Hip-Hop pioneers Afrika Bambaataa, GrandMaster Caz, Kurtis Blow
and others will announce the establishment of the Universal Federation for the
Preservation of Hip-Hop Culture, a nonprofit organization invested in safeguarding
Hip-Hop’s evolutionary history.
According to the
Federation’s Vice President Kenny “Yoda” Syder, also a member of
the legendary Crash Crew, artists have consistently toured the world recording
Hip-Hop’s history in the process.
“The global
community lacks a formal place of study for Hip-Hop culture," said Syder.
"This is an excellent opportunity to collectively create a curriculum of
study based upon the contributions from the original founders to present-day
and future artists."
The Federation,
founded in 2003, plans to create a national center to store the various artifacts,
musical compositions and artist biographical information amassed over the years,
to preserve as official recognition of Hip-Hop’s international existence
and influential force.
Through educational
programs involving music and the fine arts, and courses in Hip-Hop’s expressive
arts of DJ-ing, MC-ing, break dancing, graffiti and musical engineering, the
Federation also hopes to extend Hip-Hop’s scope into the realm of universities,
secondary schools and other nonprofit agencies. "
Entertainers, educators,
industry executives and community leaders including KRS-One, Queen Latifah,
Sean "P Diddy" Combs, Ice-T, Mos Def, Will Smith, Wesley Snipes and
Denzel Washington, have been invited to join the Federation"
A press conference
will be held tomorrow (November 10) at 11:00 am at the Office of the Lawyer’s
for the Arts in New York City.
