There are some things that we all should know are wrong. Things like sexually exploiting minors or the mentally ill. The administrators of WorldStarHipHop.com apparently do not share these standards of human decency. For years now, WSHH has not simply been a source for “Hip Hop and Urban Media” as the site’s byline claims, but a clearinghouse for the worst of what “Urban America” is plagued with. This is because WSHH does not employ any sort of filter for its content, and selects content based on only two factors: (1) Paid placement, or (2) shock value. As a result, WSHH does not present an accurate portrait of Urban America, but only its most troubled segments. Here, you will find mentally ill adults and teenagers stripping naked in the streets, underage girls fighting and tearing each others clothes off, and people doing some of the most disgusting things you can imagine. Much of this content is prosecutable under child pornography laws, while much more of it is simply offensive or of no redeeming social value. Occasionally, WSHH attempts to promote something responsible, but it is clear that this isn’t the site you visit for social commentary and community activism. In fact, because of tabloid-type popularity of the site, young people across the country routinely film (or script) events that are intended for WSHH. In fact, if you’ve been privy to witness a street fight among high schoolers, you’ve almost certainly heard someone yell “Worldstar!” while onlookers film what often becomes a brutal beating. The desire to “go viral” via WSHH has led many young people to attend to produce the most sensational videos possible, even going so far as to script fights or to secretly record females of questionable age in sexual acts. This isn’t the exception to the rule. This is the norm.
We’re not saying that people shouldn’t watch independent hip hop videos (WSHH features many of these at a cost, starting at about $1500 per video) or that there’s something inherently wrong with watching women dance provocatively. We’re saying there should be some things that are clearly unacceptable, and WSHH doesn’t know those distinctions. WSHH has a history of such offenses. How they have survived this long without criminal prosecution is mind-boggling. But it can’t go on any longer. It’s time that it stop.
For those who are viewers of World Star Hip Hop we are asking that you patronize other media outlets (TheGrio.com, TheRoot.com, NewsOne.com, etc) if you are interested in new relevant to the Black community. If you are interested in Hip Hop or even women (of age) shaking their butts there are enough videos on youtube.com. We ask you to go to these other sites until World Star Hip Hop institutes a policy against objectionable content specifically against anything involving people filmed without their consent, people under 21, and the mentally ill. We also ask you to question and hold accountable the advertisers of World Star Hip Hop. Let them know that this type of exploitation is not acceptable.
Supreme Understanding, Publisher at Supreme Design Publishing
ALife Allah Senior Editor at Supreme Design Publishing
Rahiem Shabazz of Rasha Entertainment
Shamako Noble, President at Hip Hop Congress
at the end of the day people will still record. and people will still view it. this petition wont do anything.
