UA Students Explore Hip Hop Culture at Summit

TUSCALOOSA, Ala.– As part of African-American Heritage Month events at The University of Alabama, the 2007 Hip Hop Summit “Hip Hop and Beyond” will be held Thursday, Feb. 22 in the Ferguson Center on campus.

The summit will open with a discussion on “Exploring African-American Issues through Hip Hop Culture” featuring keynote speaker Toni Blackman in 360 Ferguson from 2-4 p.m.

Blackman is an accomplished spoken word artist, writer and musician. She is the first hip hop artist selected by the U.S. Department of State as an American Cultural Specialist. She has performed in Ghana, South Asia and Botswana. (For more information on Blackman go to http://www.toniblackman.com/index.htm.)

“I want people to see that hip hop is more than what they see in music videos,” said Latoya Scott, UA student and coordinator of Hip Hop and Beyond. The summit is designed to explore the positive side of hip hop culture. Organizers of the summit say hip hop culture is more than rap music and baggy pants — it encompasses music, fashion and art.

“I feel that hip hop culture is a vehicle to express or to discuss several important issues in the African-American community,” Scott said. “Toni Blackman encompasses all the components in hip hop culture. She is an example of the variety of art forms that fall in the genre of hip hop and can be an inspiration to the university community.”

A panel discussion “Hip Hop and the Media” will be held from 6-7 p.m. in 312 Ferguson. Panelists will be professionals and instructors in journalism, advertising and public relations in a discussion sponsored by the Capstone Association of Black Journalists.

“We want students to tell the media what they think,” said Jennifer Kitt, president of CABJ. “If students think the media negatively portrays hip hop culture they can use this panel as a way to express their discontent.”

The summit will conclude with “The Main Event” from 8-11 p.m. in the Ferguson Center ballroom. Students from UA, Shelton State Community College and Stillman College will showcase their artistic abilities through fashion design, music, dance and poetry.

“We are going to transform the ballroom for the main event,” Scott said. “I want people to feel like they are coming to a show.”

The Main Event will feature a fashion show and will mark the first time that a UA fashion design student will be able to showcase an entire collection. During the fashion show, there will be performances by student rappers, violinists and singers.

Student-managed recording labels will introduce their musical artists at the summit. The label companies will give away CDs and sponsor a social event after the summit.

Seating is limited for The Main Event. To reserve seats, e-mail Kitt at kitt001@bama.ua.edu. Also, performers who will require access to electrical outlets or other special equipment should send an e-mail to her detailing those needs.

Members of the media are invited to attend rehearsals for The Main Event. All rehearsals will be held in the Ferguson Center ballroom on the following dates:

Feb. 10, 2-5 p.m.

Feb. 12, model walk rehearsal, 2-6 p.m.

Feb. 21, dress rehearsal, 8:30-11:30 p.m.

Sponsors for the event include Creative Campus, Ferguson Center Student Union, University Programs, Crossroads Community Center, Punch Writers Project, African-American Graduate Association, Intercultural Student Council, Arts Student League, Student Government Association and Capstone Association of Black Journalists.