On May 16th to the 23rd Hip-hop Appreciation Week will continue to educate participants about a culture that is too often only regarded as ‘rap music.’ The week is centralized around a theme, this years’ being “faith.” The reason behind the theme is that the three women who are producing the event believe faith is what is needed to address many issues the culture of Hiphop is facing. The Executive Producer Dee Dee Cocheta shares, “I became a part of this week because it was a time needed to appreciate, educate and build up the Hiphop nation. My sole purpose was to bring the Hiphop Community together, both underground and mainstream/commercial, in Atlanta stronger to support one another and begin to build with everyone else across the world. I am a living testimony of Faith, a sustaining Entrepreneur, 32 years old, married with seven children and we are all are Hiphop.”
Hiphop Appreciation week is an entire week of informative activities for youth, parents, educators and for anyone who wants to be entertained. Among those involved this year are Comedian Griff, Jalil of Whodini, Bow Legged Lou, Toni Blackman, Big Lez, Killer Mike, Davey D. & Arrested Development. The Sheraton Buckhead Hotel will host most of the events ranging from shops focusing on financial success, Promotions: Industry vs. Indastreets and making a commercial video for under 15k, to the Children’s Reading Circle, You Got Served Dance Contest and much more. This year to kick off the week, Mr. Ernie Panicolli (30 year Hip-hop Photographer, Author of “Who Shot Ya”) will keynote The 2nd Annual Atlanta Hiphop Appreciation Awards Ceremony.
The week will end with The Hip-hop IndustREALism Conference, which encompasses the entire family with sessions – The Cypha, Hip-hop Tools & Power Brokerin’. Of course, the founder of Hiphop Appreciation Week, the mighty KRS ONE, will be in Atlanta to take part in the Conference conducting “The First Look” – Private Auditions with KRS ONE. He is looking to take DeeJays, Emcees, Dancers/Breakers and Groups on the road with him this summer.
