County Attorney Press Releases

Teen Dating Violence Seminar: Hip-Hop and Violence

INTERNATIONALLY RENOWNED FILMMAKER COMES TO EL PASO TO DISCUSS THE VIOLENT CULTURE OF HIP-HOP

Will lead discussion on how rap music is fueling dating violence among teens             El Paso County Attorney José R. Rodriguez is proud to invite members of the media to participate in a press conference with award-winning documentary filmmaker, writer, and anti-sexist activist Byron Hurt.             Mr. Hurt will be in El Paso on Wednesday October 1st, 2008 to participate in the County Attorney’s Office Annual Teen Dating Violence workshop, which this year will feature his documentary “Hip-Hop: Beyond the Beats and Rhymes.”             The filmmaker will conduct a pre-screening discussion of the film, followed by a viewing of the film, and a post-screening discussion of such pressing issues as women and violence in rap music, representations of manhood in hip-hop culture, what today’s rap lyrics reveal to their listeners, and homoeroticism in hip-hop. Hundreds of local teens are expected to participate in this seminar aimed at reducing the incidence of dating violence in El Paso.             Because of his busy schedule, Mr. Byron will only be available for interviews during a scheduled 30-minute press conference, so we encourage interested members of the media to be punctual. Right after the press conference reporters will also have an opportunity to speak to some of the teens who will be participating in the workshop.  WHO:       Award-winning Documentary Filmmaker Byron HurtWHAT:     Press Conference on Hip-Hop and ViolenceWHEN:     Wednesday October 1, 2008 at 11:35 a.m.WHERE: Auditorium of the YISD Cultural Arts Center9600 Sims      # # #  

About the film “Hip-Hop: Beyond Beats and Rhymes”: Sparking dialogue on hip-hop and its declarations on gender, HIP-HOP: Beyond Beats and Rhymes provides thoughtful insight from intelligent, divergent voices including rap artists, industry executives, rap fans and social critics from inside and outside the hip-hop generation. The film includes interviews with famous rappers such as Mos Def, Fat Joe, Chuck D and Jadakiss and hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons. The film discloses the complex intersection of culture, commerce and gender through on-the-street interviews with aspiring rappers and fans at hip-hop events throughout the country.

  “I sometimes feel bad for criticizing hip-hop, but I guess what I am trying to do is get us men to take a hard look at ourselves”. Filmmaker Byron Hurt 

Byron Hurt Press Release.pdf