopt a “code of conduct.”
Sharpton says he wants to stay “above the fray.”
“The need to do something is transparent. I am willing to play a role, but don’t want to get in the middle of this,” he said.
“We as a community should not condone negative, misogynist images. But we must neither condone nor censor.”
So what does Muhammad want, anyway?
He differentiates himself from previous (mostly white) critics of the hip-hop industry by saying directly: “This is about race, rather than music.”
The executives he will meet with are all African-American.
“It is our community,” says Muhammad, “that is most hurting from the excesses of this music.”
First, he blasts the negative imagery that has made gangsterism and prostitution attractive lifestyles. “Contemporary rap has brought back ‘pimp’ style,” Muhammad told The Post.
Second, he decries the ubiquitous use of the “N”-word in commercial rap.
“We have reinstitutionalized a word that the black community had fought to make persona non grata. Today, it is more popular than ever.”
But caustic criticism of Muhammad’s effort also comes from Star – host of the top-rated Hot 97’s “Star and Buc Wild” morning show.
“Conrad Muhammad is a pimp who wants to be a celebrity and who uses hip-hop as an excuse.”
Yet, Star readily admits there are problems in rap: “We hate the phoniness.”
The sharp-tongued radio personality slams popular rappers like Busta Rhymes and Nas as frauds. But Star is quick to add hip-hop gets a bad rap concerning its affect on young people.
“There is a trickle-down effect . . . but it’s there in rock music too. Look at the [violence] at the last Woodstock.”
Star supports Sharpton’s desire for a code of conduct, though he would prefer that rappers police themselves.
“Certain artists should look inside themselves.” As dismissive as he is of Muhammad, Star praises Sharpton, “He’s necessary. He counts. He’s on the front lines.”
If there is a solution to come out of the different factions over hip-hop’s future, it may come from someone such as Bill Stephney.
Stephney, president of Stepsun Media, produces soundtracks for movies like “Shaft” and Chris Rock’s “Down to Earth.” He’s also a former president of Simmons’ Def Jam Records.
He will attend tomorrow’s summit because he thinks that the charges Muhammad has leveled at hip-hop artists and industry are “serious” and deserve discussion. Of the “hip-hop minister,” he says, “Conrad may be overly passionate [on these issues], but he is sincere.”
Those in the industry, Stephney says, must ask, “What is the line that we are unwilling to cross for profits. Is there a line? Or is it completely laissez-faire?”
But Stephney says he will help any event Simmons wants to organize, “He is an important figure. To the extent that there is a hip-hop industry, he helped build it.”
But, he believes that the best solution is for there to be a coordinated effort, “It is vitally important that Conrad Muhammad and Russell Simmons get together. We have enough problems in hip-hop without having wars over peace summits.”