(Nov. 14, 2002) NEW YORK, NY - The Artist Empowerment Coalition ("AEC") is calling for the recording industry to issue a moratorium on the excessive promotion of violent lyrics and violent references in urban music. The AEC with prominent entertainment attorney L. Londell McMillan (Prince, DMX) have long been proponents of the need to address the media and the music industry's infatuation with and promotion of violence in urban music and culture. This violence came to a peak last week with the tragic slayings of Run-DMC founder Jam Master, Jason Mizell, and rap music promoter Keneth Walker. Jam Master Jay was the sixth prominent rap star to be killed since 1995, others include Tupac Shakur, Notorious B.I.G., Big L (Lamont Coleman), and Freaky Tah (Raymond Rogers).

The AEC feels that the music industry contributes to the promotion and celebration of criminal behavior, violence and anti-social messages in music, particularly that generated by the hip hop community. While the AEC does not support censorship or completely blame the music industry, the organization challenges the industry to take leadership, invest in, promote and market additional forms of music and issue this life-saving moratorium in honor of recent events.

"The power of music, art and culture is unlimited. Music needs to be used and promoted as a positive force. Earlier this year, the AEC called for a federal prosecutor be appointed to investigate the unsolved murder of Christopher Wallace, as well as the widespread irresponsible journalism used to promote and fuel violence. Today, we call for to music industry to show leadership in addressing urban violence" said AEC General Counsel, L. Londell McMillan.

The Artist Empowerment Coalition is a not-for-profit coalition which focuses on artist empowerment and accountability to effect positive change in the entertainment industry. The coalition was formed (i) to provide a supportive environment in which the gift and creation of music, art and culture can flourish, and help to make the world a better place and (ii) to promote changes and reform in the relationships between artists and the companies that exploit, market and distribute their creative work. The AEC is an advocate for the arts, organizing common efforts to increase awareness and funding by involving industry, community, educational and cultural institutions and policymakers in the quest for an improved entertainment model and creative offering.

The AEC is also joined by prominent artists, musicians, organizations and today's leading labor unions -- the American Federation of Labor-Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), American Federation of Musicians (AFM) and American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (AFTRA). Recently the AEC-sponsored "Artist Power" concert held in New York City featured a wonderful, musically diverse number of performances by the legendary Stevie Wonder, Roberta Flack, DMX, Faith Evans, Montell Jordan, Hezekiah Walker, Naughty By Nature, Public Enemy, Doug E. Fresh and Najee, among others. The concert was followed by the introduction of the "Artistic Freedom Act of 2002" a measure which would protect recording artists from unreasonably long contractual obligations to record companies. Together, the AEC, state and federal lawmakers and labor unions are leading the charge, to bring about change in the treatment of artists in the business of entertainment.

Visit the AEC website at www.artistempowerment.com

source:

Kerri Brusca / KSA Public Relations / KerriB@KSAPublicity.com