Hip-hop taking over New York

NEW YORK, June 23 (UPI) -- Two hip-hop festivals are scheduled this weekend in New York, each presenting its own social commentary.

The war in Iraq is set to be the topic of this year's Hip-Hop Theater Festival, which features performances from hip-hop inspired artists voicing their political opinions through their art, the New York Post reported.

At the same time, the second annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival will begin with performances focusing on distancing hip-hop from the negative stereotypes that have become associated with it, while also helping to identify Brooklyn as a cultural destination in New York.

The theater festival has run since Tuesday, is set to wrap up on Saturday night and offers visitors a variety of performances in poetry, theater, music, and even urban dance lessons, the Post reported.

Meanwhile the Brooklyn festival is scheduled to run all day Saturday, offering more family-friendly performers such as Big Daddy Kane, Lupe Fiasco, and Rhymefest, the paper said.