Monday December 12th

Hip Hop Loves Holiday Party

@ Copia

307 East 53rd Street (between 1st and 2nd Ave.)

6pm to 11pm

Suggested Donation: $20

Music by DJ Jon Quick

There will giveaways during the course of the evening

We look forward to see you there!

Many of you read the article in Black Enterprise about the Hip Hop Loves Foundation and wanted to know how to get involved.  Here is your chance.
Join us on

Wednesday, October 12, 2011
6pm to 10pm

Polar Bar
201 EAST 24TH STREET
New York, NY 10010

Tickets: $20 Donation
(Space is limited, so please purchase your tickets here in advance)
Drink specials, raffle (prizes include dinner, trips, and more), and great networking

100% of your donation will go to the Hip Hop Loves Foundation (HHLF).  Help us reach our goal of raising funds and awareness.  HHLF co-produces workshops, seminars and events that create a space for dialogue and exploration centered on the themes of success, youth empowerment and social justice through Hip-Hop within a global context.  For more information about the Hip Hop Loves Foundation visit www.hiphoploves.org. Can’t wait to see you on October 12th.

For ticket purchases and RSVP details, please visit EventBrite.

“When I was 12 years old, I went to Nice, in the South of France, and attended a Depeche Mode concert. Although some of the French kids didn’t understand English, they just really vibed with the music,” remembers Rene John-Sandy II, co-founder and president of the nearly 2-year-old nonprofit. “That’s when I realized how universal music is.”

The program primarily serves underserved communities both here and abroad. “We look at hip-hop as the cultural intersection of many vibrant forms of expression, including dance, sports, visual arts, and technology,” adds the 39-year-old, who operates a consulting, brand management, and marketing firm and has toured with acts such as Common, Talib Kweli, De La Soul, Kanye West, and Dave Chappelle. For John-Sandy, finding others with the same passion wasn’t difficult.

Paris-born musician, producer, and composer Sebastian “Siba” Bardin-Greenberg has collaborated with artists such as saxophonist Maceo Parker, and rappers Everlast of House of Pain and Daddy-O of Stetsasonic. The HHLF co-founder’s first trip to Rio de Janeiro was a high school graduation present from his mother, who lived in Rio for eight years, but he has returned several times. After a trip in 2008, Bardin-Greenberg got the idea for a music festival that would honor his late mother’s work as well as educate Rio’s native residents. The 39-year-old proposed it to several friends and colleagues, including John-Sandy.

With an initial investment of $5,000 from each founder (a third co-founder, 34-year-old Bahiyah Yasmeen Robinson, recently left the organization to launch her own marketing company)—culled from personal savings, friends, and family—HHLF hosted its first event with Fight For Peace, a local community organization that uses boxing and martial arts to reach troubled youth, in Rio de Janiero’s Mare favela in December 2009.

The HHLF model is to partner with an existing nonprofit, community organization, or university. An introduction from one of the foundation’s advisory board members led to a partnership with New York City community-based nonprofit Harlem Children’s Zone.

HHLF hosts monthly programs at more than 20 sites within its network for about 30 students in the Harlem Children’s Zone program. Through the partnership, called HHLoves H.C.Z., students learn a brief history of a topic then participate in a related activity followed by a Q & A session. Workshops in other cities are held weekly for eight to 12 weeks depending on the topic, which is developed and tailored to the preferences and interests of the youth.

Local and international artists that have worked with the program include Sadat X of Brand Nubian; Punchline, best known for appearances on MTV’s Lyricist Lounge; and Dres of Black Sheep. “There are a lot of people in hip-hop, and in general, that want to give back but just lack an outlet,” he adds. “We want to be that outlet, to be that bridge.”

The fledgling organization has faced its share of challenges—mainly people power. “We are a small organization so we don’t always have enough personnel on a regular basis,” explains New York City native John-Sandy. “Also, you have to fully understand the cultures that you are working with. Things may not move as quickly as you want them to go.”

Despite the setbacks, HHLF has plans to continue their international work. HHLF is working on a CD titled Hip Hop Loves Compilation Vol. 1 “Hip Hop 4 Haiti.” Proceeds from the album go to HHLF for workshops in Haiti and The Global Syndicate, a humanitarian organization. John-Sandy is proud of the Hip Hop Loves Foundation’s reach thus far: “The impact we’ve already experienced, especially being an organization only in existence for a couple of years, is definitely a triumph.”

