Original Lyrics Selected from More than 2500 Entries in Nationwide Contest
Video of Common’s Performance to Debut MTV’s Total Request Live in Lead Up to National HIV Testing Day (June 27th) and Re-air throughout the Summer on MTV channels
June 26, 2008 – New York, NY – Today, Hip-hop artist and actor Common and his Common Ground Foundation, in collaboration with the Kaiser Family Foundation and MTV, with support from Youth Speaks, announced today that 18-year old recent high school graduate, Jose Rivera from Ewing, Nebraska, was the winner of the A Minute lyrics contest to encourage young people to get tested for HIV. Rivera’s lyrics touting the importance of knowing one’s HIV status bested more that 2,400 other entries submitted by young people throughout the U.S. The contest was developed as part of Kaiser and MTV’s long-standing public information partnership on HIV and related issues, called It’s Your (Sex) L if e.
Jose’s lyrics will be performed by Common in a one-minute video performance that will premiere Thursday, June 26th on MTV’s TRL (Total Request Live) in the lead up to National HIV Testing Day (June 27th) and will air throughout the summer on MTV2 and mtvU, MTV’s college network, as well as be available on demand at www.itsyoursexlife.com. Also featured on www.itsyoursexlife.com and www.aminutecontest.com will be a blog by Rivera, photos and video from the PSA shoot with Common, and the lyrics from the 10 finalists. To learn more about Jose visit his profile.
"It’s important to know your status by getting tested because HIV/AIDS is taking a lot of lives in our community and around the world. I had an uncle succumb to HIV, so I’ve personally felt the impact of the disease," said Grammy Award winning artist Common. "Your lyrics can really have an affect on people’s lives and I’ve seen it happen."
By combining the talent and popular appeal of an artist of the standing of Common with the voice of a young person, like Jose, we hope to convey the importance of HIV testing in a way that resonates with other youth," said Tina Hoff, Vice President and Director, Entertainment Media Partnerships, Kaiser Family Foundation.
"This contest offered a great opportunity for our audience to use Think MTV as a loudspeaker for the issues that affect them most," said Ian Rowe, VP of Public Affairs and Strategic Partnership, MTV. "Protection against HIV/AIDS as well as protecting their sexual health overall, continues to be of concern to our audience, and we are proud to have worked with Kaiser and Common to give voice to such meaningful lyrics to help break the stigma associated with HIV testing."
Jose recently graduated from high school and is looking forward to attending Northeast Community College in Nebraska this fall where he will be studying automobile technology. He hopes to open his own auto body shop with his brother someday. Jose entered the contest to convey the importance of knowing one’s status. And as an aspiring writer the contest presented a unique opportunity to potentially work with Common an accomplished lyricist. To learn more about Jose visit his profile.
"It’s amazing to hear my words spoken by Common. Hopefully, together we’re able to get people thinking and persuade them to take a minute and get tested," said Jose Rivera, A Minute contest winner.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), approximately one in four of the people living with HIV/AIDS in the U.S. do not know they are infected. Research shows that once people learn they are HIV-positive, many take steps to protect their partners and reduce the risk of HIV transmission. And early knowledge of HIV infection is critical for connecting people to needed medical care and services. As of 2007, the CDC also recommends routine HIV screening for all adults and adolescents (ages 13-64) in the U.S. Information about local HIV testing centers can be found online or by texting your zip Code to KNOWIT (566948) from most mobile phones.
"Spoken Word and Hip-Hop are this generation’s primary communication tool. Using their own voices, today’s youth are able to communicate to each other directly on issues critical to us all. Jose’s poem is a great example of this in action," said James Kass, Founder and Executive Director of Youth Speaks.
The A Minute contest was designed to engage young people by involving them directly in the creation of a PSA. The intent was to facilitate conversations by contest participants with their peers to help spread awareness about HIV and HIV testing, while attracting compelling lyrics that would resonate particularly well with young people.
MTV and the Kaiser Family Foundation’s over 10 year Emmy and Peabody Award-winning partnership – It’s Your (Sex) L if e — has reached more than 100 million viewers on-air, yielded more than 1.2 million calls to the campaign’s toll-free hotline (1-877-777-IYSL), and put informational guides in the hands of more than 450,000 young people. The backbone of the campaign is www.itsyoursexlife.com, a comprehensive online destination housed within Think.MTV.com, an online community where young people, their friends and some of the biggest names in pop culture come together to effect positive social change.
The Think Community is dynamic, multimedia-driven and enables youth to easily learn more about the issues that matter to them most, share their opinions by uploading videos, podcasts and blogs, and connect with others to make a d if ference. The site is one of the only to reward members for positive actions taken online or off, serving up chances to hang out with socially conscious celebs, access to exclusive MTV events, exposure on MTV and other national media outlets, as well as grants, scholarships and more. Think.MTV.com was built with the help of financial support and expertise from founding partners the Case Foundation, Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, Goldhirsh Foundation and MCJ Amelior Foundation. For more information or to build a profile and become involved, visit Think.MTV.com.
ABOUT THE KAISER FAMILY FOUNDATION
The Kaiser Family Foundation is a non-profit, private operating foundation dedicated to providing information and analysis on health issues to policymakers, the media, and the general public. It is not associated with Kaiser Permanente or Kaiser Industries. Information on HIV/AIDS is available at www.kff.org, and a daily news summary report on developments in HIV/AIDS is available on www.kaisernetwork.org, the Foundation’s free health information service.
ABOUT MTV NETWORKS
MTV Networks, a unit of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of programming and content across all media platforms. MTV Networks, with more than 130 channels worldwide, owns and operates the following television programming services – MTV: MUSIC TELEVISION, MTV2, VH1, mtvU, NICKELODEON, NICK at NITE, COMEDY CENTRAL, TV LAND, SPIKE TV, CMT, NOGGIN, VH1 CLASSIC, LOGO, MTVN INTERNATIONAL and THE DIGITAL SUITE FROM MTV NETWORKS, a package of 13 digital services, all of which are trademarks of MTV Networks. MTV Networks connects with its audiences through its robust consumer products businesses and its more than 300 interactive properties worldwide, including online, broadband, wireless and interactive television services. The network also has licensing agreements, joint ventures, and syndication deals whereby all of its programming services can be seen worldwide.
ABOUT THE COMMON GROUND FOUNDATION
The Common Ground Foundation is dedicated to the empowerment and development of urban youth in the United States .
The Common Ground Foundation was created by Hip Hop artist, actor and children’s author Lonnie Rashid Lynn, known as "Common". Common’s social-conscience message serves as inspiration for equality, opportunity and hope among youth in underserved communities. The Foundation is committed to empowering youth in urban neighborhoods and providing l if e skills needed to achieve their dreams.
ABOUT YOUTH SPEAKS
Founded in 1996 in San Francisco , Youth Speaks is the leading nonprofit presenter of spoken word performance, education and youth development programs in the country. Presenters of local and national youth poetry slams, festival, reading series and more, Youth Speaks also publishes dozens of young writers through the imprint First Word Press, and offers a comprehensive slate of literary arts education programs to thousands of young writers and students each year. In addition to the many programs in the Bay Area, Youth Speaks had helped launch a spoken word movement in over 50 communities across the Unites States, presenting the Brave New Voices International Youth Poetry Slam Festival in a d if ferent city each year to spread the word. For more information, check out www.youthspeaks.org.
CONTACT
Allie Wester at AllieW@Fanscape.com
