Rapper Nas Leads the Fight to End FOX's Racism

Posted by ZP Heller, Brave New Films at 7:51 AM on July 24, 2008.

Yesterday, rapper Nas joined ColorOfChange.org, MoveOn.org, and Brave New Films in Manhattan to tell FOX News to quit its racist attacks on the Obamas. Nas led the charge in presenting a 600,000-signature petition to FOX headquarters.

In a prepared statement, Nas said, "Fox poisons this country every time they air racist propaganda and try to call it news. This should outrage every American that Fox uses hateful language to talk about the person that may be the first black president."

Nas has received a lot of applause from the blogosphere for grabbing the mic in this campaign and calling out FOX on its racist slander. And according to ColorOfChange.org executive director James Rucker, the applause is well-deserved.

"It is hard to find strong voices willing to step out and call out Fox for what it is—fake news that is harmful to public discourse and to Black America," Rucker told me. "Nas is doing what few are willing to do. It's risky for any musician, entertainer, or other artist to take on a corporate entity because ultimately it can cost them dollars or opportunities. Nas obviously sees the value in speaking the truth and using the stage he has to do it. It's a model for others to follow."

Of course, FOX refused to accept our petition, which wasn't surprising considering FOX is so set in its bigoted ways. However, The Colbert Report accepted the petition instead, and they featured Nas on the show last night. (Stayed tuned for that video later today.) So while we couldn't take the petition directly to FOX, we still managed to get our message across. 600,000 signatures attracted Nas to our cause, which in turn caught Colbert's eye. This only amplifies our message: FOX must stop injecting racism, prejudice, and fear into our political dialogue.

ZP Heller is the editorial director of Brave New Films. He has written for The American Prospect, AlterNet, The Philadelphia Inquirer, and The Huffington Post, covering everything from politics to pop culture.