my girl Andrea (Suckafree blog on MTV.com) wrote an interesting article about Russell Simmons and his recent campaign to clean up the cusses in hip hop….he claims its for the rappers’ sake. Others say its a stance that protects his business interests and political clout. What do you  think?

Here’s a quote:

“Since selling the last of his shares of Def Jam in 1999 and settling down to start a family, Russell has consumed himself with activism. He has hosted fundraisers for political candidates, like Hilary Clinton, and sponsors a number of charities and groups, including the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding, PETA, his own Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation and his newest, the Diamond Empowerment Fund. There were even whispers that he was setting his sights on running for office, perhaps another reason to play the middle. But Russell says he isn’t interested in being a politician (“I took too many drugs when I was younger”) and that he made the recommendation about lyrics for rappers’ own protection.

“I know a lot more about what’s going on in Congress and the Senate than they do right now,” he says, leaning in conspiratorially. “All of ’em. And I think that they are a little bit at risk. I really believe that there are bills being introduced and there are people who are really after them. I know the [government’s] capabilities. They’ll try to attach the lyrics to hate crimes. ‘Bitches’ and ‘hoes’ could be part of a hate crime. Then their business will shrink.” He shakes his head and sighs like a father talking about a bunch of teenagers. “I don’t know,” he says, seemingly bored of the topic. “It’s their jobs, their careers. If you’re a gangster, then maybe you don’t need radio.”

To read a bigger excerpt from the story, go to xxlmag.com .