DAVID BANNER, T.I. SUPPORT KANYE WEST

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Those words — spoken by Kanye during an emotional, unscripted rant during Friday night's hurricane benefit telethon on NBC — provided the crest of a growing wave of criticism against a relief effort that left hundreds of thousands without food, water, electricity or hope for five full days. They also tapped into some long-standing concerns about the current administration. "We've been screaming this for five years," David Banner said Tuesday (September 6) of Kanye's remarks. "You listen to your David Banners, Dead Prez, listen to rap music period. This is what rappers have been screaming all the time. The problem is America concentrates more on our cuss words. They don't hear the pain in the music all the time. You just finally had somebody who has the power Kanye has, who said it at the right time."

West certainly isn't the first member of the hip-hop community to speak out against the current administration. Many feel the "compassionate conservative" president has been uncaring and negligent in using federal resources to help Americans in need. "We can't wait around for the government to help. We're not waiting, we're taking action," Diddy told MTV News on Thursday after donating $1 million to the Red Cross with Jay-Z. "We can find money to bomb people oversees, but not to help our brothers and sisters?" "It's been seen that the government don't really give a f--- about our situation," T.I. said Tuesday, alleging that if rich white communities were hit as hard as the poor black communities have been, Bush would have ordered aid in a more timely manner. "All those people who are down there without homes and shelter, those are folks from the 'hood. That's the urban community."

Bush has responded to the growing criticism by conceding that the government's initial response to the disaster was unacceptable. And congressional officials said Bush intends to seek around $40 billion for the next phase of relief (Congress approved $10.5 billion in relief funding last week). T.I., Young Jeezy and hip-hop publication Juice are teaming up to help David Banner's own relief effort via his Heal the Hood Foundation. Banner has been in Mississippi personally giving out food, water and clothing he purchased himself. Banner, Jeezy and T.I. have been putting together an all-star fundraiser at Atlanta's Phillips Arena, and T.I. helped raise more than $265,000 Monday when he went on an Atlanta radio station and solicited donations. Among the contributors were Warner Music Group President Kevin Liles and producers Jermaine Dupri and Dallas Austin, who donated $25,000 apiece. Banner continues to help aid the survivors of Katrina, he's still seething over what he feels is a betrayal by his government. "I don't want to hear the national anthem, dude," he said. "Don't play the national anthem around me no more." Banner said people can donate to his Heal the Hood Foundation by credit card at HealTheHood.com, and checks can be mailed to P.O. Box 13185, Jackson, MI 39236. What do you think of Kanye's comments?