Grammy award-winning rapper Ludacris stirred debate at the University of Wisconsin Friday after calling upon hip-hop fans to help solve the problems of violence, glorification of money and profanity associated with the genre’s culture.

Former Editor in Chief of The Source magazine Jonathan “Fahiym” Ratcliffe and MTV News correspondent Jonathan “Sway” Calloway joined Ludacris in a panel discussion hosted by the Kappa Alpha Psi fraternity.

Together, they analyzed the social and political implications of hip-hop and held an audience question and answer session.

The three panelists asked fans of the genre to avoid blaming hip-hop for societal problems such as elevated high school and college dropout rates among black students and refuted the argument hip-hop contributes to black male incarceration.

“It’s easy to make hip-hop a scapegoat for the problems that our society faces, especially in urban America,” Sway said.

He added he thinks the public cannot expect successful rappers to serve as leaders because many of them do not have authentic leadership training and backgrounds.

All three panelists said they believe hip-hop has the power to transform society, citing the 2008 Rock the Vote Campaign and the election of President Barack Obama as proof of hip-hop’s ability to mobilize the nation’s youth.

“Look at what can happen if people come together and just work towards a common goal,” Ludacris said. “And with that being said, I feel like there have been a lot more individuals in the hip-hop culture to take responsibility for their own communities.”

However, the panelists said the objectification of women, drug use, violence and the glorification of money all existed before hip-hop emerged in the 1970s as a means of expressing an unheard voice. Hip-hop, they said, is not responsible for these problems and cannot be held accountable for raising America’s youth.

In a reversal of roles during the heated question and answer session, the panelists asked audience members a question they feel is fundamental to overcoming the obstacles surrounding hip-hop culture: What can you do to solve these societal problems?

“If you listen to rap music or you’re attracted to this culture, you’re a part of that hip-hop generation as well. You’re part of the solution,” Ratcliffe said.

Some audience members were critical of what they described as panelists’ “vague solutions to deeply entrenched societal problems.”

“[Ludacris] didn’t really provide a solution,” UW freshman Chantal Fuller said. “He said it’s up to us, and we can’t really do much because he reaches more people than we do,”

UW sophomore Dianna Harris was also frustrated with the panel’s abstract solutions to the issues, adding she thinks hip-hop has helped establish certain negative societal norms.

“Sexism, misogyny — all of that existed before hip-hop. Yes, that is absolutely correct,” Harris said. “But this is what we hear about all the time. [Hip-hop] is helping perpetuate those things.”

Panelists and audience members alike agreed hip-hop is a powerful tool that has the potential to eliminate these negative images from society, transform America and mobilize youth.

“We’re not utilizing that power,” Harris said. “That’s the problem.”