The Blast Urban Arts and Cultural Festival IV to Include Sam Gilliam, Hip-Hop Emcee Rakim, DJ King Britt and Jessica Holter

Tha Blast Festival Producer Robin Harrison announced today that "Images of America" African American Voices from the collection of Ex-NBA Player and Coach Darrell Walker, and a sculpture exhibition called "The Blue Collar" kicks off four weeks of commemorating urban arts and culture in Cincinnati. Tha Blast is a high-energy festival hosting several activities including art exhibitions, music and spoken word showcases, a college lecture, a DJ/Producing workshop, a teen arts project and film screenings.

Cincinnati, OH (PRWEB) September 1, 2006 -- Tha Blast Festival Producer Robin Harrison announced today that "Images of America" African American Voices from the collection of Ex-NBA Player and Coach Darrell Walker and a sculpture exhibition called "The Blue Collar" kick off four weeks celebrating urban arts and culture in Cincinnati. Tha Blast is a high-energy festival hosting several activities including art exhibitions, music and spoken word showcases, a college lecture, a DJ/Producing workshop, a teen arts project and film screenings.

The festival runs from September 15th - October 7th at several venues around Cincinnati. Hip-Hop Icon, Rapper Rakim and DJ and Producer King Britt will both receive Tha Blast Community Award for their many contributions to urban culture and Hip-Hop. "This year we are using the arts to increase awareness of important social issues that plague our community including the rise of HIV/AIDS in African American women, as well as the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in two scheduled fundraiser events" said Robin L. Harrison, Festival Producer.

Jessica Holter, of the Punany Poets, presents a one-woman show called "The Head Doctor" at The Greenwich, which benefits non-profits the Minority Aids Prevention Alliance and AFACT (Artists Fighting AIDS Creatively through the Arts). The show is an intimate, audience interactive show about love and sex--by far the sexiest Punany show of all time. The goal for the show is not only to celebrate the art of lovemaking, but to also create awareness that individuals need to practice safe sex and to raise awareness of the increasing number of cases of African American women contracting HIV/AIDS.

In addition, The Katrina Collaboration benefits from an event called the "The Breaking Point" at the Contemporary Arts Center. The evening features a photo installation of Hurricane Katrina by photographers from New York and New Orleans, a spoken word presentation by local group The Artistic Order of 144K and nationally acclaimed DJ/Producer King Britt's live performance of his remix of the songs and documentary of New Orleans's folk artist Sister Gertrude Morgan.

The mission of Tha Blast is to create an ongoing social/cultural experience that explores the many facets of urban culture and the arts, while providing education to Cincinnati's underserved communities. "Since the Tha Blast launched in 2003, the festival has always been a platform for local artists to showcase their talents as well as to provide the youth with the opportunity to hear voices of their culture," explains Cedric Cox, Assistant Event Manager and Curator. This year, Cox, along with Poet Pamela Myricks present a five-week educational art collage and creative writing project called "Art Shapes Us" for teen artists. The other educational components include a lecture for students and staff with Sam Gilliam at the Art Academy of Cincinnati and a DJ/Producer Workshop by King Britt and DJ 7UP at The University of Cincinnati MainStreet.

The events conclude at The Greenwich with "Tha Blast Urban Explosion." This showcase provides a creative outlet for established and upcoming artists to coexist in an evening that includes the exhibition "In-Stereo," dealing with stereotypes in pop culture, the film screening of La Fabri-K: The Cuban Hip-Hop Factory, a Lisandro Perez-Rey's documentary that follows the Cuban hip-hop collective, and The BREW, a Red Reign Entertainment showcase from Atlanta featuring hip-hop group MSEIZE and DJ Fudge, New York's Neo-Soul Vocalist St. Juste, and Cincinnati's own DJ Pillo.

Partners and sponsors of Tha Blast 2006 include: Fifth Annual Enjoy the Arts 20/20 Festival, The Weston Art Gallery, The University of Cincinnati MainStreet, The Art Academy of Cincinnati, The Greenwich, The Contemporary Arts Center, New School Cincinnati, The Katrina Collaboration, Red Reign Entertainment, The Artistic Order of 144K, Roesing Ape, MAPA, AFACT and a host of local, regional and national artists.

