Naledge Evans, of Kidz In The Hall, is this year’s special guest panelist at Chicago’s very First Hip-Hop Peace Summit.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Briahna Gatlin
Email: b.galin@swankpublishing.com

September 9, 2013
(Chicago, IL) The Department Cultural Affairs will hold its first Chicago Music Summit with special guest panelist Naledge of critically acclaimed hip-hop group, Kidz in the Hall. As a member of the Peace Summit’s panel, Naledge along with his colleagues Leon Rodgers, Kyra Kyles, Dr. Adia Winfrey, Mikkey Halsted, Monica Haslip, and Andrew Barber will be discussing how hip-hop music is portrayed, the violence in Chicago and violence in today’s music.

The panel will be held on Friday, September 20, 2013 at the Chicago Cultural Center (78 E. Washington Street) and is a free Conference featuring music industry leaders and innovators, industry professionals including musicians, managers, agents and more. This conference will shine a spotlight in Chicago’s innovative and thriving music scene and connect professionals with local and national industry leaders.

Naledge has contributed to the Inaugural Chicago Music Summit’s Advisory Board by spearheading the portion of the Peace Summit Panel (4pm- 5pm). During the panel, those who cannot attend will be able to participate via social media by creating a live stream that enables viewers to post their questions via Twitter and Facebook through Google’s new program Hangout which is the Chicago Music Summit’s titled Sponsor.

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Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events
The Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events (DCASE) is dedicated to enriching Chicago’s artistic vitality and cultural vibrancy. This includes fostering the development of Chicago’s non-profit arts sector, independent working artists and for-profit arts businesses; providing a framework to guide the City’s future cultural and economic growth, via the 2012 Chicago Cultural Plan; marketing the City’s cultural assets to a worldwide audience; and presenting high-quality, free and affordable cultural programs for residents and visitors.

NALEDGE EVANS
The MCing half of progressive rap duo Kidz in the Hall, Naledge was born Jabari Evans in Cincinnati, OH, but grew up on Chicago's South Side since he was two years old. Raised by two Ph.D.-educated parents, the high-school valedictorian academically had an easy time in school and found his niche in poetry and writing. However, it was cousin Memo, one-third of Chicago production outfit the Molemen, who convinced him to transform his writing prowess into hip-hop rhymes. He first met his DJ/producer partner, Double O, in 2000 on a recruiting visit to the University of Pennsylvania, and the two became good friends and musical collaborators. While still attending Penn, Naledge acquired a solo deal with Rawkus Records, but ended up bringing the Kidz in the Hall brand under Rawkus management as well, once he and Double O finally decided to start the group. Soon after Naledge graduated from Penn in 2004, he released The College Graduate mixtape, which was a nod to Kanye West's breakout debut album, The College Dropout. After a few Kidz in the Hall mixtapes and an aggressive Internet-promoting campaign, Naledge and Double O dropped their debut, School Was My Hustle, in 2006. Naledge's solo debut, tentatively titled Naledge Is Power, was intended to come out not long after the Kidz in the Hall LP, but the two wound up severing ties with Rawkus and signed on with Boot Camp Clik imprint Duck Down in 2007. Kidz in the Hall's fourth studio album, Occasion was released November of 2011. Naledge has created his company, Brainiac Society, with hope of helping local artists have a creative outlet to have their work heard. Additionally, Jabari is currently a graduate student enrolled in the University of Southern California’s School of Social Work. Aside from music, Jabari frequently speaks as guest lecturer at high schools, colleges and universities in the Chicagoland area and he is committed to doing community service within around the South Side area where he was raised. In 2009, Chicago Magazine named him one of the city’s “Most Interesting Single Men” and he currently resides in South Shore and enjoys playing sports with his son Caleb

Chicago Hip-Hop Peace Summit

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This release was published on openPR.