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Sean Hannity Confronts Russell Simmons On Calling Him ‘More Gangsta’ Than Snoop Dogg

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Tonight’s Hannity boasted a fairly special interview, and one of those rare occurrences where two people who disagree on most everything about politics can get together and debate passionately without lacking in warmth. The guest? Russell Simmons, rap mogul turned Occupy Wall Street sympathizer who came on the program to argue the merits of the movement to a skeptical Hannity, and wound up trying to defend a comment that Hannity was “more gangsta” than Snoop Dogg.

RELATED: Russell Simmons: Occupy Wall Street Protesters Want Constitutional Amendment

“Do you ever feel bad about being rich?” Sean Hannity began his line of questioning, noting that he was definitely a member of the 1%. Simmons answered definitively that it did not– “I worked hard to get where I am”– but that he also felt good about giving. “I don’t feel bad about earning or about a system that allowed me to earn.” His problem with the system, he continued, was that corporations were corrupting the system and diluting mobility, and that the protesters were “concerned that Wall Street has control of their future.”

While Hannity agreed in part (and got Simmons to agree that President Obama was part of the problem), he asked Simmons whether he was concerned about the sexual assaults at Zuccotti Park and anti-Semitic statements made by members of the movement. Simmons replied that there were many underprivileged people who entered and exited the movement as need be that did not have anything to do with the “nucleus of the movement.”

RELATED: Russell Simmons Blasts Media: “You Can’t Have Much Faith In Them”

In a radio interview about this summer’s Common rapping controversy, during which Hannity was very vocal, Simmons argued that someone like Snoop Dogg was “less racist, less sexist, less homophobic, and less gangsta” than Hannity, about which Hannity had only one question: “more gangsta?!” Simmons noted that he called Hannity after he had made those statements to apologize, and that he did take back the racist and homophobic bits, but, in essence, his neo-conservative foreign policy views were “gangsta” (the “sexist” comment didn’t get too much airtime), a claim Hannity dubiously accepted.

The segment via Fox News below:

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  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mark-Williams/100000431800956 Mark Williams

    Ah so neo-conservatives are “gangstas.” I’m pretty sure Easy E just turned over in his grave.

    Anyways I can’t decide who’s the bigger idiot-Simmons for calling Hannity a “gangsta” Hannty for accepting the tag regarding his policy views or Michelle Bachmann for saying “Obama is running a gangster government.” I think we’re looking at a three way tie here folks.  

  • Anonymous

    Hannity is far more racist and homophobic than most rappers.

  • http://politicsandpucks.blogspot.com Mike Brownstein

    Hannity just said he is libertarian, when he says that he’s registered Conservative…who can take this guy seriously again?

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Mark-Williams/100000431800956 Mark Williams

    I thought he was a Reagan Conservative…

  • Anonymous

    In private, I am sure that Russell Simmons calls Sean Hannity the punk ass bitch that he really is.

  • Anonymous

    who can be “libertarian” with those ridiculous views of his?

  • Anonymous

    Don Imus gets fired for saying ‘Nappy headed ho’s' 

    Gangster rappers get paid millions $$$ for saying ‘I’m gonna f*&^ dat b*#!$”
    We can tell you’re being partisan. 

  • Anonymous

    “Can you name any country that became a democracy after a violent revolution? Honestly, can you even name one?”

    – Sean Hannity

  • Anonymous

    Who has indirectly caused more problems in the inner-city communities?

    Sean Hannity who has a talk show (that many young people have NEVER heard of)? Or rappers that glorify and instill a culture of drug use, gang violence, crime, and degradation of women (that many young people listen to and emulate)?

  • Anonymous

    Since Obama came onto the scene, I’ve seen Sean say somethings which are so unquestionably racist but not-so-subtly masked.

    See the Common controversy, Shirley Sherrod…why don’t you look up Sean Hannity’s association with Neo-Nazi Hal Turner?

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ixZJBEYvxg

    Why would someone hang out with NEO-NAZIS is he wasn’t a racist?

