Why Should I Support Hip Hop Congress?
You want to support developing young leaders: Hip Hop Congress helped support hundreds of leaders all across the country in a variety of different ways. Don’t believe us, check out what people are saying themselves. You want to support the next generation of artists, academics, writers and cultural producers:
Hip Hop Congress is connect to and working to support independent artists all over the country. We know that the music industry, mainstream arts community and other outlets sometimes missed out on some of the most spectacular art and music out there. We want to be a hub for that material, as well as a support network for those artists who are out there struggling to keep their art connected to their community. You believe in the power of the arts, music and culture to impact out children and our future:
We believe in the power of culture, art and music to make an impact on our society. We are committed to identifying and cultivating the best in Hip Hop, and taking a stand using Hip Hop as tool to create a better world.
Sponsor a Chapter:
Are you an alumni of one of our chapters or from a community or campus where we have one? Do you want to support youth, artists and young leaders in a very specific way. Make a donation, and tell us where you want it to go.
Sponsor an Artist:
Is there an artist in our program whose work you’re completely blown away by. Do you want to do more than just buy an album or piece or work? Then support an artist through HHC and let us know that you like what they’re doing.
Support an Event:
You can request your donation go to supporting our National Conference, Regional Conferences, or any of the events put on by our National organization and our chapters.
Where will my donation be going?
Staff: Hip Hop Congress has full time and part time contractors working in its. This staff keeps the organization moving forward, connected and growing.
Programs: Our chapter program and artist program are ever expanding and we want to deliver more support and enrichment to those leaders that need it most.
Events: Our Summits and Conference’s help our organization stay focused and on task while giving leaders a chance to meet, connect and strategize. If you believe in HHC, and you want to support something clear and concrete, this events are key.
You can download our last year’s expenditures and current fund raising goals here.
“I’m sold. How do I make my contribution?”
You can make your tax deductible contribution through our website. Just click the donate button and use your credit card. Please note your email, and we will follow up with a receipt of donation and any other documentation that you may need.
While we love embracing technology, if you prefer the old fashion way of donating, please send your contributions to:
Are there other ways that I can contribute?
Web Content: We are always looking for original work and for writers to contribute to the website. Please contact Aaron Berkowitz at berkowtiz@hiphopcongress.com
Buy from us: In the coming months we will have an online store offering music, merchandise and literature from our partners. If you don’t want to donate, maybe we have something that you want to buy
Volunteer at an event: If you are interested in volunteering, please contact us, and we will forward you to the appropriate regional coordinator who will get you plugged in where appropriate as quickly as possible.
Wish List: Please view our wish list to see what kind of items HHC needs donated. If you would like to donate an item directly, please contact Shamako at shamako@hiphopcongress.com
What are your ideas?
If you don’t want to do any of these things, and you have something in mind, let us know. We know that you’re ideas are usually the correct ones.
How to I become a monthly donor?
If you would like to establish an automated monthly schedule of donation, please contact Shamako at
shamako@hiphopcongress.com and that can be arranged.
I would like to donate:
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by Davey D
Listen to this Debate on Breakdown FM by clicking the link below
http://odeo.com/episodes/23767113-The-Great-Harlem-Debate-pt1
http://odeo.com/episodes/23767115-The-Great-Harlem-Debate-pt2
featuring remarks from; Dr Leonard Jeffries, Dr Marimba Ani, Malik Zulu Shabazz, Charles Barron, Glen Ford, Dr Don Smith, Viola Plummer, Dr James Turner, Pam Afrika & Afrika Bambaataa
with music from; Brother Ali, Rebel Diaz, Zion I, dead prez, Common, Kev Choice & Afrika Bambaataa
This past Sunday over 1200 people showed up at Salem Methodist church in Harlem to listen and weigh in on a discussion that has been raging on in our communities but oftentimes swept under the rug. The historic election of Barack Obama has been a source of pride for many. Record numbers of Black people came out and voted for him. His largest percentage, a whooping 94% of Black folks punched his name in the ballot booth. However, many did so wondering if an Obama election will lead to pressing issues within the African American community would be addressed, or if his election would symbolize to those outside the community that racism was a thing of the past?
