FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contacts:
Katie Cray
310.854.4800
[email protected]
Lights! Camera! Take Action and Vote!
PLAYSTATION®2 AND RUSSELL SIMMONS host ³Make a Difference²
benefit FOR THE HIP-HOP SUMMIT ACTION NETWORK RAISING MONEY TO ENCOURAGE voter registration
Special Performances by Miri Ben-Ari, India.Arie and Chaka Khan
FOSTER CITY, Calif., September 20, 2004 In an effort to empower young
voters to participate in the 2004 election, PlayStation®2 joined forces with
Russell Simmons, Brett Ratner and Andre Harrell to host ³Make a Difference²
a fundraiser that raised money to benefit the Hip-Hop Summit Action
Network (HSAN) and its non-profit, non-partisan youth voter registration
initiative ³Hip-Hop Team Vote.² The last presidential election in 2000 only
brought 36 percent of Americans ages 18-24 to the polls, according to census
figures. The fusion of hip-hop and interactive entertainment presents a
unique opportunity for a strong connection with today¹s young people to
encourage them to vote on November 2.
With most states¹ voter registration deadlines falling the week of October
4, the fundraiser came at a pivotal time to remind those who have not
registered to vote to fill out voter registration forms. HSAN and
PlayStation 2 are focusing support for voter education to the same young
demographic that have popularized the world of hip-hop music and gaming, and
hope to increase awareness and support for the effort to improve voter
turn-out.
Sanaa Lathan emceed the evening, where Capital Hill met Beverly Hills in the
elegant outdoor pool and cabana area of the Beverly Hills Hotel.
Congresswoman Maxine Waters thanked Russell Simmons and PlayStation 2 for
reaching out to today¹s youth to encourage political participation.
India.Arie was so inspired by the event that she registered to vote onsite
right after her performance.
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The crowd, including Tyra Banks, Gabrielle Union, Vivica A. Fox, Tommy
Davidson and Serena Williams, had the chance to watch footage from HSAN
Summits around the country where the organization has emphasized to young
people the importance of community involvement. Prince, Boris Kodjoe, Chris
Kattan and Rebecca Gayheart mingled with Russell and Brett Ratner, while
listening to acoustic performances by Chaka Khan, India.Arie and hip-hop
violinist, Miri Ben-Ari with synchronized swimmers spelling out ³VOTE² in
the pool. Donald Trump even made time to stop and send his regards to
Russell.
Guests perused silent auction items, including a W Hotel weekend getaway
package, a customized golf cart with a built-in PlayStation 2 console and a
meet and greet with Dodgers players. The golf cart took in $4,000 that went
straight to HSAN to support its efforts outreaching to the urban community.
Through the credibility of PlayStation 2, today¹s hottest hip-hop artists,
entertainment industry leaders and education advocates aimed at involving
the hip-hop generation in issues such as voter education, youth leadership
and economic advancement, HSAN has already registered hundreds of thousands
of young people over the past 12 months.
About Hip-Hop Summit Action Network
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 "hip-hop" 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.
For more information on the local summits and the Hip-Hop Summit Action
Network efforts, go to www.hsan.org <http://www.hsan.org/> .
About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.
Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the
entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one game console, and
the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The PlayStation 2 computer
entertainment system is set to revolutionize the home entertainment market,
offering the most compelling interactive content and the capability to be
used as a network terminal in the coming broadband era.
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SCEA PlayStation 2 Hosts Benefit for HSAN
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Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment
America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops,
publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console and
the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system for the North American
market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America
Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a
wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.
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Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com
Ellen Zoe Golden
[email protected]
JLM PR
580 Broadway, Suite 1208
New York, New York 10012
212-431-5227; 212-431-6818–FAX
Russell Simmons & the Hip Hop Summit Action Network; Roc-A-Fella Records & Roc Music along with Rocawear, Armadale Vodka, other corporate ventures from Damon Dash
Also representing in Costa Rica as Bevy Media Corp. (Call 011-506-653-08-97)
911 La Radio, International Flavor For Costa Rica (www.911laradio.com), Century 21 Coastal Estates (www.c21tamarindo.com), Hacienda Pinilla Golf & Beach Resort (www.haciendapinilla.com); Tamarindo Vista Villas, the Surfer’s Paradise (www.tamarindovistavillas.com); , Tamarindo Heights, Dream. Lifestyle. Love. Passion (www.tamarindolifestyle.com)
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