KURTIS BLOW - BLOW + LEVERT JOIN MOURNERS AT 'N' WORD FUNERAL

BLOW + LEVERT JOIN MOURNERS AT 'N' WORD FUNERAL

Hip-hop legend KURTIS BLOW and R+B singer EDDIE LEVERT were among the mourners who laid the offensive word "n**ger" to rest in Detroit, Michigan on Monday (09Jul07). The pallbearing stars were joined by dignitaries including Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm and Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick at the mock-burial. The ceremony, which formed part of the National Association For The Advancement Of Colored People's (NAACP) convention in the city this week (begs09Jul07), aims to banish the 'N' word from popular culture, and from rap music in particular. Blow told the gathering that he has never used the word "n**ger" in his more than 150 songs over a 35 year period. He said, "Today I'm truly happy at a funeral. I'm living proof that it's possible to rap or do hip-hop and not offend anyone."