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By Scott Gilbertson December 22, 2008 | 10:34:29 AM from wired.com
In the world of online music, 2008 has been the year of the playlist sharing sites, but sadly it’s also been the year of the playlist sites being shut down. The latest victim is Project Playlist, which was recently banned from MySpace.
Project Playlist is an online mixtape sharing site similar to the recently shut down Mixwit and the long-gone Muxtape, but slightly different in that much of the focus is on sharing playlists through social networks like MySpace and Facebook.
Over the weekend, in response to pressure from the RIAA and major labels, MySpace shut down Project Playlist’s widgets and banned the service from the site.
The Project Playlist website (a social network in its own right) is still alive and kicking, but since many of the site’s users rely on the embeddable player to share playlists on other social networks, the MySpace ban will no doubt prove painful.
Starting on Friday evening, MySpace began shutting down Project Playlist’s widgets, telling affected users that “your Project Playlist widget has been removed from your profile in response to copyright complaints.”
For its part Facebook has so far refused to comply with the infringement notifications that led MySpace to ban Project Playlist. While that will likely earn the site some points with fans, it probably won’t last long. However, in an interesting twist, Project Playlist recently hired former Facebook Chief Operating Officer Owen Van Natta as its CEO. Whether or not that cozy relationship affected Facebook’s decision is unknown and neither party was willing to comment, citing pending litigation.
Project Playlist is being sued by Warner Music, EMI, and Universal Music Group, and the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), but at least one label — Sony BMG — has struck a deal with the site.
Although the terms have not been disclosed, the deal is good news for the some 40 million Project Playlist users who now legally use songs from artists and bands on the Sony label in their playlists.
5th Annual
HIP HOP CONGRESS MIDWEST SUMMIT
FEBRUARY 6TH - 7TH
University of Michigan - Ann Arbor
Feb. 6th concert featuring:
Little Brother, K’naan, OneBeLo and Invincible
Tickets go on sale at TicketMaster.com on JAN. 7TH
$25
($20 for U of Michigan Students @ MUTO) Limited Capacity!
also featuring:
Sol Guy (Host of 4REAL)
DLabrie and Shamako (Stay Black & Die Tour)
The ReMINDers
Alex Schein
Five Element Warriors (F.E.W.)
Also featuring:
Black History 101: Mobile Museum
Sessions and Workshops include: (FREE)
“Completing the Cypher of the Hip Hop Generation”
Hip Hop and Education
Gender and Sexual Orientation in Hip Hop
Detroit Summer’s Live Arts Media Project (LAMP)
Element Workshops
—
For more information, contact:
Amer Ahmed, Summit Organizer, 734-763-9044
amahmed@umich.edu
Kathleen Kirkland, Summit Co-coordinator
kvk@umich.edu
HIP HOP CONGRESS MIDWEST SUMMIT
TO BE HELD AT UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN – ANN ARBOR
The Hip Hop Congress (www.hiphopcongress.com) will host its 5th
Annual Midwest Summit: “It’s Our Time: Completing the Cypher of the Hip Hop Generation”
sponsored by the Office of Multi-Ethnic Student Affairs at the University of Michigan –
Ann Arbor (www.mesa.umich.edu) from February 6th to 7th, 2009.
Don’t fall into the trap of assuming that Hip Hop Congress means drugs, guns, and
scantily clad women. We highlight the entire Hip Hop spectrum and advocate a broader
vision of Hip Hop culture than the stereotypes often seen on TV and Radio. Hip Hop
Congress (HHC) is an International Grassroots Network that educates, empowers,
and unites individuals. We preserve and evolve Hip Hop by inspiring social action
and cultural creativity within the community. Drawn from evolving Black cultural
expression, the Summit will connect this modern cultural phenomenon to University of
Michigan’s programming in celebration of Black History Month. To highlight this, the
Summit will feature Black History 101 Mobile Museum.
The Summit will bring together a diverse group of people encouraging participants to
educate themselves on issues, organize action, and recognize how hip hop can be used
to create positive change. The goal of this year’s summit is to connect those interested
in Hip Hop with education, social consciousness and community action.
Activities will feature concerts featuring renowned Hip Hop artists and will include
workshops, panels and discussion on prominent domestic and world issues related to
Hip Hop addressing Race, Gender, Spirituality and Globalization. Scheduled guests
include renowned Hip Hop artists Little Brother, K’naan, OneBeLo, Invincible, Sol
Guy (host of CW television series 4REAL) and much more. There will also be
workshops teaching Graffiti Art, Breakdancing, DJ’ing, and MC’ing.
