Hip Hop Record Release and Discussion with student artists

Posted by on September 8, 2008

If hip-hop is half as influential as people claim, perhaps those fighting to improve life in inner city communities should embrace the art form. We will also miss out on a key medium young people use to discuss their feelings and issues in their lives.  So much emphasis has been put on finding a slogan that packs sufficient counter punch to Stop Snitching – ‘Start Talking,’ or ‘Speak Up.’  But Philadelphia’s youth are already engaging a dialogue through urban arts, such as hip-hop.

Perhaps the next slogan needs to be aimed not at the youth, but at the adults: ‘Start Listening.’

The Commonwealth Verses
Start Talking.
A Hip Hop  / Spoken Word Record Release and Discussion with student artists of the  Girard E3 Center.

·Copy of Full Length Album ·Acapella Performances

·Hear the Artists Discuss Their Work & Roll of Hip Hop in their Community

·Ask Questions

sponsored by United Way’s Days of Caring and Strawberry Mansion High School

Over the past three months, youth from the E3 Girard Center have been working on an album of hip hop music consisting of ten songs, each song addressing a different issue relevant either to their lives or to their communities.  While provocative, the songs do not contain aggressive or disrespectful language.   Through hip-hop, the youth found a medium to discuss sensitive issues (such as drug dealing, police, education, and faith) that might otherwise be muted by the Code of Silence.

a public forum
featuring

Andre Chin
Institute for the Development of African American Youth

Daniel Cariño
Youth Advocate, Congreso de Latinos Unidos

Darryl Coates
Philadelphia Anti-Drug Anti-Violence Network

David, Nate, and Lydell.
Girard Avenue E3 Center Artists

Wednesday, September 10th
10:00 a.m.
at the
Strawberry Mansion High School
3313 Ridge Avenue
Philadelphia

SPACE IS LIMITED – REGISTER HERE BY EMAIL (ggriffin@uwsepa.org)
include your name and email address

sponsored by
United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania
The Stoneleigh Center
Blueprint for a Safer Philadelphia