The Source Magazine (www.thesource.com), the leading publication of hip-hop music, culture, & politics, and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (www.hsan.org), the largest non-profit, non-partisan worldwide coalition of hip-hop artists, entertainment industry leaders and youth leaders utilizing the power of Hip-Hop as an influential agent for positive social change, hosted a star-studded Get Out The Vote event last night at Home nightclub under the theme of I AM C.H.A.N.G.E.. The SRO party drew attention to the importance of hitting the polls on Election Day in conjunction with the fresh off the presses November “Politics” edition of the Source magazine.
Spike Lee, Russell Simmons, LL Cool J, Jamie Hector, Vince Carter, Tyson Beckford, Ron Browz, Congresswoman Yvette Clarke, Rocsi, Kevin Liles, Dikembe Mutombo, Ice-T, Coco, Lil Kim, Fabolous, Bow Bow and others, were among the celebrities who came together to urge young people to Get Out The Vote in Tuesday’s election and celebrate The Source Magazine’s “new era.” The event was hosted by the new co-owner and Executive Publisher of The Source, L. Londell McMillan, HSAN co-founder Russell Simmons, Spike Lee, HSAN co-founder, President/CEO Dr. Benjamin Chavis and its Executive Director, Valeisha Butterfield.
Russell Simmons, Spike Lee, LL Cool J, Lil Kim, L. Londell McMillan, Dr. Chavis and Valeisha Butterfield gave remarks expressing the importance of Tuesday’s election to the crowd of celebrities and industry tastemakers. On the heels of recording his forthcoming 7th album, which has been accomplished by no other artist in hip-hop, rapper Bow Wow also spoke expressing his excitement for his first-time being eligible to vote since turning 21. DJing for the evening were DJ Profile and DJ Reg West. The Source Magazine was cited as a major catalyst behind a getting out the vote initiative, highlighting its comprehensive Politics issue, which features presidential candidate Barack Obama on the cover.
“We are thrilled with the upgrades we are making with The New Era of The Source by giving it back to the community and the I AM C.H.A.N.G.E. initiative. The response and support from everyone regarding I AM C.H.A.N.G.E. and understanding the importance of voting in Tuesday’s election has been great,” said Londell McMillan, Co-CEO and Publisher of The Source. “The collaborative effort of both the new era of The Source Magazine and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network certainly led to a memorable final call for the industry to come and lend their backing towards spreading this important message.”
“The recording industry call to action was a resounding success last night,” declared Dr. Benjamin Chavis, President/CEO of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network. “The Source magazine, the bible of hip-hop, and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, the leading hip-hop social change organization, joined forces with classic hip-hop fanfare. Now, we’ve rolled up our sleeves to get out the vote across America over the next four days.”
“We’re proud of what we have accomplished on the ground thus far, however, our work is not done,” exclaimed Valeisha Butterfield, Executive Director of HSAN. “We have four more days to raise our voices and encourage every single registered voter in the United States to make a difference on November 4th.”
Gift bags for the event included items from Nuvo, Sean John Unforgivable & Unforgivable Woman, Kissable Couture, Bath and Body Works’ True Blue Spa, Avon, Burt’s Bees, Revolution Organics, Dr. Miracle’s, Miss Jessie’s, Deborah Lippmann, Mizani, GlobalGrind.com, and Get Em Girls.
About The New Era of the Source Magazine
Celebrating its 20th anniversary in 2008, The Source has been a legendary publication within the music and lifestyle genre since its inception in 1988. The publication is responsible for introducing the music world to top-notch hip-hop acts such as Eminem, Notorious B.I.G., DMX, Common, and a variety of others. The publication is now under the new leadership of renowned entertainment lawyer L. Londell McMillan and Greenwich Street.
About the Hip-Hop Action Summit Network
Founded in 2001, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) is dedicated to harnessing the cultural relevance of hip-hop music to serve as a catalyst for education advocacy and other societal concerns fundamental to the well being of at-risk youth throughout the United States. HSAN is the largest non-profit, national coalition of hip-hop artists, entertainment industry leaders, education advocates, civil rights proponents, and youth leaders united in the belief that Hip-Hop is an enormously influential agent for positive social change which must be responsibly and proactively utilized to fight the war on poverty and injustice. For more information, go to www.hsan.org.
The Hip Hop Cosign 