The original article can be viewed at the Black Enterprise website.

The GR818ERS, Funny Bones Crew, and Space Invaders team up to teach a popping workshop at Valley Plaza Park Summer Night Lights program, July 14 2011.

During the summer of 2011, The GR818ERS bring professional Hip Hop dancers to teach free two-hour workshops in parks across the County of Los Angeles, as part of the city’s “Summer Night Lights” gang reduction program. This program brings artists into some of the city’s hardest-hit parks to keep safe activities running late into the night, bringing together families and providing summertime activities for youth in under served communities. To read more about SNL, click here.

World-renowned dancers Toogie and Devious teach youth at Valley Plaza Park SNL, July 14 2011.

The GR818ERS travel to four (sometimes six) different parks in the SNL program every week, providing popping and breakdance workshops from 8PM-10PM Wednesdays through Saturdays. Class sizes vary between five and fifty, and students ages range from nine months to seventy years old!

Rox Swift performs at Lanark Rec Center's SNL, July 8 2011

Between the SNL workshops and the NVCS workshops, The GR818ERS volunteer eight free Hip Hop dance workshops per week and reach about one hundred fifty children and families each week!

Rox Swift and Pierre Boogie teach an SNL workshops at Lanark Rec Center, July 8 2011

Hip Hop Loves is proud to support The GR818ERS and their mission to bring art education to communities across Los Angeles. To learn more about their summer workshops and events, please visit www.thegr818ers.com.

Toogie teaches at a GR818ERS SNL workshop at Valley Plaza Park, July 14, 2011.

If you would like to attend Summer Night Lights workshops hosted by The GR818ERS, please contact us at the.gr818ers@gmail.com. Also, if you would like to support The GR818ERS’ art workshops across Los Angeles, please click here to donate to Hip Hop Loves!

Top of page (Featured image): Pierre Boogie (Brown University ’13) teaches Hip Hop dance workshops four times a week, one location being Sun Valley Park on Saturdays.

]]> http://www.hiphoploves.com/2011/08/17/los-angeles-summer-night-lights/feed/ 0 http://www.hiphoploves.com/2011/08/16/7tosmoke/ http://www.hiphoploves.com/2011/08/16/7tosmoke/#comments Tue, 16 Aug 2011 00:11:57 +0000 admin http://www.hiphoploves.com/?p=467

On August 6, from Noon-6PM, THE GR818ERS present A Family Affair! This international dance competition will take place at North Valley Caring Services, at 15453 Rayen Street, North Hills, CA.

THE GR818ERS have created this family-friendly event for the community in the 818 area code and around the globe. “A Family Affair” celebrates the positive impact of the Hip Hop Loves and GR818ERS dance and art education programs, featuring:

7 to Smoke Popping featuring internationally renowned Poppers

2v2 Bboy Battles

Live DJs: World Famous DJ Hazze, Shashu, Sal Vader, Nino B., and Rox Swift

Live art: Serv One, Mig One, Saver, Soul Driven, Jay Sapp, Rest in Prayer

Art Exhibit

Cultural Dances

Car show featuring Pachuco Car Club

Supported by Panic39, TheDopesThreads, United Threads, LYFE Clothing, Analigital, and more

Please visit the Hip Hop Loves Donation page to support this movement and event!

Students at NVCS displays their coloring and graffiti skills during The GR818ERS art workshop.

These dancers are accomplished poppers, lockers, and breakers who have made great impact in the world of Hip Hop and are committed to creating fun, educational environments for children who want to learn to dance, play music, and make art.

DJ Hazze (GR818ERS, OBP) and Pierre Boogie (Brown University '13) teaches popping dance lessons to youth at North Valley Caring Services.

While the dancers promote safety as a means of preventing injury during dance performances, the visual artists encourage safety as a primary requirement by helping students create their own names as works of graffiti, reinforcing the values of having fun while respecting the space and property of others.

Pierre, Desi, Reyna, Emily, and Mama invite volunteers to help them teach a routine during a dance workshop while Bryan, a student, smiles for the camera

The GR818ERS help empower children of all ages by showing them how to use their creative minds to physically and artistically express themselves. Dancers teach not only fundamental moves such as waves, tutting, slow-motion, miming, up-rocking, and more, but they also teach how to dance-battle respectfully and safely. At the end of each one v. one or two v. two battle, the children shake hands to show respect for the other dancer’s styles.

