Chuck D, Dead Prez, Others, On Tap For Black Benefit Concerts

08/08/2001 12:00 PM, Yahoo! Music
Craig Rosen

(8/8/01, 12 p.m. ET) -- Public Enemy front man Chuck D has been tapped to host the Black August benefit concert to be held at Synod Hall in Harlem on August 12 at 7 p.m. The annual event that celebrates hip-hop and freedom fighters will include performances from Dead Prez, Talib Kweli and Hi-Tek, Jeru The Damaja, Hedrush, Imani Uzuri, and others to be announced.

This year, the event will travel to South Africa with scheduled dates in Johannesburg, Durban, and Capetown. In South Africa, Dead Prez will join acts Prophets Of The City, Bongo Maffin, Moodphase5ive, Squatta Camp, and Black Noise. Black August participants also intend to protest the UN World Conference Against Racism which will be taking place in Durban from August 31 to September 7. The Black August organizers feel that the UN has not upheld its promise to end "racist and discriminatory trade policies of its member nations."

Now in its fourth year, the Black August movement has toured Cuba, played before more than 15,000 people, and raised $20,000.

-- Billy Johnson Jr., Los Angeles

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