HIP-HOP AT 50: WEST COAST, STAND UP

Members of the California Legislative Black Caucus, the RIAA and the Bring the Peace Movement will converge for the “50th Anniversary of West Coast Hip-Hop History & Peace Rally,” 8/14 at the California state Capitol building in Sacramento.

The rally will take place on the steps of the Capitol and be accompanied by a voter-registration drive and entertainment.

The honorees will stand on the California State Assembly and California State Senate floors due to the efforts of California Legislative Black Caucus leaders Chair/Assemblymember Lori Wilson and Vice Chair/Senator Steven Bradford.

Community activist and event organizer Jamilia Land, meanwhile, created a politics, poetry, peace and proclamation program to highlight hip-hop history and call for peace. “This is a time of celebration and reflection,” she said. “We acknowledge the monumental achievements of West Coast artists and reflect on the effect of unresolved trauma and violence in the culture.”

Bradford added, “The 50th anniversary of hip-hop is a significant moment to honor California’s pivotal contributions to the music and culture around this genre. Hip-hop has created a pathway for people to express themselves artistically, build businesses and connect with audiences around the world. I’m proud of the historic contributions that have been made by the people of the district I represent, which includes Compton, Inglewood, Long Beach and Los Angeles.”

Other organizers of the “50th Anniversary of West Coast Hip-Hop History & Peace Rally” include Peace Alliance Community Peacebuilding Lead JoHanna “J” Thompson, Hip Hop 4 Peace founder Tina Marie Tyler, Organized Voices’ Elizabeth Kim, EDUtainment’s Hayon and iSound Music Media’s James Jackson.