Rap
pioneer Luther "Uncle Luke" Campbell is preparing for the
first season
of his first annual National Youth Football League
(NYFL).The
program, developed in conjunction with the Orange Bowl Football Youth
League (OBFYL),
will run simultaneously with the rapper’s Liberty City Optimist
Program. The
Optimist Program, founded 17 years ago in Liberty City, Fla., is a mentorship
effort founded to keep wayward boys out of trouble by offering
academic assistance,
positively reinforced activities and a state of the art computer
lab."It’s
exciting to team up with the Orange Bowl Youth Football League to
create a program
to help area youth", Campbell said in a statement. "The NYFL
is designed
to create both athletes and scholars by teaching discipline through sports and
the importance of education."The
league’s first season will begin Aug. 18 and run through Oct. 26 for boys age
5-15. For more information, visit
www.thenyfl.com.In
related news, Campbell will be a panelist during AllHipHop.com’s Social Lounge,
an open forum discussion taking place during AllHipHop Week
2006.Campbell
joins television personality and model Melyssa Ford, legendary Civil
Rights activist Roy Innis, Jeff McFarland, director of multicultural marketing for Verizon and other special guests
during The Social Lounge, where the panelists will discuss various
issues relevant
to the Hip-Hop community. AllHipHop.com’s
Social Lounge takes place Wednesday, August 9 at BB Kings Blues Club and Grill
in Times Square, New York. For
more information click here.