  • Anonymous

    Guilt by association is not sufficient evidence. You don’t think Obama is a terrorist / criminal just because he used to hang out with Bill Ayers and Tony Rezko, do you? Hannity is on TV and radio 5 days a week and if he was overtly racist he would’ve been yanked by now. Your opinions of his ‘subtle’ racism don’t prove anything. 

    And back to my main point: Rappers that glorify promiscuous sex, degradation of women, drug use, and violence have a HELL OF A LOT more of a negative impact on young black Americans than Sean Hannity. Your false outrage is laughable, dude. 

  • Anonymous

    I don’t, but your buddy Hannity does, and based on the things you’ve said on Mediaite before, you do to.

    So don’t take this holier than thou attitude with me.  Hannity is friends with a Neo-Nazi. 

  • Anonymous

    And if Hannity thinks guilt by association is sufficient evidence then he is an idiot in that respect. And you seem to think guilt by association is valid or else you wouldn’t be harping on it.

     I guess you and Hannity have more in common than you think. And you didn’t address my other point about gangsta rappers. 

  • Anonymous

    Tell what you thought about the Common controversy, then I will answer you.

  • Anonymous

    ….Seriously? I have to appease your stupid ultimatum in order for you to have a reasonable discussion with me? Very funny. 

  • Anonymous

    What are you afraid of?

  • Anonymous

    I’m not afraid of anything. I think the Common controversy was idiotic … I don’t care who Obama invites to the White House for poetry reading and neither should have FOX News. Now can you sleep at night since I told you my opinion of something that happened months ago and does not matter at all? 

    You and your dumb ultimatums = lame. Now I guess I’ll wait for your answer:
    Who negatively affects the young black community moreso: Gangsta rappers glorifying drug use and promiscuous sex with “B*^%$#@ and Hoes” or Sean Hannity? 

  • us995

    who?

  • Anonymous

    Hal Turner.

  • Anonymous

    First, I want to know whether Common is the thug that Hannity portrayed him to be.  Answer that.

    Second, I never said anything about the black community, I said Hannity was worse, in general…and he is worse.  He has polarized this nation by making the Right a caricature of a once great party.  He has helped make the GOP literally the pro-war, pro-millionaire, anti-any form of social program, pro-segregation, anti-muslim, anti-secular government cartoon once portrayed solely in dystopian films and novels.  On the other side, Hannity has made his older white audience fear any sort of diversity in America, which makes us great, and not only foments racial prejudice but class based prejudice.

    Rappers reach a small group, Hannity maintains a large audience of people who take him seriously.

  • us995

    who is Hal turner ?

  • Anonymous
  • us995

    so he calls wabc that makes sean guilty Obama go’s to bill aryres house he gets a pass

  • Anonymous
  • Anonymous

    God, shut up about Common. I told you my opinion like you asked for – I’m not here to defend or rationalize Hannity’s opinions. I DONT CARE how he decides to use his 1st amendment rights and I don’t see why you care so much either. Its not my job to explain his thoughts so don’t act like it is. 

    And also, you are giving Sean wayyy to much credit. He does not speak for the entire GOP and your description of him is widely generalized because you are a liberal and will never see eye-to-eye with him on certain issues. 
    Rappers reach a small group? Are you serious? With record sales, radio play, TV airtime, youtube hits, illegal downloads, etc. rappers are heard by millions of people who also take their message / promoted gangster culture seriously. The fact that you continue to dodge my question tells me all I need to know.
    I’m not wasting my time with you anymore. 

  • Anonymous

    I know plenty of people who listen to rap, but don’t follow the lyrics.

    Every single person I know who watches or listens to Hannity refuses to shut up about things like teleprompters and Common.  Sort of odd how that works.

  • us995

    next time try media matters I still wouldn’t believe you

  • Anonymous

    So how about that Hal Turner?

  • us995

    I don’t know you can’t prove nothing with your discredited sources dan rather want to be get a tin foil hat

  • Anonymous

    Cool story bro, your personal anecdotes don’t mean shit. Get real

  • Anonymous

    Cool story bro?  Are you trying to speak internet with me?  A Hannity devotee is trying to slang internet jive with me…wow…just wow.

  • Anonymous

    Sweet English skills dude.

