City Hall Protest Takes Aim At Rapper Rick Ross' Controversial 'Molly' Lyrics

NEW YORK (CBSNewYork) -- Teens, parents and New York City Council members joined together Wednesday to denounce music artists using controversial lyrics they contend promote date rape.

The protesters especially took issue with rapper Rick Ross and his music.

"For those who may not know, Rick Ross put out a song on how to date rape a female. What's wrong about it is that as a 15 year old, it affects me. And this is what's being played on the radio and in TV," one teen told reporters, including 1010 WINS' Stan Brooks.

Ross' song "U.O.E.N.O. (You Ain't Even Know It)" features the following lyrics: "Put molly all in her champagne, she ain't even know it. I took her home and I enjoyed that, she ain't even know it."

"Molly" is a reference to MDMA, or ecstasy. The National Institute on Drug Abuse said MDMA "produces feelings of increased energy, euphoria, emotional warmth and empathy toward others, and distortions in sensory and time perception."

Antonia Clemente, who runs The Healing Center in Sunset Park, Brooklyn, also spoke out about the controversial lyrics.

"It is not ok to rape. It is not ok to put women down. It is not ok to say 'Hey, date rape is ok.' And we have a responsibility, but the media has a bigger responsibility and the music industry bigger than that," she said.

Teen Brian Melford from the Bronx also advocated sending a message to the music industry.

"A lot of times, they'll say 'Well, it's what sells.' Well, we have to stop that, we have to say 'education sells, success sells, women in power, women getting their education, women doing the right thing sells, men pulling up their pants sells, men avoiding prison sells,'" he said.

Ross did offer an apology last week, tweeting "I dont condone rape.Apologies for the #lyric interpreted as rape" and "Apologies to my many business partners,who would never promote violence against women."

Just last week, protesters demonstrated outside the Reebok Flagship Store in New York City because the company did not fire the rapper over the lyrics.

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