musicNEWS:
Pepsi Caves In To Ludacris Demands.
02-11-03
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Pepsico have caved in to demands from Russell
Simmons' Hip-Hop Summit Action Network who called for a boycott of the
soda giant last week over the company’s decision to pull advertisements
from rapper Ludacris over questionable language employed by the rapper
in his music. (see story)
The trouble started when Pepsico launched
a new ad campaign featuring the Osbournes. Simmons felt that it was hypocritical
for Pepsi to pull the Ludacris ads when the Osbournes are well known for
their bleeping foul mouths.
The boycott was scheduled to begin this
week but Simmons’ Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and Pepsico have reached
an agreement that effectively ended the boycott before it began.
"I want to make it very clear this has
nothing to do with race," Simmons said last week. "It has to do with culture.
If they said, 'We're worried maybe [Ludacris'] language isn't right, we
decide not to use him,' that's fine. But they went ahead and put the Osbournes
in their campaign… Ludacris' language wasn't acceptable?"
Pepsico has agreed to a “multi-year, multi-million
dollar partnership” with the Ludacris Foundation and Rush Arts in order
to head off the boycott. The Ludacris Foundation is a children’s charity
founded by the rapper and Rush Arts is a New York based art gallery that
showcases, promotes and encourages artwork and music by minorities.
"We're excited about the possibility of
Pepsi and Ludacris getting together," Simmons said, "and finding foundations
and programs in our communities for kids at risk."
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