Sharpton criticizes violent rap music

The Rev. Al Sharpton, upset about violence in rap music, has asked the Federal Communications Commission to punish artists and radio stations connected with violent acts.

Artists connected to such acts should be denied airplay on radio and television for 90 days, he told reporters after meeting Thursday with FCC Chairman Kevin Martin and two other commissioners. He also urged the agency to fine and review the licenses of radio stations “that encourage a pattern of this, including allowing employees to do on-the-air inciting of violence.”

Sharpton has been especially vocal since a bitter feud broke out between artists 50 Cent and the Game last month. A member of the Game’s crew was wounded during a shooting outside a New York hip-hop radio station while 50 Cent was on air criticizing the Game.

Andrew Jay Schwartzman, president of the Media Access Project, a public interest law firm, said Sharpton’s suggestions could trample on free speech protections and may not fall under the regulatory jurisdiction of the FCC.

“They pose tremendous 1st Amendment problems,” he said. “It’s very hard to come up with a standard that works. The bottom line is this is not something the FCC was created or equipped to handle.”