Russell Simmons Says Boycott Pepsi

Michael · Feb 7, 2003

Interesting article... <div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Pepsi Cola Company is in the midst of another controversy stemming from their use of shock rocker Ozzy Osbourne and his family in an ad campaign, after abruptly pulling commercials that included rapper Ludacris in August. The company had bowed to pressure from conservative Bill O'Reilly, who deemed the rapper vulgar. 
Russell Simmons, backed by Ben Chavis Muhammad and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, announced a boycott at a press conference yesterday that would start on Feb. 12. 
"I want to make it very clear this has nothing to do with race; it has to do with culture. Pepsi had every right to their opinion. If they said, 'We're worried maybe the language [of Ludacris] is not right, we decide not to use him,' that's fine," Simmons said. "But then they went ahead and put the Osbournes in their campaign." 
"In hip-hop, our idea is if you don't want us, we don't want you," he continued. 
Muhammad, the HHSA President, outlined the specifics of the boycott and the demands as well. 
"One week from today we're asking all artists and supporters of hip-hop to refrain from supporting Pepsi and all Pepsico products. The 'Campaign for Respect' will continue until Pepsi agrees to all of the following: issue an apology to Ludacris and the hip-hop community, make a five-million dollar charitable contribution to the Ludacris foundation, and reinstate the Ludacris commercial ads," Chavis Muhammad said. 
In the past, Pepsi issued an apology, but did not offer any comment regarding the boycott. 
Others in African American community have directed their comments to Bill O'Reilly, who hosts the O'Reilly Factor on Fox Network. 
Paul Moreland, an editor of 4K News in Brooklyn, wrote an open letter to O'Reilly "pleading" for him to jumpstart an appropriately aggressive campaign against using Osbourne to peddle Pepsi. 
To O'Reilly, Moreland said: "Now, knowing how you feel about "gangster" rappers promoting wholesome "All American" products like Pepsi, I know you must've blew your lid when you heard Pepsi tapped the world's most famous Satanist to do their biggest ad, right? I just know we can depend on you to ride on this one. If you're not familiar with the tenets of Satanism let me enlighten you bro, these dudes are into animal sacrifice and rampant child abuse, worse than Catholic priests." 
At the time of the Ludacris ban, Pepsi defended the decision to remove the ads and considered it a service to consumers of their product. The company said they pulled the ad campaign because they received complaints directly from customers about the rapper's lyrical content, which were deemed offensive and full of sexually profane nuances. 
"We have a responsibility to listen to our consumers and we've heard from a number of people that were uncomfortable with our association with this artist," Pepsi said in a statement. </div>
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BigWaxJesus · Feb 7, 2003

I never supported Pepsi to begin with, but what that Moreland guy said is pretty funny...and ridiculous. First off, Ozzy Osbourne isn't a Satanist. I would think the numerous crosses dangling from his neck would clue him in on that. And even if he was, who gives a ****? It seems he has a fairytale view of what Satanism is--animal sacrifice, child abuse? Those are hardly rituals of a practicing Satanist. The only type of "Satanists" doing anything like that are clueless teenagers that think it's "cool" and psychotic criminals that need an excuse for why they did what they did. I think Mr. Moreland needs to do a little reading on the topic.

Michael · Feb 8, 2003

I think the guy was saying that to poke fun at O'Reilly. Not sure though. I think they have a very good point, it is hypocritcal to drop Ludacris because of his lyrics yet have the Osbournes who curse every other word, especially the kids. 
I've boycotted Pepsi ever since I found out about the bullfighting sponsorship. Which apparently has since been withdrawn... <a href="http://www.sharkonline.org/bullfighting-news0004.mv" target="_blank">http://www.sharkonline.org/bullfighting-news0004.mv</a>

Tame · Feb 8, 2003

I'm not sure if it is that hyprocritical. 
Pesi got a backlash from Ludicrous (I'm somewhat of a fan of his), and they did not get a major one from Ozzy. 
Ozzy and is family cursing is one thing, but I can see how after receiving some pressure, Pepsi wanted to back away from L. Ozzy's worse acts are way in the past, while "Move *****" is a current hit.

Joe · Feb 8, 2003

I'm told that many rock stars always ask for "Pepsi" when they want a soft drink, because if they ask for "Coke" they will get cocaine. 
I'm afraid I know just about nothing about anything or anyone involved in this controversy. I'm not a fan of Bill O'Reilly.

