SHUT EM' DOWN!
ARTISTS AND ACTIVISTS UNITED FOR PEACE CALLS FOR
A BOYCOTT OF HOT 97
January 25, 2005

Artists and Activists United for Peace (AAUP) is a Black-led alliance of many different organizations and individuals of progressive mind, spirit and cultural diversity with one common vision: to bring attention to the continued oppression of peoples of color.

Please visit www.aaupcoalition.org for more information, or call 212-545-4178

In response to the recent airing of a racist, sexist and hate-filled parody of the "We Are the World" instrumental --originally produced by Quincy Jones for the starving in Africa-- aimed at the victims of the recent Tsunami tragedy in Sri Lanka- the AAUPC (Artists and Activists United for Peace Coalition) is calling for a boycott of Hot 97. The song was played several times during the Miss Jones Morning show. Miss Jones and several of her colleagues participated in the making and performance of the song.

Says Nana Soul, spokeswoman and co-founder of the AAUPC, "We are calling on all people of good will to Turn-off and Tune out Hot 97 and send a message to its sponsors and supporters that they will be wasting their money advertising on a station no one is listening to."

Here are the lyrics that are causing a storm of problems for The Emmis Corporation, the owners of Hot 97:

There was a time when the sun was shining bright
So I went down to the beach to catch me a tan
Then the next thing I knew, a wave twenty feet high
Came and washed your country away

And all at once you could hear the screaming chinks
And no one was safe from the wave
There were Africans drowning, little Chinamen swept away You could hear God laughing,
"Swim, you bitches, swim!"

So now you're screwed, it's the tsunami
You better run or kiss your ass away, go find your mommy
I just saw her float by, a tree went through her head
and now your children will be sold to child slavery (2X)

Management at Hot 97 offered an apology and will donate monies to the relief effort. This falls unacceptably short of what the community is calling for, according to Tylon Washington, chief organizer of the boycott. "What is needed now are repercussions and consequences. Apologies are empty and useless-those of us with common sense know that such apologies are insincere due to the notorious promotion of violence, foul language, and misogyny rampant on Hot 97 before this current controversy."

The Immigrant Solidarity Network, which brought this issue to the attention of the AAUPC and is working side by side with them, has compiled and made available to the public a list of Hot 97's sponsors, and urges everyone to write letters of protest.

"Hot 97 is no longer serving the public interest. On this basis we may be going to the Federal Government for resolution," says legal consultant and founder of The People's Advocacy Group (PAG), Sonny B. Southerland who has signed on his organization The People's Advocacy Group to assist the people in toppling what he calls a media giant.

Nana Soul also pointed out that several press conferences and protests are being organized with community leaders, grass roots organizations and religious institutions.

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