MALCOLM X - LEE BLASTS HIP-HOP CULTURE

MALCOLM X director SPIKE LEE has blasted hip-hop culture for making pimps and strippers role models to young African-Americans.

The film-maker, 48, made the comments during a questions and answer session with students from the University of Mississippi last night (09FEB06).

Lee said, "When I was growing up, I didn't know any guys who wanted to be a pimp. I didn't know any girls who wanted to be a stripper.

"We looked up to those who were smart. These days if you speak one sentence without being profane, then you're not black. If you're not in the corner smoking a joint, drinking a 40, holding your privates, you're not ghetto, you're not from the streets, you're not gangsta.

"Thinking like that, that's genocide. The infatuation with being a gangsta is madness."