Picking up where my book left off.

The last section of my book deals with the phenomenon of snitching in Hip-Hop culture. BET is now going to do a show addressing this issue, we'll see if the cover the bases I talked about in my book, and hopefully the'll cover some of the ones I missed. Thank you Dr. Joe Twist for the heads up.

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"Season of the Snitch" Debates Civic Duty vs Code of the Streets
A Special Report on BET's "The Chop Up" This Coming Sunday

The ingrained -- and arguably misguided -- refusal of many members of
the hiphop generation to cooperate with law enforcement officials in
the investigation of crimes committed in the black community is the
subject of a vigorous report on this week's edition of "The Chop Up."
Entitled "Season of the Snitch," the feature is part of the show airing
this coming Sunday, July 23, at 11:30 e.s.t

Produced by veteran hiphop journalist Carlito Rodriguez, "Season of the
Witch" takes off from a number of recent cases involving such
high-profile stars as Lil Kim, Busta Rhymes, and Cam'ron, all of whom
refused to cooperate with investigations into violent crimes to which
they were witnesses. This same "no snitching" policy has helped to
ensure that the murders of Tupac Shakur, Biggie Smalls, and Jam Master
Jay remain unsolved. As the report puts is: "The Golden Rule of the
criminal class has become our generation's all-out prohibition against
talking to the police."

"Season of the Snitch" delves into the deep roots of the black
community's distrust of the police. It also notes the hiphop
generation's adoption of the Mafia's code of omerta -- and the linked
belief that snitching is a "career killer" for rappers. "Just get on
the {witness} stand and the hood will label you a snitch -- plain and
simple," according to Biggie's old associate Lil Cease.

Some hiphoppers find this attitude absurd. "Stop snitching on who?"
wonders the rapper Saigon. "If we wasn't killin' each other, we
wouldn't have anything to snitch about."

A newsmagazine for the hiphop generation, "The Chop Up" has been
described as "a unique mix of '60 Minutes' and 'The Daily Show.'"
Since its debut on April 30, the show's in-depth stories have ranged
from an expose on diamond mining in Liberia to a re-investigation of
the murder of Biggie Smalls to a report on the devastating introduction
of the "white drug" called crystal meth into the black community, both
gay and straight. Hosted by Jeff Johnson and Jina Johnson, "The Chop
Up" has been holding down its spot on Sunday mornings since its debut
on BET on April 30.

For more information, or interviews with Nina Henderson Moore (BET's
EVP of News & Public Affairs), Selwyn Hinds (creator of "The Chop Up")
or producer Carlito Rodriguez, please call Tresa Sanders, 845 623 2325,
or Bill Adler at 212 645 0061.