>>> THE UPCOMING PROGRAM PREVIOUSLY RECORDED.

THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS BOARD, STAFF OR UNDERWRITERS.

♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ ♫♫ >>> HELLO.

MY NAME IS DMITRI AND WELCOME TO "GRAFFITI STREET."

TODAY WE´LL BE LOOKING AT FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

WHILE SOME SAY EVERYONE SHOULD BE ABLE TO SAY ANYTHING, THERE ARE LIMITS TO FREEDOMS OF SPEECH.

YOU HAVE IT, BUT YOU CAN´T JUST SHOUT FIRE IN A MOVIE THEATER AND CAUSE PANIC.

IN AN EPISODE WITH CANCEL THAT SPEECH INTERSECTS, BUT THAT HAS SPEECH INTERSECT.

THE HUMAN RIGHTS ACT, AND ARTICLE 10 PROTECTS YOUR RIGHT TO HOLD YOUR OWN OPINIONS AND EXPRESS IT FREELY WITHOUT GOVERNMENT INTERFERENCE.

THE FIRST AMENDMENT STATES CONGRESS SHALL MAKE NO LAW ABRIDGING THE FREEDOM OF SPEECH.

GOVERNMENT CAN´T INTERFERE WITH YOUR RIGHT TO SPEAK AND EXPRESS YOURSELF INCITING VIOLENCE AND HATE.

OUR FIRST QUESTION IS DO YOU THINK THAT BECAUSE OF THIS SOMETIMES ALL THAT CAN BE DONE IS TO CANCEL SOMEONE OR SOMETHING?

>> IT´S VERY CIRCUMSTANTIAL.

I BELIEVE THAT IF YOU´RE TRYING TO HAVE SOMEONE FACE CONSEQUENCES IT REALLY DEPENDS BECAUSE IF THEY´RE TOO SMALL TO BE CANCELED THEY WON´T REALLY FEEL ANY HARSH RETRIBUTION, I GUESS, TO THEM, BUT SAY IF YOU´RE -- IF YOU HAVE A LOT OF DEALS AND YOU´RE WORKING AND YOU SAY SOMETHING TERRIBLE AND YOU GET CANCELED, THEN YOU CAN HAVE SERIOUS DETRIMENT TO YOUR LIVELIHOOD OR THE AMOUNT OF DEALS AND YOUR REVENUE IS SHOT.

>> I AGREE.

SO THEN SOCIAL MEDIA IS GIVEN A PLATFORM, WOULD YOU SAY THAT IT WOULD WATER DOWN SOME PEOPLE´S OPINIONS OR CREATE AND MAKE IT MORE DANGEROUS?

IT WOULD MAKE IT MORE DANGEROUS BECAUSE SOCIAL MEDIA IS A WAY TO SHARE AND THE WAY TO INTERACT WITH PEOPLE.

SO IF YOU SEE SOMETHING THAT´S NOT COMMONLY ACCEPTED OR IS REALLY BAD ON SOCIAL MEDIA GETTING OUT TO MILLIONS OF PEOPLE TO SEE ALL ACROSS THE WORLD.

IT MAKES WHAT YOU DO AND WHAT YOU SAY A LOT MORE DANGEROUS BECAUSE IT GETS OUT FASTER.

>> I AGREE WITH THAT.

I SORT OF AGREE WITH WHAT CAMALI SAID.

IT´S DANGEROUS WITH SOCIAL MEDIA HOW IT´S SPREAD SO WILDLY.

A LITTLE GUY CAN BE A BIG FISH IN LIKE A COUPLE OF DAYS AND I´M JUST GOING TO SAY SHE BLEW UP IN A MATTER OF MONTHS.

SO, YEAH, IT´S A LOT MORE DANGEROUS DEPENDING ON THE PERSON.

>> I AGREE.

>> EARLIER THIS YEAR WE SAW WHAT HAPPENS WHEN A LEADER SAYS SOMETHING THAT INCITES FOLLOWERS INTO ACTION AT THE CAPITOL BUILDING.

SO WE´VE ALSO HAD INDIVIDUALS LOCALLY CAUGHT ON OPEN MIKE SAYING THINGS TO OTHERS IN A DISRESPECTFUL MANNER.

DO YOU THINK SOME PEOPLE SHOULD BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD WHEN THEY SPEAK?