Pierre Boogie encourages children to dance in the middle of the cypher to rehearse routines as well as express their unique styles of dance.

Please support HHL and The GR818ERS’ workshops at North Valley Caring Services by donating here, and be sure to visit The GR818ERS online at www.thegr818ers.com.

]]> http://www.hiphoploves.com/2011/07/29/north-valley-caring-services-ca/feed/ 0 http://www.hiphoploves.com/2011/07/27/the-gr818ers/ http://www.hiphoploves.com/2011/07/27/the-gr818ers/#comments Wed, 27 Jul 2011 05:26:07 +0000 admin http://www.hiphoploves.com/?p=317 The GR818ERS (pronounced “great-one-eighters”) is a coalition of college students and Hip Hop artists based out of the San Fernando Valley of Southern California dedicated to improving racial and cultural relations in our local community and in underserved communities across the country. We produce workshops, performances and events centered on the foundational elements of Hip Hop culture as a means of empowering youth, teaching constructive self-expression, tolerance, and non-violence in communities subject to gang culture, drug abuse, and poverty. The GR818ERS utilize dance, visual art, and music to provide diverse audiences multiple vantage points and opportunities to collaborate positively and progressively and to encourage youth to grow into disciplined, progressive leaders in their communities.

HHL supports The GR818ERS workshops at NVCS

We volunteer two-hour art workshops twice a week at NVCS, and the class size is approximately thirty elementary-age students. We bring artists from across the County of Los Angeles, as well as guest instructors from New Mexico, Arizona, Miami, and Canada to NVCS to teach popping, breaking, visual art, and music. We teach the children foundational moves and styles for all forms of artistic expression. Most importantly, we reinforce each class with three rules: safety, respect, and having fun. These children are getting exposure to a Hip Hop arts education that they have not only been denied, but that few students worldwide get. Professional artists who are dedicated to promoting the positive Hip Hop movement find new hope in The GR818ERS and our workshops at NVCS.

LadieOne teaches art at NVCS

The GR818ERS and Hip Hop Loves Foundation are partnering to host an international dance competition and art show, called A Family Affair on August 6^th at NVCS located at 15453 Rayen Street, North Hills CA from noon to six P.M. This event features live performances from world-renowned artists and DJs, The GR818ERS, and students from our volunteer dance workshops. All proceeds from this event will go toward funding arts workshops for disadvantaged youth in North Hills and communities across the County of Los Angeles.

On behalf of The GR818ERS, I would like to thank Hip Hop Loves for supporting the NVCS workshops, and for sponsoring The GR818ERS first-year anniversary event “A Family Affair!”

The GR818ERS provide the talent and dedication to improve their community, but Hip Hop Loves needs your help to sustain these workshops and events. Please donate to the Hip Hop Loves Foundation and The GR818ERS by clicking here.

Thank you for reading. Please contact me with any questions you may have.

Sam Rosenfeld

The GR818ERS, Hip Hop Loves Foundation intern

Visit www.thegr818ers.com, or email me at the.gr818ers@gmail.com

FROM THE SAME FOLKS WHO BROUGHT YOU THE NOW
LEGENDARY EVENT – “DEEJAYS FOR JAPAN”

We now ask you to save the date: Friday June 17
as we come together once again,
this time to help our brothers and sisters in the South!!

DEEJAYS FOR THE CAUSE

presents

“SOUTHERN COMFORT:
a fundraiser for the tornado and flood victims in the South”

@Taj II – 48 W. 21st between 5th/6th Aves

HOSTED BY AUTHOR AND ACTIVIST
KEVIN POWELL

All Star DJ lineup includes

DJ CEO, DJ Commish, DJ Herbert Holler, DJ Jon Quick, DJ Vidal

more confirmations on the way!

Hosted by some of NYC’s Most Influential Professionals
Nkrumah Pierre
Kara Lee
Brian Benjamin
Dr. Aletha Maybank
Robert Smith Jr.
Ilyas Akbar
Rene John Sandy
Martin Majeske, Esq
Saquan Jones
Rashida Maples, Esq.
Jody Brockington
Tammi Butler
Rob Stevens
Tanya Guzman
Osas Ighodaro
Nicole Wescott
Jon Quick
Erica Cortez
Sharra Dade

20.00 donation at the door.

Proceeds going to Salvation Army and other charities helping with relief efforts in the South.