Hip Hop AGAINST Homophobia

In addition to providing great coverage of Twin Cities music, you'll notice more and more local blogs offering up sponsorship of music events in 2009. Why? Music blogs are hype machines, and there's often no better way to get the word out.

My friend Chris over at Culture Bully.com alerted me to a show they are sponsoring later this month that is bound to have the West Bank hopping. It's Hip Hop Against Homophobia January 23rd at the Nomad World Pub. HWTS is helping to spread the good word.

Below is the press release.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Hip Hop Against Homophobia: Friday, January 23 at the Nomad World Pub
Twin Cities hip hop artists—gay and straight alike—come out to support LGBTQ rights

On Friday, Jan 23, the Nomad World Pub in Minneapolis will host "Hip Hop Against Homophobia," a show sponsored by music blog CultureBully.com, local record label Tru Ruts/Speakeasy Records, Join the Impact Twin Cities, the Twin Cities Avengers and OutFront MN. Performers include some of the Twin Cities' most successful hip hop acts, representing both the LGBTQ community and its straight allies: Maria Isa, Toki Wright, Alicia Leafgreen, DeeJay Blowtorch, Kredentials, Tish Jones, See More Perspective and the show's lead organizer, Kyle "El Guante" Myhre.

"This is important for a number of reasons," Myhre says. "First, it's raising money for a great organization. It's also building a bridge between two communities that should be working together more often. On top of that, it's sending a message to hip hop fans, activists and anyone who will listen: hip hop as a whole is often viewed as homophobic, but there are a hell of a lot of artists and fans who want to actually do something about that."

Proceeds from the show will benefit Join the Impact Twin Cities, the coalition of activists that organized the anti-Proposition 8 rally on Nov 15 that drew 2,000 people. Another rally, planned for Jan 10, promises to be even bigger, and more events are in the works.

"As a queer activist and hip hop fan, it has been a dream come true to work on this show," says Jessica Rosenberg of Join the Impact TC and the Twin Cities Avengers. "We're promoting amazing artists to new audiences, creating a unique platform for hard-working organizations doing important work, and building new and exciting coalitions. And on the 23rd, we'll prove that activism can still be a damn fun time."

Myhre, a recent Twin Cities transplant, Minneapolis poetry slam champion, writer for CultureBully.com and long-time social justice activist, sees a lot of space for cooperation between not only the LGBTQ and hip hop communities, but between artists and activists in general too.

"The beautiful thing is that there are a bunch of artists we couldn't fit onto the bill or weren't able to contact who are still very much down for this cause," Myhre says. "Hopefully we can do this again, maybe even make it a regular thing."

Contact:
Kyle "El Guante" Myhre | elguante@gmail.com

Summary:
Hip Hop Against Homophobia w/ Maria Isa, Kredentials, El Guante & See More Perspective, Toki Wright, Alicia Leafgreen & DeeJay Blowtorch; hosted by Tish Jones.
Friday, January 23 at the Nomad World Pub | doors at 9pm. 21+ $5