(AllHipHop News) Hip-Hop legend LL Cool J has been confirmed as a headliner of the 2012 Soul Beach Music Festival, which will feature a number of R&B and Jazz artists in Aruba. R. Kelly, Melanie Fiona and Ledisi will perform on the Nikki Beach Amphitheater main stage during the Soul Beach Music Festival, which takes place from May 23 – 28, during Memorial Day weekend in Aruba. The 2012 Soul Beach Music Festival is being sponsored in part by Aruba’s Tourism Authority. “Aruba welcomes all the fans of the Soul Beach Music Festival for another celebration of spectacular performances and a chic island ambiance under the starry skies and on Aruba’s famous beaches,” said Otmar Oduber, Minister of Tourism, Transportation and Labor. For more information visit http://www.soulbeach.net or http://www.aruba.com
Rapper Pitbull will take center stage during Billboard’s 23rd annual Latin Music Conference. The rapper will take part in a Q&A session and in-depth conversation with Billboard executive director of Latin content program, Leila Cobo. The Q&A session will cover different aspects of Pitbull’s career, as well as his entrepreneurial endeavors. The 23rd Annual Billboard Latin Music Conference is taking place from April 23 – 26 at the JW Marriott Marquis in Miami, Florida. For more information visit www.BillboardLatinconference.com.
Organizers of the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival have announced this year’s dates. Brooklyn Bodega, producers of the eighth annual event, have announced the 2012 festival will take place from July 8-14. This year the main events will take place at Pier 3 on the Brooklyn waterfront, according to organizers. “Each year our goal is to make The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival better than the last,” said Wes Jackson, Executive Director, The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. “After an amazing week of programming last July, we’re working diligently to make this year’s Festival an even better experience for our Bodega Family. Not only will we be increasing capacity for our Performance Day presentation, which means even more fans will enjoy Hip-Hop under the Brooklyn Sun. We’ll be working with new partners to present lead-up events in April, May and June to give fans more access to affordable Hip-Hop events this Summer.” Over 20,000 people attended last year’s festival.