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Published: 21 July 2010
From the event promoters

RHYME & Reason Live presents the Hip-Hop for Unity Showcase: feat. Dead Prez, Sway, Akala & Skinnyman
Venue: HMV Forum Kentish Town, 9-17 Highgate Rd, London NW5 1JY
Time: 8pm – 12am, Show starts at 9pm sharp

ON 30th August 2010 ‘Rhyme and Reason Live’ will showcase their first event of the year titled ‘Hip-Hop for Unity’; headlined by American underground hip-hop legends Dead Prez, with top UK support from Sway, MC Akala and MC Skinnyman, with music supplied by longest running UK radio rap show pioneer, DJ 279.

With big plans to showcase unforgettable talent chosen for their capacity to entertain, educate inspire, shock and amaze you, Rhyme & Reason Live (R&RL) believe their events will influence audiences and provide the necessary stimulus to grow the next generation of artistic originators.

Motivated by the need to promote more balance in music to the current and next generation via artists who can entertain with offerings of real, conscious, spiritually uplifting, social commentary as well as stories of success and the champagne lifestyle in a more balanced diet; rather than just talking about change, R&RL have come together to do something about it

Responding to the current climate of increased violence in youth culture and wanting to promote more unity and positivity amongst the youth via the music and other art forms, the organisers believe “the industry now promotes less positivity and more negativity in a slightly unequal balance and as a result it needs to project an element of wisdom and hope to our youth, some of whom, may feel that drug dealing and violence are the only way forward for their future.”

As well as putting on a line up of top 'edutainers' R&RL have teamed up with the UK Unsigned Talent Quest to put on an MC competition in the two months before, which will reward the winner of the contest with a chance to perform live on stage as part of the three hour August Bank Holiday weekend Hip Hop for Unity Showcase.
Prepare for a thoroughly entertaining night with memorable performances and not to be missed acapella freestlyes.

THE PERFORMERS:

Dead Prez: 
Continuing on the path of politically minded artists like KRS-One, Brand Nubian and Public Enemy, the Atlanta based duo of M1 and Stic Man have been producing Revolutionary But Gangsta hip-hop for over a decade.
Since bursting on the scene with their Kanye West co produced ‘It’s Bigger than Hip Hop’ radio and club banger they have continued to produce records with chart topping sounds and lyrical content highlighting social injustice, critical pedagogy, institutional racism, police brutality and corporate control over the media, civil liberties and social justice to name a few subjects.
With Dead Prez diversifying into writing, publishing, filmmaking and being included in an acclaimed documentary
‘The Bus’; their appearance in London will include their classic album cuts, joints from ‘Pulse of the People’ (the recently released third instalment of their mix tape series ‘Turn off the Radio’), with exclusivesfrom their hotly anticipated new album ‘Information Age’. Prepare to be thoroughly edutained.

Sway:
Bursting on the scene with a style of story telling likened to Slick Rick Sway, Da Safo become controversial amongst UK hip-hop artists and this is due to his criticism of many of them whom he felt were "over hyping" themselves by glorifying elements of gang culture & street violence to appear 'harder' than they really are and thus selling records to people who are potentially ignorant of the true roots of Hip-hop. His efforts and self-promoted mix tapes and first record led him to being signed to American music star, Akon's Label 'Konvict Music'. Having been busy working in the lab August will showcase a long awaited performance with tracks from the new mixtape ‘The Delivery’ as well as classic Sway hits.

MC Akala: 
As well as being the founder of the ‘Hip Hop Shakespeare Company' (THSC), Akala has emerged from London’s underground Hip-hop scene into the mainstream, where he is now one of the leaders of a British artistic renaissance.
THSC offers young people a different view of the arts and ultimately themselves. Through education projects, live music events and theatre productions young people are engaged, particularly those who are considered “hard to reach”, and pushed towards artistic excellence. By bridging the gap between music, theatre and performing arts, in non-conventional venues, they also strive to alter the perceptions of audiences of all ages, thereby creating the ultimate entertainment experience via literature and the arts across the UK and beyond. Inspired by three months in Brasil, Akala’s performance will offer some new gems from his new 2010 album 'Double Think'.

Skinnyman: 
Rapping for nearly twenty years Skinnyman is as close to being a legend as any UK rappers will ever get. He is known to put a reality over his lyrics and paint a vivid picture from his rhymes. Whether he talks in first or third person, you never doubt the voice full of life experiences and the wisdom that can come from it.
He does what a good investigative journalist is supposed to do: writing objectively about personal experience and that is what his audience look up to. Having been courted by Wu Tang’s ‘The Rza’ who featured on Skinnyman’s joint ‘Boing Boing’, he released his masterful solo debut album, ‘Council Estate of Mind’, which is noted as a UK underground classic. Inspired by a new energy Skinnyman will be showcasing anticipated new material and will showcase why he reigned as a Jump Off freestyle champion and is one of the only people known have beaten Eminem in a freestyle contest at London's Subterranea Club.

Pre-event interviews and exclusive footage will be posted on www.rhymeandreasonlive.com together with information on registering and performing at the heats, semis and finals at Shepherd’s Bush Empire of the R&RL UK Unsigned MCs Contest, judged by UK Unsigned Patron DJ 279 and other industry reps, as well as one or two of the aforementioned performers themselves.
Hip- Hop for Unity Ticket Info: Price £22.50* & £25*
Tickets available online from:
www.ticketmaster.co.uk, www.hmv.com,
www.ticketweb.co.uk, www.seetickets.com
www.rhymeandreasonlive.com
Free BARS DVD purchase for first 200 buyers. Forum Kentish Town** & Jazz Café ** Box Offices *=Plus booking fee **=No booking fee