In support of Green Month, Building Education through the Arts and Transforming Society, orB.E.A.T.S., will host its first annual Hip-Hop Expo on Bridging the Rural and Urban Experience through Sustainability at Baker University Center tomorrow, featuring emcee headliners Finale and Invincible.
Finale, a former assembly-line automotive engineer from Detroit who quit his job to pursue his passion for hip-hop, will be promoting his newly released CD, A Pipe Dream and A Promise, an album packed with personal lyrics and backed up by fresh beats, featuring the production of J Dilla, Black Milk, Flying Lotus, Notzz and Oddisee.
Though a little nervous for the show, Finale said he is eager to introduce himself, showcase his music and rock it out with Invincible, a fellow Motor City emcee who will also be performing at the event.
With the overall theme of sustainability, the expo will be an interactive event that merges the elements of hip-hop and discussions of social
economic and environmental justice toward solutions of how art transforms rural and urban communities according to the event Web site.
The expo consists of several events throughout the day, including sessions on Greening Your Life, and Hip-hop and Media Organizing against Displacement, along with a student-led discussion on sustainability in the community and a spoken word poetry-writing workshop.
Special guests consist of internationally-renowned social justice activist Majora Carter, president of the Majora Carter Group, and founder of the Sustainable South Bronx, along with the Affrilachian Poets, who have been featured on Def Poetry Jam. Wrapping up the day of art and activism will be Finale with Invincible.
Although seating for activities is limited and registration is on a first come, first serve basis, anyone who pre-registers online will get a free t-shirt and lunch. For more info check out: ohio.edu/aas/hiphop.
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Culture
Julie Brown
