Hip-hop's biggest summit headed to Detroit

DETROIT, April 23 (UPI) -- The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network has done some big things since forming in the summer of 2001.

Since its first Hip-Hop Summit in June 2001 in New York City, the organization has brought together scores of hip-hop artists, music industry executives and politicians to talk about social responsibility and action. HSAN has also worked with the Federal Communications Commission and media outlets to avert boycotts and fines.

Now the organization plans to have its largest summit yet, an all-day affair Saturday in Detroit that will feature multi-platinum rap superstar Eminem and could draw as many as 13,000 people to its two panel discussions.

The event also coincides with the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People's annual Freedom Weekend celebration in Detroit.

"Eminem's investment in the summit is helpful. He's news no matter what he does,'' said HSAN's Russell Simmons, a veteran rap music executive, who via his Def Jam record label and Rush Artist Management companies helped steer the careers of artists such as Run-DMC, the Beastie Boys, LL Cool J and the Fat Boys.

Simmons is the chairman if Island/Def Jam Records, but in the summer of 2001 the formed Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, teaming with Rap the Vote to help register young voters and indoctrinate them into social action.

"The overall purpose of these summits is to make better citizens of young people, to get them involved in the (political) process and in their communities," Simmons said. "These kind of summits are part of a process of organizing young people. If they had voted in the last (presidential) election, a lot of things would be different today.

"The idea is to take this organization, this group of people, and wage a war against poverty and ignorance."

Simmons formed HSAN in July of 2001, shortly after the initial New York Summit. With a board of directors that includes veteran activist Benjamin Chavis, the Rev. Al Sharpton, and hip-hop impresario Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, the group has worked to avert a boycott of cable's Black Entertainment Television by African-American fraternities and sororities and successfully lobbied the FCC to rescind a fine levied against a radio station in Pueblo, Colo., for playing an Eminem song.

HSAN has also started youth reading and leadership programs and a June 2002 rally in New York City that drew 100,000 helped convince authorities to restore $298 million to the public school budget. HSAN has also raised money for the family of slain Run-DMC DJ Jam Master Jay (Jason Mizell) and was among the anti-war voices before the U.S.-led military action in Iraq.

Simmons says that he hopes these actions help to encourage the artists involved to reach for an impact beyond their music.

"Sometimes the artists forget how powerful they are," Simmons said. "We also want to discuss what they can do with their celebrity to benefit their community. They're part of the group we're trying to organize, too."

Simmons says that besides the Eminem and NAACP tie-ins, HSAN chose Detroit for this weekend's Summit because of the city's youthful Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, who he refers to as "the first hip-hop mayor in office."

The two panel discussions at Detroit's Cobo Arena will focus on economic and political empowerment; participants include Simmons, Eminem and several members of his organization, and other successful rappers such as Run-DMC's Rev. Run (Joseph Simmons), Nas, Cam'ron, Method Man and Cherub.

Saturday's activities also include a poetry slam, a rap concert and an after-party at other downtown Detroit venues.