A History of the

Bi-Annual Hip Hop Convention

THE ORIGINS-2003

In the spring of 2003, a group of activists, artists, educators, entrepreneurs, journalists and civic leaders from the Hip Hop generation began gathering to develop a plan to funnel the political and cultural power of the hip hop generation into mainstream political activities. Out of those meetings came the idea for the National Hip Hop Political Convention, a bi-annual event that would bring together delegates from all over the country to develop, endorse and vote on a political agenda for the Hip Hop Generation, and act as training ground to identify and support local, state and national leadership to implement that agenda.

The work of the NHHPC is grounded in the following: Grassroots Activism, Civic Education, Economic Self-Determination, Voter Participation and Cultural Inspiration. The founding members of the National Hip Hop Political Convention identified eight social issues that would serve as the foundation around which we would organize. Those social issues were;

1) Criminal Justice, 2) Economic Justice, 3) Educational Empowerment, 4) Equality, 5) Global Issues, 6) Health, Environment and Welfare, 7) Media Regulation, and 8) Organizing the Organizers.

In June of 2004, 6,000 people, including 600 delegates from 20 states, attended the first ever National Hip Hop Political Convention in Newark, New Jersey. The four day event was held from June 16 – 19 and consisted of trainings, workshops, concerts, town hall meetings, a film festival and the convening of a national assembly that put forth a 5 point agenda that listed the concerns, desires and political demands of the Hip Hop Generation. The convention highlighted the important historical, cultural and political elements of hip hop culture while also generating an estimated $4 million dollars for the New Jersey/New York economy during over the 4 day convention period Many of the young leaders associated with the planning and hosting of the convention took on integral roles with national organizations in facilitating the tremendous upsurge in youth and young adult participation in the 2004 presidential elections, and they continue to drive the Hip Hop Generation’s steady evolution into engaged citizens with an active interest in addressing the issues affecting their communities.

FORMING THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION-2005

Following the 2004 Convention many of the activists/organizers left Newark feeling like a something was still missing. Even though history was made, a living document was created and there was a plan to come back together in two years, there was still a sense that something more was needed.

Some of the organizers who were not so instrumental in the actual organizing of the 2004 event, but where instrumental in the promoting and the mobilizing of youth to attend, through the organizing of Local Organizing Committee’s (LOC’s) in their area, called for a regrouping of LOC leaders to discuss the next step. A grant was awarded to this loose formation of LOC’s to gather in Atlanta Georgia in February of 2005. That gathering brought back together over 40 LOC reps and several of the “Founding” members of the original 2004 Convention. The question was posed whether a national organization can and or should be formed by uniting all of the LOC’s under one national organization, and if so, what would it look like and how would it function.

Because many of the reps had to bring the question back to their LOC’s the final discussion was not made however the formation of what this national organization would look like was worked upon so that upon return to their respective area’s these reps could propose the idea with a proposed structure.

Also at this gathering an Interim Steering Committee was formed to carry on the work of the national body until an official leadership structure could be created and agreed to. Upon return to their respective LOC’s it was unanimously agreed that the LOC’s would begin to work as part of something much bigger than just a local coalition of organizations. It was also agreed that this new national organization would continue to go by the same name as the event that brought us all together; the National Hip Hop Political Convention (NHHPC).

The purpose of which is to work towards the continued development and implementation of the National Agenda on a local, regional, national, and international level. It was also agreed that the organizational structure of the NHHPC would work from the bottom up, with the strength of the organization and the majority of its work coming from the LOC’s.

THE 2006 NATIONAL CONVENTION

The 2006 National Hip Hop Political Convention was held July 19 – 23 in Chicago, IL and organized and hosted by the Chicago LOC (ChiLOC). One of the focuses of the 2006 Convention was to build upon the Hip Hop political movement by connecting the agenda created at the 2004 Convention with that of the larger hip hop community, and strengthening the national infrastructure that is needed to coordinate and facilitate the movement.

The 2006 National Hip Hop Political Convention was successful in:

1. celebrating, encouraging and energizing the national work of the Hip Hop political community,

2. shared, supported and developed successful strategies to be implemented and duplicated in various areas across the country,

3. provided training and organizational support for Hip Hop leadership,

4. introduced and invited youth and young adults to join the community empowerment efforts of the Hip Hop Generation, and

5. supported Hip Hop Generation organizing efforts by raising funds and awareness to support both a national and local infrastructure while facilitating the coordinated interaction of the various groups and individuals doing work across the country.

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