New York Hip-hop Summit Draws Stars

June 13 -- NEW YORK (ABCNEWS.com) — A strikingly subdued group of rappers is meeting with politicians this week to tackle hip-hop's often controversial image in the media.

For the rappers, the ongoing Hip-Hop Summit at the New York Hilton Hotel offers a chance to voice their opinions about the industry — and enjoy a reunion.

Rap legends Naughty by Nature and 2 Live Crew mingled with hip-hop mogul Russell Simmons and up-and-coming rappers including Talib Kweli during Tuesday's opening session. Today's speakers were to include Queen Latifah and Sean Combs (a k a Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, etc.), and Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan was slated to deliver the keynote address.

"I think it's going very well," said Simmons, the founder of Def Jam Records and the summit's organizer. "We're here also to celebrate and know our power, and how influential we are … to build on what we have."

What they have is one of the most profitable arms of the music industry. Yet like their rock-star predecessors, the flamboyant personalities topping the charts continue to find their lyrics debated in Washington, D.C.

Just last week, the Federal Communications Commission fined a Colorado radio station $7,000 for playing Eminem's "The Real Slim Shady." The station said it thought the song it played was a clean version of the track, but the FCC still deemed the version indecent.

Typically Divided Hip-hop Community Unites

Politicians, religious leaders, and the musicians are meeting largely behind closed doors. When they wrap up Thursday, they hope to have a unified plan for the industry