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VOLUNTEER CONTRIBUTOR STORY: EYE ON MUSIC

SUCCESS TO EXPRESS
by Hillary Roberts, Founder, Project Linus NJ, Inc.

Rap Coalition, a not-for-profit organization, keeps artists from being unfairly exploited. According to Founder, Wendy Day, "Since rap music has become profitable, many artists are being taken advantage of, portrayed unfairly, and abused by the media, the industry, managers, and record labels." Rap Coalition protects rappers, producers, and DJs, from this hostile environment, and provides artists with a place to turn when they need help or support, at no cost to them. RC is an artists' advocacy group dedicated to the support, education, protection, and unification of hip hop artists, similar to a union. According to the Recording Industry Association Of America (RIAA), rap music accounted for over a billion dollars in sales again last year.

Wendy Day founded the not-for-profit Rap Coalition in March of 1992, out of disgust for the way urban artists are unfairly exploited in the music industry. Wanting to shift the balance of power to favor the artists, Wendy dumped her life savings (selling her condo, her stocks and bonds, and her BMW) into starting the advocacy organization to support, educate, protect, and unify hip hop artists and producers--in other words, to keep artists from getting jerked. Since 1992, Rap Coalition has impacted the urban music industry by helping, for free, thousands of artists, DJs, and producers individually, as well as through monthly panel discussions, seminars, demo listening sessions, cipher sessions, showcases, and fair deal negotiations.


RapCoalition Founder
Wendy Day
>

The main priority is to continue to make RC a strong and supportive organization with a unified goal: to support and protect rap artists, producers, and DJs! The organization aims to provide:

INFORMATION: offering educational programs and information relating to the rap music industry in order to create a solid understanding of how the music industry works. Knowledge is power, and if artists are knowledeable about the industry, know what to expect, and understand what's fair and acceptable, there is less chance for exploitation.

UNITY: to bring together different artists who have similar needs and situations, enabling them to help each other. There are many trustworthy people in this industry willing to share information and experiences. To establish forums where rap artists can have dialog and exchange ideas and information with each other.

SUPPORT: to access legal help for artists, whether consisting of finding a trustworthy entertainment lawyer, reviewing contracts, or obtaining releases from current unsatisfactory situations. There are reputable entertainment attorneys who are willing to help artists for reduced fees or at no charge, especially to get the artist out of a bad situation.

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Rap Coalition answers to a Board Of Advisors which reads as a veritable Who's Who in the rap music industry, consisting of Chuck D from Public Enemy, Vinnie from Naughty By Nature, David Banner from Crooked Lettaz, Keith Murray, Yungbuk from PsychoDrama, Gipp from Goodie Mob, Sticky Fingaz from Onyx, Too Short, Ras Kass, Do Or Die, Killah Priest, Fiend, Pimp C from UGK, Easy Mo Bee, Shinehead, C-Murder, 8Ball, EA Ski, Canibus, Shorty from Da Lench Mob, Evil Dee from Black Moon, Brotha Lynch Hung, Freddie Foxxx, Bizzy Bone, Cold 187um from Above The Law, Schoolly D, and Kool Kim from UMCs. Prior to his death, Tupac Shakur was the first member of Rap Coalition's Board Of Advisors. Rap Coalition is based in New York with satellite offices in Chicago, Atlanta, Los Angeles, and Houston.
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One such artist aided by Rap Coalition is Mississippi native, David Banner. David Banner was pulled out of an oppressive record deal in 1999 with Ms. Day's assistance and has gone on to help other artists in the industry. As an early responder to the hurricane devasted south, David Banner saw first hand how music brought together generation gaps and soothe heartbroken souls.

In an industry known for overnight success and failure, Wendy Day and Rap Coalition unify artists with a strong foundation.

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Resources

More about Rap Coalition
Contact Wendy Day
More about David Banner

A list of impressive results in support of rap artists can be read at : http://www.rapcoalition.org/Accomplishments.htm

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Hillary Roberts is the founder of Project Linus NJ, a nonprofit organization dedicated to providing handmade blankets and hand crafted toys to children suffering serious illness and trauma from birth to seventeen.

Since the tender age of six, an admitted performance junkie, Hillary’s attended several thousand live shows. Underwriting her college education by working for local music shops and selling LP’s at state swap-meets, she earned a degree in Communications. As both a fan and supporter of the Arts, Hillary joins THE EYE’s contributor section with a point of view: the philanthropic soul of musicianship.


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"The first thing to keep in mind, is that your objective is not to make a 'TV show' or a 'show' of any kind. You are collecting evidence; you are encouraging witness; you are emboldening ordinary people to 'go public.'"

George Stoney from forward in
Turn on the Power! Using Media for
Social
Change

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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