About This Year's Co-winners of Tha Blast Community Award
Rakim (full name Rakim Allah, born William Michael Griffin) is an African-American rapper. He is widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential rappers in hip-hop history, and for having revolutionized hip-hop lyricism with his complex flow, elaborate metaphors, and rapid delivery. In 1985, he met Queens DJ Eric B., whose intricately constructed soundscapes made an excellent match for Rakim's more cerebral presence on the mic. With the release of their debut single "Eric B. Is President" in 1986, Eric B. and Rakim became a sensation in the hip-hop community, and their reputation grew as they issued classic tracks like "I Ain't No Joke" and "Paid in Full."

King Britt is a pioneer of all things soulful, rhythmically textured, and melodically provocative. He is a producer, songwriter, remix producer, as well as a composer and film music scorer. Recently he created the underscore and interpretations for the blockbuster, "Miami Vice" (Universal Pictures, 2006), directed by Michael Mann, and the National Park Service's civil rights film, "Never Lose Sight of Freedom" (US Dept. of the Interior, 2006). King began his career in music as E-Culture, producing the underground hit 12-inch "Tribal Confusion" (Strictly Rhythm, 1990). After touring Europe's dance clubs, King became DJ for the Grammy award-winning "Digable Planets" in 1992.

For more information, photos, and interviews about Tha Blast IV, visit www.hipnoticconcepts.com or contact Robin Harrison at 513-607-0718. For schedule see below:

Tha Blast Urban Arts and Cultural Festival IV Schedule
Schedule and Event Description

Friday, September 15th

"Sam Gilliam: A Retrospective" Lecture

The Art Academy of Cincinnati : 1:00 p.m. Free to Students & Staff.

"Images of America" African American Voices & "Blue Collar" Opening Reception

The Weston Art Gallery: 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. Free to Public.

Hosted by Darrell Walker, Sam Gilliam, Kevin Cole, Dr. Michael Harris, Kelly & Kyle Phelps, the opening will also feature live music from DJ Pillo.

Wednesday, September 20th

"Live in Concert Hip-Hop Legend Rakim and DJ Kid Capri"

Annie's Entertainment Complex: Doors open at 8:00 p.m.

Cost: $17.00 in advance, $22.00 at the door.

Saturday, September 23rd

"The Head Doctor" with HBO "Real Sex" Jessica Holter of the Punany Poets with Kween and opening act performance by Neo-Soul vocalist, Anita, accompanied by pianist, Nicholas Brown.

The Greenwich: 10:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m.

Cost: $25.00 advance tickets, $30.00 at the door, and $50.00 for couples at the door.

Friday, September 29th

Red Bull Music Academy Lab on "LOGIC PRO 7 OVERVIEW" - with King Britt and DJ 7UP -20/20 Event.

The University of Cincinnati MainStreet Atrium Balcony: 2:00 - 4:00 p.m.

Logic Pro 7 features new instruments and effects, state-of-the-art loop composition tools as well as optimizations for the PowerPC G5 processor and Mac OS X, forming a highly productive system that will change the way you compose record, edit and mix music in any studio environment. The latest version provides near unlimited processing resources through the simple addition of Macintosh computers. Presented by Dave Sanchez, Apple Certified Logic Pro, from MacOutfitters Cranberry Twp. location.

Cost: Free, but participants must RSVP at robinaharrison @ yahoo.com

"The Breaking Point" - 20/20 Event

The Contemporary Arts Center: 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.

Cost: $10.00 Donation

A fundraiser for The Katrina Collaboration, the evening features a photography installation of Hurricane Katrina by photographers accompanied by a spoken word presentation by the Artistic Order of 144K with special DJ Guests King Britt and DJ 7UP.

Saturday, October 7th

"Tha Urban Blast Explosion" -20/20 Event

The Greenwich: 7:00 p.m. - 1:00 a.m.

Cost: Free admission to the Gallery & $7.00 for the entertainment -- Free Valet Parking starting at 9:00 pm.

"In Stereo" Opening Reception: 7:00 p.m. -- A unique exhibition featuring local and regional artists, who will explore pop culture's stereotypical and preconceived notions of race, art, fashion, music and the terms that define them. La Fabri-K: The Cuban Hip-Hop Factory: 9:00 p.m. -- Lisandro Perez-Rey's documentary follows the Cuban hip-hop collective, La Fabri-K. "The BREW": 10:00 p.m. -- Straight from ATL, Red Reign Entertainment brings the energy of "The BREW" to Cincinnati. This event hosts a different blend of live music from local, regional, and national artists, bands, and DJs! Featured artists for this session include Atlanta's Hip-Hop group MSEIZE, New York's Neo-Soul Vocalist St. Juste and Cincinnati's own DJ Pillo on the ones and twos.

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