Hip-hop summit mulls rap lyrics

In the wake of Don Imus’ firing for his on-air slur about the Rutgers women’s basketball team, a high-powered group of music industry executives met privately this week to discuss sexist and misogynistic rap lyrics.

During the furor that led to Imus’ fall last week from his talk-radio perch, many of his critics carped as well about offensive language in rap music.

The meeting, called by hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons’ Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, was held Wednesday at the New York home of Lyor Cohen, chairman and chief executive of U.S. music at Warner Music Group. At least half a dozen executives attended. The summit, which lasted several hours, did not result in any specific initiative.

After the meeting ended, it was unclear whether there would be another one. Simmons’ publicist released a short statement that described the topic as a “complex issue that involves gender, race, culture and artistic expression. Everyone assembled today takes this issue very seriously.”