buzzz worthy. . .
ICONIC LYRICIST TALIB KWELI PARTNERS WITH BINGENOW.COM TO PROMOTE POSITIVE HIP HOP THROUGH THE SPEAK UP CAMPAIGN AND $12,000 VIDEO CONTEST
Atlanta, Georgia — One of hip hop's most celebrated conscious emcees, Talib Kweli, is teaming up with new urban video social network BingeNow.com to give away $12,000 in prizes to artists who uplift hip hop culture and their communities with positive content. The Speak Up Campaign and Video Contest is a platform for music artists and creators around the nation to Speak Up and be heard. The cool part is, artists will be rewarded for promoting positivity in music—an industry that has been plagued with negative content targeting young ears. The contest is live on BingeNow.com and participants can upload videos through May 23rd. Categories for the Speak Up campaign include; Hip Hop, Spoken Word, and Soul/R&B. The grand prize winner with the most inspirational video will win $10,000 cash. In addition, top category runner-ups will win a $1,000 cash prize.
Official celebrity spokesperson for the Speak Up Video Contest, Talib Kweli says, "The negative trends in hip hop music are effecting the younger generation and we are challenging people to Speak Up about the positive and inspirational aspects of our culture. This is more than a video contest. This is a cultural movement!" Binge, LLC founder George Simmons added his sentiments, "We are excited to take a stand and reward artists and musicians who do not glorify violence and negativity. Now is the time for artists that use music to inspire to gain maximum exposure."
The Speak Up Campaign provides an opportunity for individuals who are passionate about music to voice their opinion on the negative lyrics currently dominating hip hop. The purpose is to take the conversation from the barbershop and the college dorms to a national platform. Simmons says, "If people don't talk about the problem then the larger community will not recognize the issue as a problem." Binge is urging music artists to sign up and enter the contest, however if individuals simply want to share your concerns or views on the issue of negative content in hip hop, join the conversation at facebook.com/bingenow.
The Speak Up Campaign has been well received from the hip hop community. Celebrities like Chuck D, Macklemore, Pharrell, Pill, and B.O.B. have endorsed the campaign. R&B crooner Bobby V took it another step and lent his soulful voice for the Speak Up Campaign theme song, "Zone 4", featuring independent Atlanta hip hop artist Hustle. BingeNow.com is expecting a huge response from artists and musicians that have been traditionally ignored by mainstream media. For more information or to enter the Speak Up Campaign and Video Contest go to BingeNow.com/contest.
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