Balto. Tues. p.m.: Make Hip-Hop, Not War

Baltimore, MD: A national "Make Hip Hop Not War" tour makes its final stop, in Baltimore, MD, Tuesday, April 24, at 9 p.m. at St. John's Church at 27th and St. Paul Streets. The tour, being sponsored by Books Not Bombs, Iraq Vets Against the War, and the Hip Hop Caucus, features music and politics.

The tour features Rev. Lennox Yearwood of the Hip Hop Caucus, Cindy Sheehan of Gold Star Families for Peace, Marine Mom Tina Richards [yep, that's her son's poem in the previous post] of Grassroots America, Kevin Zeese of Democracy Rising, Adam Kokesh of Iraq Vets Against the War, and the students of the University of Maryland Baltimore of Hungry for Peace. Musicians include DJ Chela, Son of Nun, Akir, A-Alikes, Articulate and More.

The tour is designed to demonstrate that real hip hop culture is not gangsta rap, but represents the progressive character of Black America. Rev. Yearwood describes President Bush as "addicted to war" and the Congress as "co-dependent acting just like the person who is addicted."

The tour, which was featured on MTV, believes "it is time for Hip Hop to break the silence. Our generation is fighting and dying in Iraq. Our generation must lead the campaign to bring our troops home." The tour seeks to get more people of color and college students involved in efforts to end the war. The Make Hip Hop Not War tour comes just before college students at the University of Maryland at College Park begin a week-long fast to protest the war, from April 30 to May 4. Students, faculty, and staff will be camping out on the Commons Terrace and fasting from food for the entire week without leaving the area. See
http://www.umbcsoco .org/wiki/ HungryForPeace.

The tour has visited Washington, DC, New York City, Boston, St. Louis, Los Angeles, Chicago, Berkeley and South Bend among other locations.

For more information visit http://www.hiphopcaucus.org.