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An

assortment of emerging rappers have banded together to send a message to radio

programmers around the country through a nationwide venture.The

effort, known as the Artist to Watch campaign, will officially kick off Wednesday

(Dec. 6) at what’s billed as the New Big East concert. Performers

include Saigon, Tru Life, Maino, Stack Bundles, Red Café, Jae Millz, Grafh,

Littles, J-Hood, and Uncle Murda.According

to Infamous Records senior vice president Littles, the show represents the beginning

of a national movement for artists looking to be heard."Ultimately,

our intention with the Artist To Watch campaign is to bring together the hottest

emerging artists in each market and use this platform to show radio that these

artists, who they’re ignoring on their airwaves, have an audience," said

Littles, who organized the concert with promoter Mook Diamond and Best of the

Block Inc. "Programmers and music directors have lost sight of the fact that

hip-hop didn’t come from call-outs, BDS, and Soundscans. Hip-hop gets its heart

from the streets and if we’re gonna keep the music alive, then radio needs to

keep its ear in the streets as well."The

concert will immediately follow the first annual Urban DVD Awards, which is set

to begin at 9 p.m. at Club Avalon, 47 West 20th Street, New York.DJ

Camillo and DJ Self will be on the turntables for the ceremony, which will be

hosted by Hot 97 FM’s DJ Enuff. The

Awards honor urban DVD pioneers in the following categories: Best DVD Documentary,

Hottest Street DVD, Most Consistent Artist On A DVD, Hottest biker DVD and Top

DVD Street Magazine and The Pusher Award, which recognizes the most consistently

sold urban DVD.Hot

97 personality Dee Vasquez will kick off the concert, which will also feature

performances from Yummy and the R&B group Black Buddafly.The

show will mark the beginning of a series of concerts that are slated to take place

around the country and feature the top emerging artist from various markets. Opening

the campaign in New York proved to be a no-brainer for organizers since "New

York City is the birthplace of hip-hop," stated Mook Diamond.The

New Big East mix CD, hosted by Kay Slay, Super Star Jay and Big Mike, is scheduled

to drop Dec. 12.For

details on the New Big East and Artist to Watch campaigns, visit http://www.myspace.com/thenewbigeast.