  • us995

    thanks they cost American tax payers billions

  • Anonymous

    How many times did you repeat 8th grade?

  • Anonymous

    Wow, looks like I struck a nerve! 

  • Anonymous

    No nerve struck here…but you never told me whether Common is a cop killing gangster that he was said to be on Hannity.  Still waiting on that.

  • us995

    0 the teachers union let slide so they didn’t fired

  • Anonymous

    So your inability to, again, type a rather simple sentence into a computer is a union’s fault?

    Talk about passing the buck.

  • us995

    also i have a master’s degree

  • Anonymous

    I told you that I don’t care who Obama invites to the white house and that Hannity was wrong to make a big deal about it. How can I make it any more obvious to your puny little brain? I don’t think Common is a cop killer thug… God you’re an idiot. 

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_45S32GWGDRUJIL6E2U4HOZW4BM Bob

    Is this another Hannity pearl-clutching, racially-tinged “You’ll never believe what those scary black rappers said” bit?

    Meanwhile, Sean is perfectly fine with his buddy Ted Nugent screaming like a madman, calling senators “a bitch” and a “piece of Shit” and telling them to suck on his guns. When Nugent’s comments were brought up, Sean refused to denounce them.

    How does anyone take this show seriously?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_45S32GWGDRUJIL6E2U4HOZW4BM Bob

    Isn’t Hannity the one who constantly lectures everyone on “radical associations?”
    Isn’t fair to ask why he was a close friend of a known rightwing, neo-Nazi terrorist like Turner?

  • Anonymous

    You’re evading…is Common the monster he was made out to be by Hannity?

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_36BD4PJPSMELQCCUYBXPJKJ5OY Mega

    Seriously. “Libertarian”? Are you serious? The dude’s so goddamn open about his religious views and how it should be integrated in government.

  • Henry Wood

    You’re comparing one individual to an entire group.  Of course the large group has a greater effect than the individual does.

    But if you were to take a group…let’s say the parasitic right wing pundit idiocracy and compare them to all those naughty rappers, the picture is much clearer.  Far more harm has been done to the inner city, the outer city, every city, by the right wing fascist sleaze machine than any musician or group of musicians.

  • Anonymous

    You must know bob from the teachers union meetings, apparently you prefer grading peoples grammar skills over using common sense in debating their points, it’s a shame so called educated people like yourself are liberal progressive fools, undoubtedly products of socialist college teachers.

  • Anonymous

    An interesting and reasonable conversation…

    …That probably won’t happen too often in this current climate.

    It was good to see Russell Simmons being able to express his opinions uninterrupted. 

    http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/comic-riffs/post/herman-cain-behind-the-lines-luckovich-sparks-our-cartoon-of-the-day/2011/11/29/gIQA1bRnAO_blog.html

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_45S32GWGDRUJIL6E2U4HOZW4BM Bob

    Gangster rappers don’t have a TV/radio simulcast on a respectable news network, like Imus did. Bit of a difference.

  • Anonymous

    Only people who didn’t go to University call professors socialists.

  • Anonymous

    Russell Simmons is not a rapper. Sean Hannity is complicit with those in the media,Fox news, that want to eliminate any path for the poor to succeed in this society. Hannity will lie and spin anything positive coming from the “inner-city communities” into something negative. He and his ilk make up facts instead of reporting them. Those who rely on Fox news are mis-informed by Sean Hannity on a daily basis. His Hannity facts cause some in the inner city to vote against their own interest.

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PKEQSTA4WOBYU5Z7QNSBUR2LXI MASSMURDERMEDIA

    who can take you seriously when you confuse ideology with party affiliation?…  how does one register as a conservative, anyway?…  by contacting rush limbaugh’s institute for advanced conservative studies, perhaps?… 

    guess what?…  liberals can be republican, conservatives can be democratic and libertarians can be either…   

  • http://pulse.yahoo.com/_76F7SAA3N35X4IBY5BGVQML2YM James

    Guilty by association is one thing, guilt by sharing a world view another.

  • http://mediamatters.org/ Leedog

    How many Liberal Republicans can you name?? Lol!!

  • Anonymous

    Most of them (at least fiscally), unfortunately.

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