THE HISTORY OF HIP-HOP: A MULTIMEDIA MINI SERIES
Brooklyn Bodega (producers of the annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival) aims to highlight Hip-Hop’s legacy as an agent of artistic progression, community building and social change. This presentation is a multimedia, content driven, 1.5 hour educational overview by Wes Jackson, Executive Director of The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival and President of Brooklyn Bodega, that explores the evolution of Hip-Hop music and culture.

THE MUSIC THAT INSPIRED A GENERATION
From New York’s street gangs in the 1960s to the 2010 New York Times bestseller “Decoded” by Hip-Hop icon Jay-Z, Wes Jackson brings the whole evolution of this art form full circle. THE HISTORY OF HIP-HOP MINI SERIES is informed by extensive industry and cultural experience, and is presented with an academic dedication to well researched facts.

HIP-HOP’S IMPACT ON THE NEWEST GENERATION
In a sense, Hip-Hop took center stage and became the zeitgeist of a generation after Afrika Bambaataa introduced “Planet Rock” to mainstream culture in the late 1980s. During the new millennium, bigger artists went from producing hits to representing trends to becoming brands in- of-themselves. Magnified by the use of social media, the reinvented Hip- Hop artist can be the impetus the newest generation needs to affect positive social change. The question is, will they?

YOUR AUDIENCE WILL:

• Participate in a multimedia presentation that includes images, video and commentary over a historically relevant soundtrack.
• Gain a deeper appreciation of the foundation of Hip-Hop music and culture.
• Connect important social and technological milestones to the evolution of the genre through personal and textbook examples.
• Learn how Hip-Hop as a social movement can empower individual and professional development.
• Understand how the progression of Hip-Hop can be related to the larger progression of American culture andpolitics.

ABOUT WES JACKSON
Wes is President of Brooklyn Bodega and Executive Director of the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival. With over 20 years experience as an entrepreneur and innovator in the music business, his career has been linked to De La Soul, Mos Def, Nas, The Roots, Talib Kweli and others. Under Wes’ leadership, the Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival is in its 7th year and has grown into the east coast’s #1 Hip-Hop event that attracts 20,000+ annually. In addition to his successful business ventures, Wes also serves as a lecturer at the City University of New York (CUNY) and has consulted for Jazz at Lincoln Center and VH1 Hip-Hop Honors. For more information, visit www.BrooklynBodega.com.