May 28, 2008

Multiplatinum rap artist Chingy will participate in a panel discussion,” Hip-Hop and Community Responsibility,” at California State University, Fresno on April 17.

The event, from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Satellite Student Union, is free and open to the public.

The panel is part of an Africana and American Indian Studies course at Fresno State, “Hip-Hop in America,” taught by Dr. Julius Bailey, who also will give a presentation. It is co-sponsored by Black Students United and the Africana and American Indian Studies Department in the College of Social Sciences.

Bailey’s course looks at the content and forms of hip-hop expression and assesses performance, lyrics and media images on its audience.

“The goal of the event is to engage the audience in a democratic discussion that articulates cross-generational and cross-gender dialogue on the state of hip-hop and how we as a community can attempt to set the standard for edu-tainment activities,” Bailey said.

The program includes presentations by Fresno State students, Rion “Chicago” Spears, who has appeared on the HBO series, Def Poetry Jam, speaking on “The Spoken Word;” and Matt Robinson, a local rapper, speaking on “Is Hip-Hop Dead?” Wayne Hurley and the students of Dance Empowerment will present “Dance and Its Meaning in Hip-Hop.”

The presentation by Chingy (real name Howard Bailey – no relation to Dr. Bailey) will be via an interview by Fresno radio personality "Mo” (Monisha Mann) of B-95 FM (KBOS). The interview will focus on “Hip Hop and the Mainstream: Radio Culture and Spins.”

Dr. Bailey will speak, panel members will make brief statements and audience questions will be received.

The panel discussion will be moderated by students Umaymah Rashid and Dalitzo Ruwe. Panelists are: Rev. Shane Scott, pastor of Saints Rest Missionary Baptist Church in Fresno; Raven Mallet, a youth representative of Boys and Girls Club of Fresno County; Francine Oputa, director of Fresno State’s Cultural Valley Heritage Network; Cedric Hardamon, president of Black Men United (Fresno) and a humanities professor at Fresno City College; and Fresno State senior student-athlete Jennifer Leaks.

Music will be provided by Chingy and the Slot a Lot Family, Saints Rest Missionary Baptist Church Choir and DJ K-Rich, a Fresno State student.

Chingy’s comments will highlight various components of hip-hop, and community engagement by hip-hop artists and companies that participate in educational events and community-based projects. One is Chingy for Change, a nonprofit foundation based in St. Louis.

“You need to prepare yourself for life after rap, just as you would if you worked for a Fortune 500 company,” he said. He also is filming a reality show, “Business with the Baileys,” which will include his Fresno visit.

For more information, contact Dr. Bailey at 559.278.8805 or 761.0652 or e-mail jubailey@csufresno.edu.

For interviews with Chingy, contact: Stan Wright at 407.341.9661 or email: Stan@slot-a-lot-records.net.