This is a CNN report on the Hip-Hop Caucus’ “Green the Block Initiative,” a campaign intended to address urban poverty and climate change at the same time.

The power of music and the power of politics met Tuesday, with a hip-hop mogul and one of the most prominent leaders in Congress joining their considerable forces to spotlight issues facing youth in America.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi attended a youth conference co-sponsored by entrepreneur and entertainer Russell Simmons in Washington. The one-day event, called Keeping the Promise to Our Children, brought legislators together with entertainment A-listers, including Oscar-nominee Terrence Howard, who used their celebrity to advocate a variety of causes: foster care, health care and education among them. (more…)

Children Uniting Nations (CUN), one of the premier non-profit institutions working with at-risk youth, recently announced its partnership with Russell Simmons’ “Hip Hop Summit Action Network”, heading into the 4th Annual “Keeping the Promise to our Children” conference in Washington DC. Set for June 9th, HSAN president and historic civil rights veteran Dr. Benjamin Chavis held a key role in the new partnership’s formation, which will be formally introduced through a morning press conference held at the House Capitol Building and the following conference with panel discussions in the famous Woodrow Wilson Plaza located in the Ronald Reagan Building. (more…)

Hip-hop artist Common, a 2008 Grammy Award winner and five time NAACP Image Award winner, and Bakari Kitwana, co-founder of the first ever National Hip-Hop Political Convention, are the keynote speakers for Third Annual Clarion University Hip-Hop Symposium on Thursday, Oct. 23. The program features speakers from around the world and an International Film Festival based around the theme “Hip-Hop Symposium 2008: Global Impact!”

Common and Kitwana will highlight the day’s events with their presentation at 2 p.m. in Gemmell Student Complex. A panel program will close the activities at 7 p.m. also in the Gemmell Student Complex. Kitwana, in addition to being the co-founder of the first ever National Hip-Hop Political Convention is the author of “The Hip-Hop Generation: Young Blacks and the Crisis in African American Culture.” He is currently an artist-in-residence at the University of Chicago. (more…)

Young people today who have embraced hip-hop as a culture might help to decide the outcome of the next presidential election. When it became clear that both parties had presumptive nominees, the Hip-hop Summit Action Network (a New York based non-profit) launched Voteforit!08, a non-partisan online video campaign to help draw young Hip-hop fans of voting age into the voting booths. The news public service announcement, which features Doug E. Fresh, George Lucas, and R&B chart-topper, Ciara, was uploaded onto YouTube in July.

Seven years ago, the Hip-hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) kicked off with a town hall type meeting with participation from entertainment and music industry leaders. Since then, the organization has been using Hip-hop culture as a bridge to connect youth to community-based initiatives. (more…)

The Hip Hop Caucus’ – Respect My Vote! Campaign, along with Radio One, Inc. and the Hip Hop Summit Action Network, registered more than 30,000 voters during its national “One Vote Day” voter registration drive on September 30th – according to news sources.

Thousands of citizens in sixteen cities across the country participated in events aimed at mass voter registration. Radio One stations broadcasted live from central locations in each of the participating cities urging unregistered voters to attend their local registration site to register onsite. Artists such as Nelly and Raheem DeVaughn helped draw large crowds to registration stations, allowing Hip Hop Caucus volunteers to register an average of 1,200 voters within each of the different markets. (more…)

Hip hop has entered the housing crisis. In a news press conference held today in New York, members of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN), including hip-hop pioneer and network cofounder Russell Simmons, announced a joint initiative called “Get Your House Right!” to provide solutions to the mortgage and foreclosure crisis for young Americans. Russell announced the initiative with HSAN Cofounder, President and CEO Dr. Benjamin Chavis and Valeisha Butterfield, HSAN executive director.

“Get Your House Right!” is a homeownership tour that kicks off in New York City and is supported by corporate sponsor Genworth Financial. It works with professionals from the financial, mortgage and homeownership arena to educate Blacks and Latinos on the long-term benefits of homeownership in America. (more…)

The Hip Hop Caucus and Multi-Platinum, Grammy Award Winning Superstar T.I. have joined forces to launch a powerful new voter registration and Get Out the Vote campaign that combines the power of celebrity and media with 21st century grassroots organizing tactics to mobilize and educate young people between the ages of 18 and 29, who are not in college.

The campaign slogan, “Respect My Vote!” and t-shirts were unveiled today at a press event in Washington, DC, with DJ Green Lantern, Dawn from Danity Kane, Young Berg, Maino, Wale, Young Steff, Washington Wizard Etan Thomas, Olympic Gold Medalist Anthony Killieberew, Immortal Technique, Pleasure P, World Class Sprinter and Champion Michael Walton, BET Executive Vice President Stephen Hill and many others turning out to support. (more…)

Everybody’s gearing up for this year’s presidential election, especially when it comes down to the youth vote. People seem extremely enthusiastic, including iconic figures such as Russell Simmons, Snoop Dogg, LL Cool J and many more, who just launched their VOTE FOR IT 08! PSA announcement on Youtube.

On July 9th many gathered for the PSA unveiling and launch party, guests included Hip-Hop mogul, Russell Simmons and former CEO of the NAACP now, President of Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, Dr. Benjamin F. Chavis. I got the chance to go to this event and speak with both gentlemen, who had very optimistic things to say about this year’s youth vote. (more…)

The 2008 Third Bi-Annual National Hip Hop Political Convention (NHHPC) will be held August 1-3, 2008 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The NHHPC is a bi-annual gathering of social justice activists, organizers, students, journalist, scholars, artists and concerned citizens who come together to define the political agenda of the Hip Hop community.

On July 28-31, 2008, a pre-convention will be held called “The State of Hip Hop,” which will include a film festival, concerts, art exhibits, academic symposium and Hip Hop dance contests. Thousands of young activists, educators, entertainers, journalists, artist, students and concerned citizens are planning to come to Las Vegas to discuss the role of Hip Hop culture in political and social activism at the 3rd Convention of the NHHPC. (more…)