Next year’s Sonshine Music Festival will help spread Gospel Rap among Christian music fans, through a new partnership with the Fellowship of Holy Hip-Hop.
Under the new agreement, the Fellowship will exclusively manage submissions of “Holy Hip-Hop” artists for consideration to perform onstage at the annual festival, as well as the stage times and performances of selected artists.
In addition, the Fellowship and the festival will work together to promote each other within and throughout their respective platforms.
News of the alliance marks a new chapter for the Sonshine Music Festival.
The event, founded by Willmar, Minnesota youth pastor Bob Poe, is noted for spotlighting the best in Christian music, as well as encouraging young people to become or continue to be life-long followers of Jesus Christ.
Since its debut in 1981, the festival has grown in attendance from 1,800 to more than 40,000 over the last two years.
The next event is scheduled to take place July 17 and 18, 2009 in Willmar.
With past performers such as Toby Mac, Switchfoot, Relient K and Shawn McDonald, the influence of the Sonshine festival was not lost on Minister Eddie Velez, as he welcomed the chance to expand the Fellowship’s audience with the new partnership.
“Hundreds of thousands of individuals have attended the Sonshine Music Festival since 1981 and over 1,800 bands have performed at this powerful Christian event,” Velez told AllHipHop.com in a statement. “In 2009, it will be the honor of Fellowship of Holy Hip-Hop to introduce the Sonshine Music Festival family to quality, diverse and ministry-focused Holy Hip-Hop emcees, representing North, South, East and West.”
The Sonshine festival is one of two major events involving the Fellowship.
The organization also serves as host of the annual Holy Hip-Hop Awards.
Seizing the opportunity to expose fans to a new crop of Christian Hip-Hop talent provides constant motivation for providing a memorable event , according to Pastor Poe.
“Sonshine Music Festival is excited to be able to provide an opportunity for the moving and uplifting lyrical testimonies of holy Hip-Hop ministers of the Gospel to be shared and experienced by the Sonshine Music Festival family in 2009 and beyond,” he said.
For more details on the 2009 Sonshine Music Festival or information about performing at the event, visiit www.SonshineFestival.com or http://www.HolyHipHop.com.