The Summit will be attended by interested parties from throughout Michigan, Ohio,
Indiana, Illinois, California, New York, Canada and more.
Hip Hop Congress is an organization run by active young people who understand the
societal pressures of today’s youth. We use Hip Hop to inspire social and civic action
and stimulate individual creativity. The Congress was created in 1993 to organize Hip
Hop culture and pool resources and ideas into viable programs based on uplifting the
greater Hip Hop community. Since its inception, HHC has expanded around the world,
strengthening youth culture and creating powerful connections across our globe
COHRE announces its 2008 Housing Rights Awards: IOC, Israel and Italy censured;
Ecuador’s Constitutional Assembly and housing rights activists commended
December 9, 2008
http://www.cohre.org/2008awards
The Centre on Housing Rights and Evictions (COHRE) today announced the
winners of its annual Housing Rights Awards for 2008. The
International Olympic Committee (IOC) and the Governments of Israel
and Italy received Housing Rights Violator Awards for their
demonstrated failure to protect and implement housing rights. The
Constitutional Assembly of Ecuador was presented with 2008’s Housing
Rights Protector Award for its role in making Ecuador the first
country in the world to explicitly recognise in its Constitution a
range of key housing and habitat-related rights. Ms Pia Ndayiragije of
Burundi, Mr Ken Fernandes of Australia and the Chicago, USA-based
Coalition to Protect Public Housing each received a 2008 Housing
Rights Defender Award in recognition of their outstanding commitments
to the defence of housing rights.
….
“Finally it is important to acknowledge the enormous efforts of
housing rights activists around the world, both individuals and
groups, who continually strive to achieve greater understanding and
protection of the human right to housing and related rights. Mr Ken
Fernandes is recognised throughout the Asia-Pacific region as an
outstanding grassroots housing rights activist. Ms Pia Ndayiragije,
Burundi’s Minister for Families and Women’s Affairs from 1987 to 1991,
has a well-deserved reputation as a tireless promoter of women’s
economic empowerment and of the housing, land and property rights of
women. The Coalition to Protect Public Housing, founded in Chicago in
1996, is internationally recognised for its successful campaigns
against forced evictions and as a model for human rights advocacy
across the USA” Mr Booker said.
BIO:
Anita T.
I am a recent graduate of Ohio University with a Bachelor’s of Specialized Studies majoring in African American studies with a concentration in Sociology and a minor in Women’s studies.
I am from Cleveland, Ohio born and raised (the city, not a suburb). I have five brothers (one deceased), one sister and very many nieces and nephews. I am a Hip Hop Head to the Nth degree. I have always been conscious and socially involved. I love people. I love to party. I love to learn and share my knowledge and experience with others. I LOVE HIP HOP SO MUCH I HAVE A TATTOO ABOUT IT!
INTERVIEW:
1. What brought you to Hip Hop Congress?
–My friend Maya introduced me to Hip Hop Congress at Ohio University. Up until that point I was going to transfer schools. After attending a few meetings and events held by my Hip Hop Congress chapter it was more than evident that I had the ability to help this organization grow and as a result I could grow with it.
- What has been your greatest success as a part of this venture? What are the greatest challenges
— My greatest success in being a leading member of Hip Hop Congress was organizing our 2007 National Conference and having our chapter grow always remaining committed to our mission to educate, educate, educate. The challenge is reaching the community to gain members, but if you are actively involved within your community and other organizations within it obtaining and retaining members is a simple. The key is to always remember the goal of Hip Hop Congress to educate and have members realize we all are involved in this organization to live, learn, and teach about Hip Hop culture.
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Dec 16, 2009 - Hip Hop Congress Artists: DLabrie & Keldamuzik of the S.O.U.L.S (Sounds of Urban Life Soldiers) Collective will perform @ This Event. Bring Clothes,Food, Toys or Books to Donate for The Holdidays. HHC Affiliate & 2 Time Olympian “Marilyn King” will also join them on stage!!! 5pm-8pm
Racial Diversity, Hip Hop, and a Heeb from Cincinnati
by Y?
