Thug Life Army

Upcoming Controversial PBS Documentary Critiques Sexism, Violence, and Hyper- Masculinity in Hip-Hop Music and Videos; will be seen in an advance screening as part of a National Media Literacy and Responsibility Campaign.

Hip hop artists rappers TALIB KWELI, The Roots'' Grammy-Award Wining Recording Artist Black Thought and BET Executive Part of Panel that Challenges Young Consumers and Media Makers to Question Violent and Sexual Images in Hip-Hop Music

A special preview screening of the groundbreaking new PBS documentary HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes connects young consumers, producers, artists, and other entertainment industry professionals to discuss key issues raised in the film: how do limited perceptions of masculinity play into a culture of violence? What roles do misogyny and homophobia have in hip-hop culture -- as well as in wider mainstream cultures? And are the media and music industries really to blame?

Part of a larger nation-wide campaign, the event will generate national conversation on an increasingly violent, materialistic and sexually explicit American culture using hip-hop culture as a point of reference.

The special advance film screening of HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes will be airing on the Emmy-Award winning PBS series Independent Lens, February 20, 2007 as part of a nation-wide community engagement campaign featuring 20 leading community-based, public media, and social service organizations designed to educate both young consumers and media makers about issues of gender, race and community values, support media literacy and encourage young men and women to reflect on the impact of frequently violent and sexual imagery on themselves, their relationships and their communities. Participating organizations include the Boys and Girls Clubs of America, Firelight Media, Youth Movement Records, National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC), The Center for American Progress/Campus Progress, and more than a dozen others.