COMMON TO HEADLINE SUMMIT: In Dayton,OH

www.daytondailynews.com/l/content/oh/story/entertainment/music/2009/03














Rapper Common to headline summit April 3-4
The conference, at the Dayton Convention Center, focuses on music and healing communities.

By Terry Morris


DAYTON — Hip-hop artist, actor and writer Common will headline Dayton's first urban arts conference Friday, April 3, and Saturday at the Dayton Convention Center, 22 E. Fifth St.

Siera Leone of Dayton, who organized the first Regional Academic and Cultural Collaborative, said the goal is "to build community. We believe that through such collaborations our community can become the epicenter of urban arts in Ohio."

The idea is "to provide an educational and artistic opportunity for urban performing artists and their audiences," she said. "RACC will give aspiring recording artists and executives the opportunity to build networks, get first-hand information from well-known recording artists and speak directly with entertainment executives."

Common's presentation, Dear Dr. Hip-Hop, will be 6 p.m. Friday. Tickets are free to students from sponsoring colleges and universities — Wright State University, Central State University, Sinclair Community College, Wittenberg University, Wilberforce University and Stivers School for the Arts). The price is $5 for other students and $10 for the general public at Ticket Center Stage, (937) 228-3630 or www.ticketcenterstage.com.

Common will discuss healing a community with hip-hop.

Other events

9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Friday: Hip-Hop Collaboration Workshops at Wright State University, the Bolinga Black Cultural Resource Center and Women's Center; Central State University; Sinclair Community College, Department of English; Wittenberg University; Wilberforce University and Stivers School for the Arts.

9 p.m. Friday: The Signature: A Poetic Medley Show, presented at the Convention Center by Oral Funk Productions. Performers will include The Floacist; Natalie Stewart, a poet and neo-soul recording artist; singer-guitarist Kevin Sandbloom; El Coats and the Funk Point Band and jazz singer Shakera Jones. Tickets are $15.

11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday: The Business of Entertainment/Music Seminar. Registration begins at 10 a.m. One section will be for independent artists. The other section will be for aspiring entertainment managers. Fee is $20 at Ticket Center Stage, (937) 228-3630 or www.ticket

centerstage.com.

7 p.m. to midnight at C-Space: "Hip-Hop Night," featuring Sadat X (formerly from Brand Nubian. Free.

Business Workshop presenters

Melanie Massie, vice president of talent at Black Entertainment Television; Charles Whitfield, founder of A&R Hidden Beach Recordings; Scott Sharp, WDHT-FM 102.9; Garth Adams, WROU-FM 92.1; Rodney Love, WMIX-FM 95.7 in Toledo; entertainment lawyer Carl Lewis; L. Croxx, director of artists and repertoire for Tripple Croxx Entertainment and Management; John Logan, Central State University faculty member.