>> YEAH.

I DO BELIEVE THAT CERTAIN PEOPLE SHOULD BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU´RE A PUBLIC OFFICIAL.

REGARDING THE RIOTS AND THE STORMING OF CAPITOL HILL, DONALD TRUMP SAID SOME CHOICE WORDS, I MEAN, IF YOU´RE GOING TO CONTINUE TO START LIES, THAT IS A VERY DANGEROUS THING TO DO WHEN YOU ARE THE FACE OF A NATION, AND, LIKE -- YEAH.

I BELIEVE THAT YOU NEED TO BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD DEPENDING ON YOUR POSITION.

>>.

>> YEAH, DEFINITELY.

YOU SHOULD BE HELD TO A MUCH HIGHER STANDARD THAN SOME AVERAGE JOE ON THE STREET CORNER TALKING ABOUT HOW HE FEELS POLITICALLY IN ANY OF THAT SENSE.

SO YOU HAVE A MASSIVE FOLLOWING AND A MASSIVE INFLUENCE IT SHOULD BE HELD TO A MUCH HIGHER STANDARD THAN MOST OTHER PEOPLE.

>> I AGREE.

AS A DIRE POSITION, AND THE GENERAL POPULATION.

AND SO IT SHOULD BE HELD TO A HIGHER STANDARD.

DO YOU FEEL THAT IF -- IF SPEECH WAS POLICED DO YOU THINK IT WOULD BE -- IT WOULD INEVITABLY LEAD TO OPPOSING VIEWPOINTS OR WHAT THE MAJORITY DOESN´T WANT TO HEAR?

JOSH?

>> WELL, I -- IT REALLY DEPENDS BECAUSE -- I MEAN, RIGHT NOW IT´S FREE REIN AND WITH REGARD TO SOCIAL MEDIA PLATFORMS, YOU GET BANNED IF YOU VIOLATE.

AND THERE ARE OBVIOUSLY WAYS TO CIRCUMVENT THIS, BUT I FEEL LIKE IF YOU CAN CONVEY YOUR VIEWS WITHOUT SPOUTING LIES.

>> OKAY.

>> IF SPEECH WAS POLICED.

[ INDISCERNIBLE ] >> IT DEFINITELY SOUNDS LIKE SPEECH WAS POLICED.

IT IS A LOT DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEWS THAT PEOPLE DON´T NECESSARILY AGREE.

>> YEAH.

I AGREE WITH WHAT CAMARI SAID WITH MINORITIES NOT BEING ABLE TO CONVEY THE IDEA.

IT´S ALREADY KIND OF A PROBLEM RIGHT NOW REGARDING HOW SOCIAL MEDIA DO THEIR ALGORITHMS, AND IT MIGHT EXACERBATE THE PROBLEM AND PEOPLE ARE POLICING THEIR VIEWS.

>> IT CAN SEGWAY INTO THE MUSIC AREA.

ESPECIALLY THE SINGING, RAPPING AND POPULAR TYPES HAVE ALWAYS USED SPEECH TO CONVEY A MESSAGE, BUT RECENTLY THE MESSAGES CAUSE CONTROVERSY AND IT´S ALWAYS BEEN A TOPIC OF DISCUSSION MORE SO THAN THE ACTUAL MUSIC.

SO SAY YOU PROMOTE SOMEBODY WITH POOR BODY IMAGE, DO YOU THINK THE WAY AN ARTIST EXPRESSES HIMSELF IN A SPEECH OR WHAT THEY MAKE MUSIC ABOUT ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS OR ARE THEY THE SAME?

>> I DON´T THINK A PERSON SHOULD BE FORCED AND THEY BROUGHT -- [ INDISCERNIBLE ] I DON´T FEEL, LIKE, IT SHOULD TOTALLY COUNTER EACH OTHER.

I FEEL LIKE THEY DON´T HAVE TO BE THE EXACT SAME AND THEY SHOULD NOT BE TWO TOTALLY OPPOSITE THINGS AND THAT YOU BELIEVE IN EVERYDAY LIFE.

>> AND I DON´T FEEL LIKE IT SHOULD BE, YOU KNOW, AND YOU BELIEVE SOMETHING OUTSIDE OF THAT.

>> I KIND OF AGREE WITH WHAT YOU´RE SAYING THAT THEY´RE BE THE SAME PERSON.

