brooklynvegan: Hip Hop Summit - "Get Your Money Right"

HIP HOP EVENT RAISES FICO SCORE AWARENESS AND EMPOWERMENT
Martin N. Danenberg “El Quijote del GED”

04/24/2006

Latinos, African Americans, and others came from the five boroughs and from outside the city to this event. People spoke about individuality, global awareness for business opportunities, family responsibilities, societal responsibilities, working one or more jobs that you are passionate about, investing in things that bring value, getting an education that pays off, spirituality, building economic zones in minority communities that bring greater benefits to minorities, establishing and maintaining good credit, believing in one’s self and one’s dreams, telling people to demand more of American industry, and passing the torch to the next generation of Hip-Hop artists. Attended by dignitaries including:
LL Cool J, Def Jam Recording artist Nas, Diplomat Records recording artist Jim Jones, Russell Simmons, Randy and Charles Fisher of the Hip-Hop Summit Youth Council, T.I., Fabolous, Reggaeton stars Wisin Y Yandel, M.1 of dead prez, DJ Marley Marl, DJ Clue, Kevin Liles (V.P. of Warner Music Group), M.1 of the dead prez/artist Fredo Starr, Fred Lover of Power 105, Chris Lighty of Violator Management (50 Cent’s manager), HSAN President/CEO Dr Benjamin Chavis, Papoose, Tru Life, Crucial Keys, La Negra, and Jinx Da Juvie. Chrysler Financial experts Gerrod Parchmon and James Whitlow. Title Sponsor is Chrysler Financial. Presenting sponsor is Anheuser-Busch, Inc. Media partner is Clear Channel’s Power 105.1 FM WWPR. The educational partner is New York University Tisch School of the Arts. Community partners include the Hispanic Federation, the National Urban League, the Hip-Hop Theater Festival and the Ghett Film School. Congressmen Charlie Rangel and Gregory Meeks attended and spoke. Source Magazine and King of Kings Lance and Todd Feurtado, too, were there.

The Hip-Hop Summit for Financial Empowerment in New York gave a thousand or more people who attended a lesson in life. Education and spirituality were two of the key aspects of this afternoon seminar. The participants spoke about taking care of the family, taking care of oneself and others, and one’s credit rating. This event will take place soon in Miami (May 20), Atlanta (September 16), Los Angeles (September 30), Dallas (October 14). This is the Get Your Money Right Tour.

Some of the participants talked their personal experiences. One had been incarcerated for a decade, but had successfully made it in the music world later on. LL Cool J spoke about being successful and losing a lot of what he had earned only to find his spirituality (Christianity) and regaining his prior success and wealth, but donating ten percent to tithes. He said, “Invest ten percent in tithes (to a spiritual church) and ten percent in your home.”

Many of the participants explained to the people in the audience that financial empowerment can come from the universe of opportunities that comes outside of performing. There are great paying jobs in producing, being agents, engineers, DJ’s, publicists, and even in providing goods to the artists. Russell Simmons told people to learn what their FICO score or credit rating is. Reverend Benjamin Chavis and others concentrated on the FICO score and a person’s net worth. Many of the panelists said that falling into heavy credit card debt must be avoided and LL Cool J led the way stating that he pays off his entire debt each month, using his credit card like cash. Others revealed they too pay off their entire credit card bill the same way. LL Cool J said that eighteen percent interest charged on credit cards makes those cards a “P-I-M-P.”

For the people who do not maintain good credit habits, this event had to be a great success. The audience heard moving testimony from the old legends of Hip Hop and the new, up and coming artists. The agenda was a good one, but people were given books to take home to study more about credit and economic empowerment. Seven people had the chance to ask questions that served as a review and each panelist made parting comments that reinforced the afternoon’s lesson. If each person tells five people about the FICO score and investing in the future, thousands of people will be reached. Latinos and African Americans united, contributing to a feeling of inclusiveness.

I had the opportunity to speak with Reverend Benjamin Chavis. “We have two million and a quarter adults in New York State and thirty million across the United States who have no high school diploma or GED. How can we put GED on the Hip Hop agenda,” I asked. “Yes! It could be done,” was his immediate response and we agreed that Randy Fisher, the executive director, would be the contact person for this. GED was missing in the voter registration drive of the Hip Hop movement. GED should be included in most of its work, but GED that mobilizes communities. These seminars help significantly but I am more interested in a revolution in minority communities and hopefully the Hip Hop Summit will help me mobilize this nation.

A special thanks goes to Larry Love for helping me disseminate my information to LL Cool J and Russell Simmons. The photo of Russell Simmons was taken by Profesor Martin.

MARTIN N. DANENBERG
7 BLAZER DRIVE
ISLANDIA, NY 11749
GEDHOTLINE@AOL.COM
631-348-1341
www.geocities.com/gedhotline
www.ahorre.com/ged
www.ahorre.com/noticias
www.hsan.org

Status: Released to Public

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Posted by martin n danenberg | April 25, 2006 2:21 PM