Partygoers
can expect a "upscale" and "classy" atmosphere when they attend
the Palladium Ballroom at Caesars Atlantic City for this year’s "Marty
Small Ball."The
fourth annual event, named after second ward Atlantic City Councilman Marty Small,
kicks off at 10 p.m. Sunday (Jan. 14), with music by DJ Clue. For
Small, the Ball represents an opportunity to focus on the local residents of the
popular tourist destination. "Atlantic
City is a growing town and we’re marketing to a lot of tourists, but people
seem to forget about the locals," Small told AllHipHop.com. "And the
locals in my generation were starving for something to look forward to. You got
your traditional clubs and other people putting on activities, but the community
needed something to look forward to on an entertainment level." Since
it’s inception, the Ball has drawn over 2,000 people and has featured revered
DJs such as Biz Markie, Kid Capri, S&S and DJ Self. The
parties are one way Small has maintained his connection with the community since
becoming the youngest person to serve on the Atlantic City Council in 2004 at
the age of 29. "I’m
a councilman in a major city in the East Coast and still able to maintain my connections
to the hood, to the kids and put events together. You can never forget where you
come from," the 32-year-old politician told AllHipHop.com. "I look at
it like this. I’m in a position of power and you want to reach down and try
to empower people and make their situation better, just as you made it better
for yourself." Prior
to serving on the council, he maintained a position as vice president of the Atlantic
City Board of Education for two years and helped run the local Boys and Girls
Club for four and a half years as a youth program manager. In
addition to being a coordinator of elementary extracurricular activities for Atlantic
City Public Schools, Small started a men’s midnight basketball league. With
his knack for promoting fun events and being visible in the community, Small has
become a noticeable fixture and is sometimes jokingly referred to as the "Hip-Hop
councilman.""I
embrace the Hip-Hop culture," Small said. "Some people may look at it
and frown upon it because of my political position…but people have to realize
this is who I am. This is what got me where I’m at today and I don’t
forget that."I’m
a very, very goal oriented person. That is no secret," he stated. "My
political goal is to become Mayor of the city of Atlantic City and I think I’m
on the right track. I’m only 32-years-old."
