MPAA Overturns Hip Hop R Rating

By Mack Rawden: 2007-04-28 19:19:40

The MPAA has a long and storied history of stubbornness. If filmmakers want their movie in theaters, then they have to play by the recently deceased Jack Valenti’s game plan. It’s an iron fist that the film rating organization rules with, and exceptions are less common than Bird Flu deaths. It’s now appears the fascist regime may be etching toward a more fair and balanced system.

Variety is reporting that the MPAA review board has overturned The Hip Hop Project’s R-rating. The film, executive produced by Bruce Willis (Pulp Fiction), follows a group of urban teenagers who examine the rap industry and attempt to make their own album about their lives with a positive message void of typical rap clichés. The documentary is geared towards younger audiences; so, the initial adult rating was far from a buoy.

This is really a step in the right direction that may help to curb the biggest problem facing the MPAA today. The forty year old rating system doesn’t allow directors to tackle teenage problems because any realistic language or imagery results in an R-Rating that will exclude the intended audience. Let’s be serious, every kid I have ever met swears more than Redd Foxx. Lenny Bruce would blush at some of the obscenity-ridden phrases that I’ve heard escape my little cousin’s mouth. So who are we trying to protect?

While this veiled moral façade may come from some parental protection instinct, it only hurts teenagers in the long run. Fact: kids drink. Fact: kids have sex. Fact: by forcing directors to abide by an imaginary code of what’s appropriate, we bind their ability to reach a younger demographics. I for one, would rather discuss problems than sit around and let them continue to grow into a debaucherous epidemic.

Here’s to hoping that the MPAA continues to look at the bigger picture and rewards thought-provoking and important teenage films a PG-13 rating.

Latest Headlines:

12 Minute Harry Potter And The Half-Blood Prince First Look

Trailer: Tobey Maguire And Jake Gyllenhaal Are Brothers

Even More Alice In Wonderland Images

Strange Patriotism: The American Flag's Weirdest Moments On Film

Inglourious Basterds Banners

View-Master: The Movie

Tony Stark's Iron Man 2 Race Car

Superman May Be Done With Brandon Routh

First Look At Eminem in Funny People

Public Enemies Poll: Tell Us What You Think

Comment on “MPAA Overturns Hip Hop R Rating”

Note: This website is not meant for use by minors. The views expressed in the comments section below are not our own. This section is intended for discussion of the topic in the post above. Disagreement is encouraged, however comments which attack, insult, or threaten the author in a personal manner won't be published. Similarly, comments that we deem to be poorly worded, or wildly off topic will also not be approved and may be mocked. For free, uncensored, unfettered, and possibly dangerous discussion visit our forum.

Subscribe to topic comments

Please login or sign up to post reply

Back to MPAA Overturns Hip Hop R Rating

MPAA Overturns Hip Hop R Rating

Comment on “MPAA Overturns Hip Hop R Rating”

Leave a Reply