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 scheduledto drop Dec. 12.For
details on the New Big East and Artist to Watch campaigns, visit www.myspace.com/thenewbigeast.
