RUSSELL SIMMONS AND THE HIP-HOP SUMMIT ACTION NETWORK HOLD DALLAS SUMMIT 2003 AT PAUL QUINN COLLEGE

ERYKAH BADU, THE D.O.C. AND REVEREND RUN TO PARTICIPATE

NEW YORK, N.Y. ­ OCTOBER 14, 2003 ­ Russell Simmons, Chairman of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network and Dr. Benjamin Chavis, its President and CEO announced today the Dallas Hip-Hop Summit 2003, scheduled for Thursday,October 16, from 12:30-4:30pm at Paul Quinn College at The Richard Allen Chapel 3837 Simpson Stuart, Dallas, TX. Mr. Simmons and Dr. Chavis, along with Dallas¹ own Erykah Badu and the D.O.C. and Reverend Run of Run-DMC will all participate in the free, open to the public forum focusing on youth empowerment and voter registration. Tickets are free and are required to attend. They are available at all 7-Eleven stores in the following areas while supplies last: Duncanville, Desoto, Lancaster, Oak Cliff and Pleasant Grove.

Russell Simmons affirmed, ³The Dallas Hip-Hop Summit 2003 will be a great opportunity for college students and other youth to respond to the multiple career opportunities in hip-hop culture. Last week, for the first time in the history of the Billboard charts, the top 10 were all African-American and were all hip-hop artists. Thus, the timing of this Summit is quite noteworthy.²

Dr. Benjamin Chavis emphasized, ³The Dallas Hip-Hop Summit is one of the activities in a weeklong celebration inaugurating the 32nd President of Paul Quinn College, Dr. Dwight J. Fennell. There is an important relationship between getting a good education and hip-hop. We intend to celebrate the creative genius of hip-hop in the Dallas area at this Summit.²

Sponsors of the Dallas Hip-Hop Summit 2003 are 7-Eleven, Inc., 97.9 The Beat radio station and Def Con3.

Readers can call the school for more info at 214-302-3510 or 214-302-3505.

For more information on how to register to vote as part of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network¹s outreach to youth and their Hip-Hop Team Vote campaign, go to www.hsan.org.