I DON´T THINK YOU WOULD WANT TO HAVE A WHOLE BUNCH AND PEOPLE WHO ARE DOING OTHER DRUGS.

SO I GET WHAT YOU´RE SAYING, BUT I MEAN, I DON´T KNOW IF THE WHOLE LIFESTYLE REVOLVES AROUND DOING THAT TYPE OF THING, BUT I MEAN -- IT´S LIKE LADY GAGA.

SHE COULD BE IN A SUIT AND BE SINGING PAPARAZZI.

SINGING PAPARAZZI AND IT´S KIND OF A CONNECTION AND PEOPLE ARE DEFINITELY GOING TO TAKE PICTURES OF HER IN A MEAT SUIT.

I DON´T KNOW ABOUT THAT.

I DON´T THINK IT´S EVERY DAY.

IN A MEAT SUIT TODAY.

I DON´T SEE THAT -- >> I´M KIND OF IN BETWEEN WITH WHAT BOTH OF YOU ARE SAYING.

IT DEPENDS ON THE ARTIST AND STRUGGLING AND HOW LIFE HAS CHANGED.

I UNDERSTAND THAT THEY´RE MORE THAN THEY WERE UPCOMING.

AND A LOT BETTER AND NOTHING ABOUT BEING ALL HARD AND FITTING THIS IMAGE OF BEING TOUGH, AND IT MAKES SENSE TO BE WEARING CLOTHES THAT SHOW LESS OF THEIR IMAGE, IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

>> I UNDERSTAND.

>> SO -- >> CARDI B AND MEGHAN THEE STALLION HAVE CAUSED CONTROVERSY WITH WAP.

EVEN IN EDITED FORM IS IN HEAVY ROTATION SO THE ISSUE WITH WAP RATHER THAN WITH WHAT IS BEING SAID.

I FEEL LIKE IT´S MORE OF WHO IS SAYING IT AND -- [ INDISCERNIBLE ] >> IT´S MUSIC AND THE MEDIA AND WHO IS SAYING IT BECAUSE CARDI B IS NOT THE MOST LIKED PERSON IN THE PUBLIC EYE AND EVEN THOUGH -- AND THEY DON´T AGREE WITH WHAT SHE´S PORTRAYING TO THEM.

SOME PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT AND -- I UNDERSTAND THAT SHE´S IN THE PUBLIC EYE, AND IF NOT SHE´D BE RAISING YOUR CHILDREN OR -- [ INDISCERNIBLE ] IT DOESN´T MATTER WHO IS SAYING IT RATHER THAN THE FACT THAT IT´S BEING SAID.

>> CARDI B´S HUSBAND, OFFSET, HE CAN TALK ABOUT IN HIS SONGS ABOUT DOING ORAL SEX, BUT I MEAN, CARDI B HAVING ORAL SEX DONE IN THE SONG "SLIPPERY."

IT´S CRAZY HOW DOUBLE STANDARD IT IS.

>> YEAH.

I UNDERSTAND.

I GUESS THAT KIND OF TIES BACK TO WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT EARLIER WITH THE IMPACT OF A PERSON´S WORDS AND THE AMOUNT OF POWER THEY HAVE.

SO THEN, RAUNCHY, SEXUAL LYRICS ARE OBVIOUSLY NOT ANYTHING NEW.

WE TOUCHED ON LUCILLE AND THE MOODY BLUES OF THE 1920s AND 2 LIVE CREW IN THE EARLY ´90s AND A SONG I CAN´T EVEN SAY ON AIR.

DO YOU THINK SPEECH, ESPECIALLY FOR FEMALE ARTISTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN RESTRICTED WHEN THEY CHOOSE TO TALK ABOUT TOPICS, QUOTE, UNQUOTE, GOOD, UPSTANDING WOMAN SHOULD NOT SPEAK ABOUT?

>> YEAH.

IT COULD BE THAT THEY´VE ALWAYS HAD TROUBLE TRYING TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS.

I MEAN -- >> WE CAN GO BACK TO CARDI B OR MEGHAN THEE STALLION AND THEY KEEP GETTING HIT WITH NEGATIVITY, AND THEY CAN SAY WHAT THEY WANT TO SAY.

A GUY CAN SAY THE SAME THING AND NOT GET ANY BACKLASH.

TYGA IS THE ONE WHO HAS TASTE.

