After their efforts to bring awareness back to music hit the net, one of their biggest critics was none other than Hip-Hop mogul, Russell Simmons who believed that Bill Cosby's campaign was more of an attack on modern day youth. He criticized him on his GlobalGrind blog saying,

“Bill Cosby is an example of someone from the older generation who has consistently blamed the poets and asked suffering community members to bare the full burden of guilt for the struggles that they endure what they don't understand is that the young people who they criticize did not create their own realities.”

Jumping to their leader's defense, Supa Nova Slom and Jace The Great of the Cosnarati Band have both released statements on the issue.

Slom contends that while he respects Simmons, he should focus on the positive contributions that Cosby's made to the community rather than critique his efforts.  

I respect Russell Simmons for all of his contributions to Hip Hop culture but I hope that people do not get distracted and lost in his critiques of Cosby's past comments but instead they are able to acknowledge what Cosby is doing RIGHT NOW! Cosby is taking a whole other route by investing in politically-charged Hip Hop that does not condemn but instead inspires and uplifts during a time when there is next to none of that happening in the music industry.”

Jace The Great did not acknowledge the Hip-Hop veteran, instead he sang his praises to Bill saying,

“Point blank the problem right now is there is a state of emergency in our communities and we need to act fast. Cosby knowing the power and importance of Hip Hop culture is using it as a means to reach more youth not to condemn them."

Bill has yet to release a response of his own.

I respect Russell's opinion but I agree. It seems like whenever someone offers an opinion on Hip-Hop there's always someone who jumps on the defensive rather than listening to the message. Bill made an honest effort with his socially-conscious band and that's to be respected. He's holding a mirror up to Hip-Hop and everyone's turning their head so they won't have to look in it. That's NOT the way to make changes and maybe it's about time to do so.

The highlight of the 90-minute event will be a performance of select songs by Cosnarati. The songs will be available at digital retailers on Oct. 20, to be followed by the album's Nov. 24 physical and digital release. State of Emergency was produced by Cosby's longtime musical colleague, William “Spaceman” Patterson. The musician/arranger's produced music for “The Cosby Show,” Miles Davis, LL Cool J, Eric Clapton and Alicia Keys. The project recruited three rappers for the project, Jace the Great, Brother Hahz and Supa Nova Slom and focuses on not using profanity, misogyny and materialism to deliver a message.

When asked to describe the music Bill doesn't like to deem it as “clean” instead he feels it challenges listener's morality:

“What I like is what you're not going to do. You're not going to curse. You're not going to put women down. You're not going to put the glory of the gun somewhere. And you're not going to put a whole lot of violence up front like that's the thing that will cleanse you and make you feel better."

 

To catch Bill and the Cosnarati Band in action tonight, visit Billcosby.com and Facebook.com/billcosby.