Coloring Book Causing Outrage

March 13, 2007 -- There's a new coloring book on the market, and it's causing a firestorm of controversy. It's called "The Gangsta Rap Coloring Book".

It's obviously not just any coloring book. You can use your crayons to color a picture of Ice-T holding a sub machine gun behind his back, or Brother Lynch hung menacingly holding a dagger. Or even 50 Cent pointing a gun at you. There are also stereotype images of black men holding prison cell mug shot numbers in front of them.

The book, created by freelance artist Aye Jay of San Francisco, is meant to pay homage to gansta rappers but it has raised the ire of some in the African American community.

Rev. Willie E. Robinson of the Mount Zion Baptist Church said, "For something of this nature being designed to give children with images of weaponry and killing and prison and things of that nature, I don't see it as a fitting image for our young people."

Iman Suetwedien A. Muhammad of Masjid Muhammad said, "This stuff needs to be exposed, it shouldn't be sold, they know exactly who they're targeting with this kind of foolishness here."

On the back cover, the book highlights glowing reviews including one who says: "Cop this and get the young guns in the game early." Another writes: "An automatic weapon, a set of crayons and this coloring book. What more could a growing boy ask for?"

But District Attorney Lynne Abraham calls the book a disgrace. "With all the terrible things happening, shootings, gang warfare, Mac 10's, Tec-9's and here is this company that is supposed to be a responsible company that's totally unresposible, so I'm disgusted, I'm horrified."

The book is being sold by, among other outlets, Urban Outfitters on the company's webpage. The company has previously been under fire for selling a Monopoly-style game called Ghettopoly, and for selling Christmas ornaments shaped like glittering handguns.

Abraham said, "Glen Senk who owns that store is socially irresponsible, here we are awash in the blood of young people where carrying a gun in our society is supposed to be frown on and what he does is re-enforce all the bad images."

As of late Tuesday night, our calls to Urban Outfitters for comment had not been returned.

(Copyright 2007 by Action News and 6abc. All Rights Reserved.)

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