I have been mulling over some of the commentary on the recently released edition of The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer. I disagree with the notion that the release of an additional edition of the book without the n-word mentioned 219 times is an act of censorship. I also believe that the release of this text promotes an environment that is more conducive to conversations focusing on sexism in hip hop.

There are few literary texts that have had the impact The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn and Tom Sawyer has had on my perception of self and my work as an advocate against sexism in hip hop. Starting with the former, I am a product of a school ...