Brooklyn, NY- Brooklynbodega.com has signed on as a web partner for VH1 Hip Hop Honors' "The Score" (thescore.vh1.com). The Score contest, which announced its winner earlier this week, gave real Hip Hop fans a chance to compose the soundtrack for this year's "VH1 Hip Hop Honors." 2007. The winner will receive studio time with Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson, and a trip to NYC to attend this year's "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" celebration.
Additionally, as part of "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" weekend on Saturday October 6th Brooklyn Bodega and the Hip Hop Institute will be producing two panels at powerHouse Books in Brooklyn. The first panel will feature Andre Harrell, founder of Uptown Records, and Barry Michael Cooper who coined the term 'New Jack Swing',and a host of others as they discuss the impact and legacy of the New Jack Swing movement. "The inclusion of New Jack Swing in this year's celebration threw me off. The first thing I thought was 'there are some real cultural historians at VH1 making these decisions.' Immediately we wanted to support their efforts in an intimate way," writes Room Service Group president and founder of the Hip Hop Institute, Wes Jackson. "As we talk about the current subgenres of Hip Hop like crunk, snap, and glitch it is important to document movements like New Jack Swing. What is known as New Jack Swing gave us Pharell, Bobby Brown, and Diddy. Having Andre Harrell and Barry Michael Cooper join us we will be getting the story straight from the horse's mouth."
The second panel will celebrate Q-Tip, Phife, and Ali Shaheed Muhammad, the legendary A Tribe Called Quest. The latest addition to the 2007 "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" honoree list, Tribe is universally recognized as one of the greatest to ever do it. The panel will feature critically acclaimed author Brian Coleman, author of Check The Technique, and Jive Records senior A&R, Jeff Sledge who helped create many Tribe classics while they were signed to the New York label. Jackson went on to add, "I think it is every Hip- Hop junkie's dream to sit down with members of Tribe as well as respected peers and colleagues to discuss these great albums. With our esteemed panel we will really speak on how this amazing group grew into such a powerful force while creating some of the best albums Hip-Hop has ever seen or heard."
Both panels will feature the brightest minds from online and traditional journalism, publishing, the blogosphere, film and TV, artists as well as top label executives.
The two panels run from 12:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m. on October 6th at the powerHouse Arena located at 37 Main Street Brooklyn, NY 11201. For more information visit Brooklyn Bodega at www.brooklynbodega.com, The powerHouse Arena at www.powerhousearena.com, and "VH1 Hip Hop Honors" at www.hiphop.vh1.com.
The Hip Hop Institute is a non profit organization whose mission is to academically and accurately document Hip Hop culture while celebrating its contributions to the intellectual pantheon. The Institute's aim is to elevate the level of discussion of Hip Hop so that as a culture and business Hip Hop can flourish. This is accomplished by educational initiatives executed by the Institute's staff.
Brooklyn Bodega is a creative collective of writers, illustrators, filmmakers, event producers, and others dedicated to promoting the best of Hip Hop culture. We maintain a blog/destination site/affinity group at www.brooklynbodega.com and produce our signature event The Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival
VH1 Hip Hop Honors 2007 pays tribute to the pioneers and legends that have made significant contributions to all aspects of pop culture. Hosted by Tracy Morgan, this year's honorees include Snoop Dogg, WHODINI, Missy Elliott, Wild Style's 25th Anniversary, A Tribe Called Quest, and Teddy Riley and Andre Harrell for New Jack Swing. Premiering on Monday, October 8 at 10 PM, "VH1 Hip Hop Honors," is executive produced by Lee Rolontz for VH1 and Jac Benson for blacjac Entertainment. Louis J. Horvitz will direct. Nelson George and Fab Five Freddie are co- executive producers. For up-to-the-minute and archival press information including releases and photographs, visit VH1's press-only Web site at www.vh1.com/press
In Fall 2006, world renowned independent art book publisher, gallery, and bookstore powerHouse Books launched The powerHouse Arena, a laboratory for creative thought: exhibitions, installations, presentations, displays, viewings, performances, readings, and retail therapy-all drawing upon photography and popular culture as sources of inspiration. Located at 37 Main Street in the DUMBO section of Brooklyn, the 10,200-square foot marquis showroom and retail space is unlike any other in New York City, featuring a soaring 24-foot ceiling on the 5,000-square foot ground floor, and an equally impressive 5,000-square foot mezzanine, with over 175 feet of glass frontage, designed by esteemed architect David Howell Design. This year, powerHouse launches the Bo Concept Skylounge, a second gallery on the mezzanine featuring furnishings exclusively from Bo Concept. Step into The Arena! www.power HouseArena.com
The Room Service Group
Gibran Dee Paschall
gibran@theroomservicegroup.com
718.408.1151
The Room Service Group
Greg Trani
greg@theroomservicegroup.com
718.408.1151
