(AllHipHop News) Hip-Hop entrepreneur Kevin Liles recently received the Médaille de la Ville de Paris, the highest honor an individual can receive for their contributions to Parisian culture. Liles was honored for his role brining Hip-Hop culture to Paris and around the world during a recent trip to Paris for the 5th Annual Paris Hip-Hop. The event, which took place from June 22nd- July 4th, drew over 50,00o people from across the world who attended 10 different venues to witness Hip-Hop art, photo and painting exhibits, in addition to performances by a variety of artists, including Damien Marley, Nas and 9th Wonder. Liles, who is the former President of Def Jam Records and Warner Music Group, is responsible for launching the careers of superstar rappers like Jay-Z, DMX, Ja Rule, Ludacris and others. While he was in Paris, Liles attended a prestigious panel discussion about Hip-Hop and its evolution both in Paris and around the world. “I am profoundly honored to receive the Médaille de la Ville de Paris, especially for my role in helping to make Hip-Hop a mainstream art form globally,” Kevin Liles said. “Spreading the message of Hip-Hop and what it can mean to anyone has long been a personal passion of mine. To be given such a special honor in one of the world’s best cities for just that purpose is genuinely overwhelming.”Liles received the Médaille de la Ville de Paris in a posh ceremony in which Christophe Girard, Paris’ Vice Mayor, declared the Hip-Hop mogul an honorary citizen of the city. “Kevin Liles represents for me hope and talent, energy and commitment. He never gave up his battle for Hip-Hop and today Hip-Hop is a fully recognized art,” said Christophe Gerard, Vice-Mayor of Paris. “He is an example for the new generations and now he is my friend and a friend of Paris.” Kevin Liles is currently the CEO of KWL/Def Jam Enterprises. The company is preparing to release Def Jam Rap Star in October 2010.
