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January 5, 2004   
Contact:  Linda K. Brown
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Contact: Jody L. Miller
          Ellen Zoe Golden
          JLM PR Inc.
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          [email protected]

RUSSELL SIMMONS¹ ³HIP-HOP SUMMIT² COMES TO HOUSTON

SUPER BOWL WEEKEND

(Houston)?.The Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN), the largest national coalition of hip-hop artists and record company executives, was founded in 2001 by Russell Simmons, Founder of Rush Communications and Chairman of HSAN. The organization is dedicated to harnessing the cultural relevance of ³hip-hop² music while serving as a catalyst for education advocacy and other societal concerns fundamental to the well being of ³at-risk² youth throughout the United States.  The first in a series of 2004 Summits will be held in Houston, on January 31st during the Super Bowl Weekend at Texas Southern University. The Houston Summit¹s theme will be ³Taking Back Responsibility: Youth Economic & Political Empowerment².

HSAN is a non-profit, non-partisan national coalition of artists, entertainment industry leaders, education advocates, civil rights proponents and youth leaders united in the belief that the ³hip-hop² phenomena is an enormously influential agent for social change which must be responsibly and pro-actively utilized to fight the war on poverty and injustice.

Participants in the 2004 Houston Summit will include: nationally renown Russell Simmons, Sean ³P. Diddy² Combs, Beyonce,  Master P,  Lil¹ Romeo, Busta Rhymes, Jermaine Dupri, Scarface, Erykah Badu, Reverend Run of Run DMC, Doug E. Fresh, Solange, Layzie Bone, Matthew Knowles of Music World Entertainment, Duane ³Hump² Hobbs of Sucka Free Records, James Prince of Rap-a-lot Records; local artists including   Papa Reu of Reumuzik Inc.;  Big Mo of Wreck Shop Records;  Baby Beesh of Dope House Records; Slim Thug of Boss Hog Records; Dallas of Sucka Free Records; Bloa of Str8-lace Records and many, many others will also be in attendance.

Corporate sponsors for the Houston Summit are Anheuser Busch, Clear Channel Entertainment, Second Wind and Radio One-97.9 the Boxx.  Over 10,000 youth are expected to attend the Houston Summit during the Super Bowl weekend.

A press conference will be held with local and national representatives to officially announce the Houston Hip-Hop
Summit event:
WHAT: Houston Hip-Hop SummitPress Conference
WHEN: Thursday, January 8,2004 11:30 AM
WHERE: Texas Southern University-Health & P. E. Arena Wheeler @ Ennis St.
WHO: Dr. Benjamin Chavis,Exec. Director of HSAN, Matthew Knowles, Music World Entertainment, Duane ³Hump², Hobbs, Sucka Free Records, James Prince, Rap-a-lot Records, Congresswoman, Sheila Jackson Lee, Senator Rodney, Ellis, Representatives, Al Edwards & Garnet Coleman, Dr. Priscilla, Slade, President of Texas Southern University, Minister Robert, Muhammad, Hip-Hop Artists & Community Leaders