Race doesn’t exist biologically. It is a proven fact that there is more genetic diversity within so-called ‘races’ than between them. However, for the vast majority of people in America, race exists on a social and cultural level.
Some of the most illustrative stories are from young American descendents of African slaves, describing the moment when they first realized that the world sees them as ‘Black’.
I have never wanted to admit that the vast major of the country sees me as ‘White’, a term that, to me, connotes a total lack of culture, history, and soul.
As a young Jewish adult, those are three things that I was raised to value, and so, ‘White’ doesn’t work for me.
Maybe that is why Hip Hop seemed like a natural extension of those values. The emphasis that hip hop heads place on culture, history, and soul, are what separate them from the casual observer.
It is not rare to meet a hip hop historian, or to get into deep philosophical discussions with a real hip hop head.
Hip Hop Congress, however, goes beyond these three values and extends to education, social justice, and social action, to all of which I find connections with my background.
Why does hip hop seem to provide a framework through which to bridge so many of the rifts in our country’s social fabric?
I think that the answer lies in the common cultural currency that it provides us. In simple terms, it gets us speaking the same language, on the same page, hoping for the same changes to occur.
We tend to talk of revolution, but we rarely do so in the framework of a mental revolution a point at which people discard old schema which are no longer true or socially adaptive, in favor of new ideas and ideals.
In this case, I believe that the concept of race is an old schema which needs to be discarded. In most cases, society itself has been using race as a cover up for economic inequality anyways, the difference has been that, while a fairly small percentage of the country is ‘Black’, a far greater percentage of the country is poor (and most revolutions in history have been incited by the middle class on behalf of the poor once the gap between the top and bottom becomes too large).
In any revolution, a new set of cultural currency is necessary to evolve, and I believe that hip hop is an example of just that.
Hip Hop has been empowering to the individual from the very beginning. If you’ve had no formal dance training, you can still be a B-boy. If you can’t afford musical instruments, you can still be an emcee. But, like any culture, hip hop does not exist in a vacuum.
Hip Hop culture, and the hip hop revolution is built on community. In fact, congress literally means, the act of coming together. Even as we are expanding into new and uncharted cultural territory, so are we trying to connect at our very core, based on a universal set of shared ideals and hopes.
This is the power of the Hip Hop Congress, to both appreciate the individual, while simultaneously placing the individual as an interconnected piece of a community.
1) What brought you to Hip-Hop Congress? What has been your greatest success as a part of this venture? What are the greatest challenges?
I have to give credit to my boy Sebastian Pais for introducing me to Hip-Hop Congress. He is a very dedicated community organizer & had wanted to start a chapter on the University of New Mexico campus here in Albuquerque but lacked the time to really make it happen. I had worked with him on some other projects as had my boy Bryan Gibel (MC Buddha Nature). Sebastian passed the charter paperwork onto us and asked if we would be interested in starting a chapter. We were both unfamiliar with HHC but after a little research we decided to rally a few local Hip-Hop soldiers and start a chapter. This was shortly after we had decided to start the Hip-Hop Without Borders project and it seemed like the two could really support one another. I’ll talk more about that later.
I would have to say our greatest success would have to be our first Hip-Hop Awareness Week. Financially speaking it was nearly disastrous. I think we had 11 events over the course of 9 days. We had a film festival, a spoken word slam, a night organized completely by women that featured all female performers representing all the elements, we had an international Hip-Hop festival that featured artists from Cuba, Mexico, California, Texas and New Mexico. Many of the artists performed in Spanish and there were some indigenous performers as well. It was a fundraiser for the second Hip-Hop Without Borders trip. Unfortunately across the week we barely managed to break even but it was a great learning experience, it raised awareness about the trip and the feedback we got back was all really positive. Nothing like this had ever taken place in New Mexico before and when all was said and done we all still made it to Cuba.
This leads right into our greatest challenges. Finding enough people to commit the time and energy needed to make events like this happen is very difficult. Not for lack of dedication, but many of our members work and go to school, have families, work two jobs etc. This makes it difficult to maintain momentum. We also lack financial resources, both as an organization and as a state. In 2007 New Mexico was the 44th poorest state in the country and as far as development and infrastructure are concerned, we have a long way to go. The current recession is not helping our situation, but at the same time, this further solidifies our commitment to proactive community development at the local level.
Click here to catch the answers to questions 2-10
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