BigWaxJesus · Feb 9, 2003

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally posted by Michael I think the guy was saying that to poke fun at O'Reilly. Not sure though.</div>
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Yeah, that could be it. I don't know how anyone nowadays could still believe stuff like that.

1vegan · Feb 10, 2003

I boycott Pepsi and Coca-cola. 
I dont like the commercials and the dominancy of these companys 
And I dislike pepsi for stealing my vanilla. 
It seems that pepsi is buying all vanilla, witch makes prices go up, witch makes (organic) vanilla very expensive.

Michael · Feb 14, 2003

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Rap mogul Russell Simmons on Thursday called off renewed threats of a boycott against Pepsi after reaching a settlement with the soft drink company he had accused of prejudice for yanking an ad with black rapper Ludacris. 
The agreement calls for Pepsi to donate at least $1 million a year for three years to charities chosen by PepsiCo Inc., the Ludacris Foundation and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, co-founded by Simmons, who disclosed the details of the settlement on Thursday. Pepsi confirmed the terms of the agreement. 
Simmons had accused Pepsi of applying a double standard by pulling the plug on Ludacris as a celebrity pitchman over complaints about his profanity-laced lyrics only to then hire white rocker Ozzy Osbourne, also known to use foul language, for a Super Bowl spot. 
Simmons reinstated his threat of a boycott earlier on Thursday, a sudden reversal from his statements two days earlier in which he said an agreement had been reached, putting the controversy to rest. 
The deal comes after Pepsi met Simmons on only some of the terms he laid out last week, when he called for Pepsi to pay $5 million in charitable contributions, issue a public apology to Ludacris and the hip-hop community and reinstate the rapper as a pitchman. 
Simmons at the press conference on Thursday in New York said that although he originally demanded a formal apology from Pepsi, none would be forthcoming. "The partnership they formed is enough of an apology," he said. 
Pepsi has said that reinstating the ad was not part of the deal, while Simmons on Thursday said Ludacris in the past week expressed his wish not to have his ad reinstated as well. 
The firestorm began when Fox News commentator Bill O'Reilly in August criticized Pepsi for featuring Ludacris. 
Pepsi then pulled the 30-second television spot, saying it had received complaints about Ludacris' profane song lyrics. 
On Thursday, O'Reilly told Reuters he planned to encourage his viewers to buy more Pepsi products if the company stood its ground in this battle. 
"If Pepsi stands by their policy now and does not cave in to their demands, I'm going on the air tonight and I'm saying I'm going to buy more Pepsi products, and encourage others who believe as I do to do the same thing so that Pepsi will not be hurt by this," he said. 
Atlanta-based Ludacris, one of the biggest names in hip-hop's "Dirty South" movement, has earned a reputation for his explicit lyrics, including "Move *****," a hit featured on his 2001 album "Word of Mouf." 
Ludacris appears on Def Jam, the record label Simmons co-founded, but which is now owned by Vivendi Universal . 
In addition to its flagship sodas, PepsiCo makes such household brands as Tropicana orange juice, Gatorade sports drinks, Quaker Oats and Frito-Lay snacks. </div>
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 <a href="http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story2&cid=638&ncid=762&e=2&u=/nm/20030214/en_nm/media_pepsi_hiphop_dc" target="_blank">http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=stor...epsi_hiphop_dc</a>

Michael · Feb 14, 2003

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">I boycott Pepsi and Coca-cola. 
I dont like the commercials and the dominancy of these companys 
And I dislike pepsi for stealing my vanilla. 
It seems that pepsi is buying all vanilla, witch makes prices go up, witch makes (organic) vanilla very expensive.</div>
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You sure that's Pepsi? I know there's Vanilla Coke but I've not heard of Vanilla Pepsi.

Max Power · Feb 14, 2003

Anything Russell Simmons says to do, I'm doing the opposite. Twice.

mushroom · Feb 14, 2003

I don't think Pepsi or Coke is vegan...

Tame · Feb 15, 2003

<div class="quote-container">Quote:
<div class="quote-block">Originally posted by Max Power Anything Russell Simmons says to do, I'm doing the opposite. Twice.</div>
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There is some merit to that... 
I do the same with Al Sharpton and Charles Nelson Riley.

Russell Simmons Says Boycott Pepsi

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