I MEAN, IT´S JUST -- HE´S JUST TALKING ABOUT SEX ALSO AND THEN CARDI B AND MEGHAN THEE STALLION IS TALKING ABOUT PREFERENCES AND IT´S BEEN A STRUGGLE FOR WOMEN TO EXPRESS THEIR VIEWS IN MUSIC WITHOUT THERE BEING A BACKLASH.

>> YEAH.

IT´S DIFFICULT EVEN STILL BECAUSE FEMALE RAPPERS AREN´T QUITE AS POPULAR OR THERE AREN´T QUITE AS MANY IN THE INDUSTRY AS MALE RAPPERS.

MALE RAPPERS, SPEAKING FROM THEIR PERSPECTIVE ARE RAPPED ABOUT LONGER SO PEOPLE ARE MORE ACCUSTOM TO IT, I GUESS, AND SOME PEOPLE JUST AREN´T USED TO THE PERSPECTIVE OF FEMALE RAPPERS.

SO DO YOU THINK SPEECH, ESPECIALLY OF -- OH, WAIT.

I READ THAT ONE ALREADY.

MUCH LIKE CANCEL CULTURE SHAMING HAS SEEN A RISE IN MODERN DAY, SHAMING AND CALLING PEOPLE OUT FOR SHAMING ARE BOTH SPEECH.

HOW DO YOU THINK SHAMING OR CALLING OUT SHAMING RELATES TO FREE SPEECH?

IN MY OPINION, THE ASPECT OF SPEECH AND IDEAS OR OPINIONS, AND WE´RE NOT ALL ENTITLED TO OPINIONS, YOU KNOW?

YOU GUYS CAN AGREE AND IT´S A PART OF FREE SPEECH, AND SHAMING TO THE POINT WHERE ANYTHING A PERSON DOES OR SAYS, AND WHETHER THEY WILL DO WITH THAT TOPIC AND I HATE EVERYTHING ABOUT THAT PERSON AND IT´S OVER IT.

BUT IF YOU WANT TO AGREE WITH SOMEONE AND SHAMING TO A POINT IS SOMEONE IS ACCEPTABLE AND -- [ INDISCERNIBLE ] >> I AGREE.

I THINK THAT HAVING THE CRITICISM IT, LIKE, HELPS YOU TO BETTER YOURSELF, BUT THEN YOU HAVE TO MAINTAIN THE MENTAL STABILITY TO CONTROL YOUR ENTIRE CAREER AND EVERYTHING YOU DO.

WITH THAT CRITICISM AND THINK TWICE ABOUT THE THINGS THEY DO OR SAY AND MAKE BETTER DECISIONS ALSO.

>> I AGREE.

I´M WATCHING A DOCUMENTARY OR A DOCUSERIES AND LIKE A BUNCH OF BASKETBALL -- AND BASKETBALL OR UP AND COMING INTO THE BASKETBALL ARENA AND THEY WERE TALKING ABOUT HOW DWAYNE WADE WOULD GET A BUNCH OF -- AND QUOTE, UNQUOTE, HE´LL NEVER BE AS GOOD.

IT´S HARD.

SO I AGREE WITH WHAT DMITRI AND CAMARI SAID.

IT DOES GET TO A POINT WHERE IT´S NOT HELPFUL ANYMORE.

IT´S UNNECESSARY SHAMING.

>> EXACTLY.

AND THERE IS A LIMIT TO HOW FAR WE CAN GO WITH SHAMING?

>> I THINK YOU CAN.

>> HATE FOR ANOTHER PERSON SIFRMLY BECAUSE THEY HAVE HATE IN THEMSELVES BECAUSE THEY´RE UNHAPPY.

YOU CAN BRING SHAME TO THE PERSON WHO IS TRYING TO MAKE EVERYONE ELSE BETTER AROUND THEM OR YOU CAN TRY TO HELP THEM WITH THEIR PROBLEM AND HELP THEM FEEL BETTER SO EVERYONE HAS A BETTER OUTLOOK, I THINK.

CAMARI, YOU SAID SOMETHING?

>> NO.

I GUESS YOU CAN SHAME THE SHAMER.

IT WOULDN´T LEAD TO ANYTHING POSITIVE.

IT´S FAIR GAME, I GUESS.

