Stop The Violence Hip Hop Weekend

Thursday, May 1 through Sunday, May 4, 2008 dubbed STOP THE VIOLENCE WITH HIP HOP WEEKEND in Detroit:

A local coalition between the Better Detroit Youth Movement, True Infinity Solutions, the City of Detroit, Fusicology, and many other grassroots community-based organizations has come together to name this weekend, May 1 - 4, 2008, the 1st Annual "Students Taking On Prevention" Weekend, which will celebrate, inspire, and endorse positive cultural actions on behalf of the city's youth and prominent city figures that provide alternatives to violence as a method of expressing anger, angst, frustration, or oppression... such as through TRUE Hip Hop - through creative and constructive MC battles, DJ battles, music production, break-dancing, and graphic art.

In an effort to revitalize the original culture of Hip Hop, these organizations are coming together to create opportunities and situations which allow Detroit youth to practice and develop their skills in Hip Hop-related arenas, rather than fall prey to violent situations, such as street fights and gunplay. This movement also disspells the mantra surrounding today's popular Rap music, further boycotting the violent and materialistic stigma now attached to Hip Hop.

The weekend happens to also surround the much-anticipated "Pioneers of Hip Hop" concert @ The Fox Theatre on May 3rd, which features legends KRS-One, Kurtis Blow, Doug E. Fresh, Whodini, MC Lyte, and more, which represents popular Hip Hop icons that have not had to resort to violence or bling in order to attain or maintain their respect in music. Originally scheduled to appear at several community forums around the city this weekend, as well as give talks at local schools, KRS-One unfortunately had to cancel his visits due to an injury incurred from a thrown bottle at a recent concert in New Haven, CT. However, pioneers Kurtis Blow and Grand Master Jay of NYC will still be giving talks to students at 3 public schools on Friday, May 2nd, as well as appearing at several in-studio, riverfront, and church functions over the course of the weekend.

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS:

Thursday, May 1: Silence the Violence Rally @ Coleman A. Young Municipal Center | 6pm - 7pm

Friday, May 2: Kurtis Blow, Grand Master Jay, local Hip Hop artists give student talks @ Farwell Middle School, Martin Luther King Jr. High, Highland Park High School | 8:45am - 2:15pm /// Live local radio & television interviews | 3pm - 6pm

Saturday, May 3: ALR Lupus Walk w/The Dilla Project & STV Students @ Detroit Riverfront | 8am - Noon | RSVP to Walk for Dilla & STV here!

*All events are FREE & Open to the Public*
{with exception of the Fox Theatre concert}

And get some rest after all that action to prepare for the Erykah Badu concert wsg The Roots, also @ The Fox Theatre on Sunday night, May 4th... only to be followed by the Official Roots "Rising Down" Album Release / Listening Afterparty featuring a 4-hour set from DJ ?UESTLOVE and hosted by Roots front man, MC BLACK THOUGHT @ Confidential Lounge Hosted by PublicMediaGroup, this afterparty is a sure-shot, if their last Devil's Night party with ?uestlove is any guage...