3rd Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival Schedule

Brooklyn, NY
May 10, 2007 Brooklyn Bodega, The Room Service Group, and Seven Heads Entertainment, along with New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, and the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy and in conjunction with powerHouse Books, are proud to announce plans for the 3rd Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. This year’s Festival has expanded to a five day celebration taking place in the Dumbo section of Brooklyn. The festival will be a featured part of the free programming that the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy and the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation is sponsoring at Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, the heart of Brooklyn Bridge Park, this summer.

“As we enter our third year we are happy to be returning to perhaps the best backdrop in the city, Empire Fulton Ferry State Park,” says Festival Chair Wes Jackson. “It is important that we do our part to support artists young and old that give so much back to us and that’s exactly what is happening this June.” A series of free events held throughout the month of June, the 3rd Annual Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival looks to celebrate the Hip Hop culture not only in Brooklyn, but beyond. Showcasing performances from legends to the genre’s newest and brightest talents, the BHF has been host to performances from the likes of Big Daddy Kane, Lupe Fiasco, Rhymefest, Little Brother, Sleepy Brown, Leela James, Brand Nubian, Talib Kweli and many others. 2007 is no different as the BHF staff keeps the Festival a highlight of the summer. “The Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy and State Parks are thrilled to host the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival again and welcome all the internationally recognized artists to our beautiful waterfront park,” said Marianna Koval, Co-Executive Director of the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy.

This year, June belongs to the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival as programming has been expanded from one day of performances to a five day celebration. Here is a brief rundown of what to expect for this year’s festivities:

When: Thursday, June 7th
What: BHF Kickoff Party celebrating 50 years of Stax Records!
Where: powerHouse Arena, 6-9pm
Come join us for a night of funky soul all night long at the powerHouse Arena in Dumbo, BK. Stax Records was home to legendary acts such as Otis Redding, Booker T. and the MG’s, The Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes, The Dramatics, The Staple Singers, The Emotions and so many more. Celebrate 50 years of Soul magic, as well as the re-launch of the label.

When: Thursday, June 14th
What: Living Proof, featuring photography from David Alan Harvey in conjunction with Magnum Photography Festival
Where: powerHouse Arena, 6-9pm
Hip hop, which first began on the streets of the South Bronx in the early 1970s, has traveled the globe, finding a home in every corner of the planet. Hip Hop’s versatility speaks to its accessibility and universality. In 2005, Magnum Photographer David Alan Harvey began photographing local emcees in the Bronx River Projects, home of hip hop pioneer Afrika Bambaataa, whose legendary Zulu Nation parties inspired a new generation of b-boys and -girls. It is their descendants that Harvey has captured in here-from Boogie Down thugs and Hollywood celebs to the local cultures of Spain, France, Gambia, Senegal, South Korea, and Thailand-revealing how hip hop has always spoken to the guy on the corner and the girl at the club, because skills and style comes from love.

When: Thursday, June 21st
What: BHF under the stars
Where: The Tobacco Warehouse, Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, 6-10pm Celebrate the longest night of the year with the Brooklyn Hip Hop Festival. Join us for an evening of music under the stars. This event is ticketed, visit www.brooklynbodega.com for more information.

When: Friday, June 22nd
What: Wild Style: The Sampler book release celebration and screening.
Where: The powerHouse Arena and Lawn in Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, 6-10:30pm
In 1982, a small independent movie written, produced, and directed by Charlie Ahearn was released, first in Germany, Japan, and Cannes, then finally in Times Square. Wild Style, the first film to unite the underground urban art forms of nascent hip-hop culture-DJ’ing, MC’ing, b-boying, and graff writing- was filmed on location in the South Bronx without permits or pretensions. Some twenty-five years after its release, Wild Style is truly a classic, having inspired countless artists, musicians, and writers with its unforgettable scenes starring the era’s most memorable personalities. We’re celebrating in conjunction with the powerHouse retrospective book Wild Style The Sampler to be released.

When: Saturday, June 23rd
What: Performance Day
Where: Empire-Fulton Ferry State Park, 12-8pm
The big day. Everyone who has been there before remembers Big Daddy Kane tearing it down in ‘06 or Little Brother rocking their 1st Brooklyn performance. Well, here we go again. Join us for a day of performances and festivities under the sun. Consequence, Skillz, and Tanya Morgan are confirmed. Remaining lineup to be announced shortly. This event is ticketed, visit www.brooklynbodega.com for more information.

Tickets are free, but you must be a member of Brooklyn Bodega. For more information about ticketing, performers, venues, and past Festivals, please visit www.brooklynbodega.com.