>> DO YOU THINK AN ASIAN-AMERICAN GROUP USING THE NAME THE SLANTS AND AN AFRICAN GROUP NWA USING THE NAME LIKE SANTOS IS A HISTORICALLY DISPARAGING TERM?

>> I BELIEVE THAT THEY CAN TAKE IT IN.

YOU CAN TAKE THE NAME AND THAT´S NOT -- -- THAT´S NOT A VIABLE THING.

THERE´S NO WAY A WHITE RAP GROUP WILL GET AWAY WITH NWA.

THERE´S A HYPOTHETICAL.

YOU HAVE HILLARY CLINTON.

SHE HAPPENS TO BECOME A RAPPER.

AND SHE JUST HAPPENS TO SAY THE "N" WORD AND SHE SAYS OOH, OOH, "N" AND EVERYTHING WILL GO UP IN FLAMES AND THEN YOU HAVE, LIKE, I´M JUST SAYING, SWAP HILLARY OUT AND YOU HAVE OBAMA AND OBAMA WILL DO THE SAME THING.

YEAH, YEAH.

WE LIKE OBAMA.

SO, LIKE, I MEAN, YOU CAN´T IMPACT THE WORLD.

IT HAS A DIFFERENT MEANING.

I AGREE WITH THAT POINT, JOSH.

IT HAS A DIFFERENT MEANING AND A DIFFERENT IMPACT, I GUESS.

HISTORICALLY FROWNED UPON AND A DIFFERENT GROUP SAYS IT.

IT MAKES SENSE.

>> HISTORICAL AND RACIAL SLURS AT DIFFERENT GROUPS AND THEY HAVE DIFFERENT IMPACT ON PEOPLE OUTSIDE OF THAT CLASS IF THAT MAKES SENSE.

THAT´S MY OUTLOOK ON THAT WHOLE SITUATION.

SO THEN, DO YOU FEEL LIKE A JAZZ GROUP COULD BECOME THE WHITE GUYS?

>> NOT NECESSARILY, BUT -- >> THEY WOULD HAVE TO DRESS IN WHITE -- >> THAT´S EXACTLY -- >> THEY´D HAVE TO DRESS IN WHITE FOR EVERY PERFORMANCE AND IF THEY WERE DRESSING UP -- >> I DON´T THINK A WHITE GROUP CAN BECOME THE BLACK GUYS.

NOW THAT -- I MEAN -- DON´T THEY HAVE -- I MEAN, IT´S NOT THE SAME THING, BUT DON´T THEY HAVE A WHITE CREW MEMBER?

OR NOT CREW MEMBER, BAND MEMBER?

>> THE LEADER?

>> THE BEATLES.

>> YEAH.

IT DOESN´T WORK BOTH WAYS.

I DON´T WANT TO SAY THEY´RE IN THE MINORITY, BUT -- YEAH.

HISTORICALLY IT´S THAT, SO I FEEL LIKE IT´S OKAY.

OKAY.

>> YEAH, I MEAN.

I DON´T FEEL LIKE IT GOES BOTH WAYS EITHER, AND IT MIGHT NOT SEEM APPROPRIATE FOR A JAZZ BAND TO BE CALLED THE WHITE GUYS.

IT´S POSSIBLE MORE SO THAN WHITE GUYS BEING CALLED THE BLACK GUYS.

I DON´T FEEL LIKE IT´S THE BEST NAME.

THERE ARE GROUPS CALLED -- AND THEIR NAME AS A WHITE WITH THE DEROGATORY TERM FOR A WHITE PERSON WHICH IS CALLED UNCLE CRACKER WITH A KID.

KID -- K-R-A-C-K-E-R.

SO, I MEAN, THEY´RE ROCKING THAT NAME.

AND I DON´T THINK A BLACK PERSON WOULD START CALLING THEM UNCLE KRACKER, BUT -- YEAH.

>> OKAY.

>> AND GRAFFITI STREET, ON THE ONE END ONLY UNIQUE SHOW WHERE YOU GET TO SPEAK, AND YOU LOOK HOW THAT FAILED SPEECH IS EVOLVING.

THANKS FOR JOINING US.

WE´LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

♫♫ ♫♫ >>> THE VIEWS EXPRESSED ON THIS PROGRAM ARE NOT NECESSARILY THOSE OF WTJX, ITS BOARD, STAFF OR UNDERWRITERS.