Hip Hop Pioneers Kurtis Blow, The Legendary Grandmaster Jay, Doug E. Fresh, Slick Rick, MC Lyte, Whodini, and The Sugar Hill Gang will appear in Detroit during The 1st Annual Stop The Violence Weekend May 2nd-4th.

On Friday, superstars Kurtis Blow and Grandmaster Jay are scheduled to speak to students at three of Detroit’s middle and high schools prior to a press conference to address the recent increases in gang behavior and violence involving Detroit’s youth. The rest of the hip hop pioneers will participate in a concert at the world famous Fox Theater on Saturday night.

With a host of events ranging from a power luncheon with city officials; to appearing on local newscasts; to discuss the causes and solutions of youth violence; to taking part in a Stop The Violence March; this weekend of events will culminate in the stars addressing the 3000 member congregation of The Perfecting Church on Sunday May 4, 2008.

Event organizer Marshelle Lumas of Infinity Solutions stated, “The time for this type of event is right now. The very future of our communities is at stake when the victims and perpetrators of this sensless violence are our children. They need to hear this message of hope and inspiration from the very role models they follow.’”

The Stop The Violence Weekend is being presented as a joint venture between The Better Detroit Youth Movement, The City of Detroit, and a host of organizations and sponsors, all united in this effort to reach the youth.

The Better Detroit Youth Movement has been working to assist Detroit youth in making better choices, channeling aggression into positive efforts and community activism. Not to be confused with The Stop the Violence Movement, originally formed by KRS One in 1988, this collective effort is being considered by many as the blueprint for similar events in other cities across America. The Stop The Violence Weekend will be presented as follows:

Detroit Stop The Violence Weekend Schedule of Events:

Friday May 2nd, 2008

• 8:45-9:45am Hip-Hop Speaks: Farwell Middle School (students only)
• 10:15-12:00pm Hip-Hop Speaks: Martin Luther King Jr. High (students only)
• 1:00-2:15pm Hip-Hop Speaks: Highland Park High School (students only)

Saturday May 3rd, 2008

• 6:30 -645 715 WDIV NBC Television Morning Show
• 8:30-10:30 Stop The Violence Walk Hart Riverfront
• 10:30-12:00 City Official Luncheon
• 1:00-6:30pm Detroit City Institutional Visits
• 8:00pm-12am: Pioneers of Hip Hop Concert Fox Theater: Whodini, KRS-1, Doug E Fresh, MC Lyte, Big Daddy Kane, Sugar Hill Gang, & Kurtis Blow

Sunday May 4th, 2008

• 10:00am-1:00pm-The Gospel of Hip Hop: Perfecting Church

All events are free to the public.

Source:
PR Inside