BET Uncensors Provocative 'N Word' Subject for Part II of Hip-Hop vs. Civil Rights Debate on THE COUSIN JEFF CHRONICLES

BET Uncensors Provocative 'N Word' Subject for Part II of Hip-Hop vs. Civil Rights Debate on THE COUSIN JEFF CHRONICLES

Host Jeff Johnson Openly Explores Usage of Highly-Volatile Language on April 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT

NEW YORK, April 7 /PRNewswire/ -- On April 14 at 7:30 p.m. ET/PT, BET's Jeff Johnson aggressively wraps up "The Bridge is Over," a two-part exploration by THE COUSIN JEFF CHRONICLES into the divide between the Hip-Hop and Civil Rights generations. In this half-hour of uncensored television, Cousin Jeff, or Jeff, boldly explores the highly sensitive and taboo usage of the word "Nigger" and its various meanings. Cutting deeper into the topic's pressing question: Have we gone from "let freedom ring" to "bling bling," Jeff dissects this query by also examining the controversial music of the hip-hop generation. Hear from the likes of Dr. Cornel West; Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-District of Columbia), hip-hop artist COMMON and candid interviews from the streets, barbershops and churches on how the disconnect may have occurred, and what can be done to bridge the gap.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050223/DCW044 )

Viewers will be deeply moved by part II of "The Bridge is Over" as this emotional episode exposes each party's hurt and frustrations in candid, eye- opening revelations. No matter which side of the bridge viewers may relate to, this installment of THE COUSIN JEFF CHRONICLES may ultimately shake things up. Future topics for dissection on THE COUSIN JEFF CHRONICLES include "It's a BIG Deal - Black Youth and Obesity"; "Locked Out - I'm Out of Jail, But Still Behind Bars"; and "Silent Millionaires - The Story of Self-Made Millionaires Under Age 30."

Dubbed as the voice for a new generation, Jeff Johnson raises social and political awareness in young people by touching on subjects relevant to their culture and environment. Whether sharing his political expertise on BET or elsewhere, Jeff captivates audiences with his distinctive ability to fuel dialogue and examine various points of view. Jeff was first introduced to BET viewers as a frequent guest on the popular music program RAP CITY. But Jeff is no stranger to political forums. He is the former Vice President of Russell Simmons' Hip Hop Summit Action Network and the former National Director of the NAACP Youth and College Division. Jeff has been seen on BET TONIGHT and C-SPAN; and been featured in the Washington Post, USA Today and New York Times. He has lectured at colleges and universities around the country and continues to conduct leadership training sessions for young people and adults.

ABOUT BET

BET, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE: VIA; VIA.B), is the nation's leading television network providing quality entertainment, music, news and public affairs programming for the African-American audience. The BET Network reaches more than 80 million households according to Nielsen media research, and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET is a dominant consumer brand in the urban marketplace with a diverse group of branded businesses: BET.com, the Number 1 Internet portal for African Americans; BET Digital Networks - BET Jazz, BET Gospel and BET Hip Hop, attractive alternatives for cutting-edge entertainment tastes; BET Event Productions, specializing in a full range of event production services, including event management, venue selection, talent recruitment, sound, lighting and stage production; and BET Books, the nation's leading publisher of African-American themed romance novels under the Arabesque imprint which also publishes compelling fiction under the Sepia imprint and inspirational fiction and nonfiction under the New Spirit imprint.

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20050223/DCW044 AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/ PRN Photo Desk, photodesk@prnewswire.com Source: BET (Black Entertainment Television)

CONTACT: Marcy Polanco, +1-212-975-3327, marcy.polanco@bet.net, or Tricia Newell, +1-212-975-8230, tricia.newell@bet.net, both of BET

Web site: http://www.bet.com/

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