PLAYSTATION®2 TEAMS WITH RUSSELL SIMMONS AND THE HIP-HOP SUMMIT ACTION NETWORK TO “RACE TO THE POLLS” ALONG WITH PERFORMANCES FROM HIP-HOP’S ELITE

Mary J. Blige, Wyclef Jean, Disturbing the Peace featuring Ludacris, Foxy Brown and Public Enemy to Perform in an Effort to Help Drive Voter Participation in the 2004 Presidential Election

WHO: RUSSELL SIMMONS, TIM ROBBINS, MARY J. BLIGE, WYCLEF JEAN, KANYE WEST, LUDACRIS, ADRIAN GRENIER, LENNOX LEWIS, MICHAEL EALY, ANNE HATHAWAY, PHARELL WILLIAMS, NAOMI CAMPBELL, PUBLIC ENEMY, ELIZA DUSHKU, ANSON CARTER, FOXY BROWN, Q-TIP, TALIB KWALI, LOON, FUNKMASTER FLEX, DOUG E. FRESH, REV. RUN, BRIGITTE NIELSON, BIZ MARKIE, GREEN LANTERN, and more.

WHAT: Continuing its effort to empower young voters, PlayStation®2 joins forces with Russell Simmons and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) for "Race to the Polls," an exclusive event designed to help stimulate young voters to participate in the upcoming presidential election.

"Race to the Polls" will take over New York City’s Manhattan Center Studios Hammerstein Ballroom on October 14, where a limited crowd of 2,000 young people will get the chance to see exclusive performances by Mary J. Blige, Disturbing the Peace featuring Ludacris and Public Enemy, and appearances from Russell Simmons and more.

Further unifying hip-hop and interactive entertainment to connect with today’s young voters, PlayStation 2 will also host a celebrity gaming tournament on the ultimate driving simulator, Gran Turismo®4 hosted by Funkmaster Flex and Doug E. Fresh. The all-star roster, including artists and celebrities such as Lennox Lewis, Lil’ Kim, Ludacris, Adrian Grenier, Anne Hathaway, Q-tip, Foxy Brown, Rev. Run and others will compete on over 650 licensed vehicles representing over 80 manufacturers and racing on up to 100 different race tracks in the next extension of
the multi-million unit PlayStation 2 franchise. "Race to the Polls" PlayStation 2 gaming tournament will reinforce the belief that – whether gaming or at the polls – may the best person win.

WHEN: Thursday, October 14, 2004
Media check-in and event preview: 5:00 p.m.
Arrivals: 6:30 p.m.
Event starts: 7:30 p.m.

WHERE: Manhattan Center Studios Hammerstein Ballroom
311 West 34th Street
New York, N.Y.

For more information and to request credentials, please contact:
Katie Cray Stacey Wechsler
BNC BNC
Mobile: 714-655-5967 Office: 212-682-700
Email: [email protected]