SPECIAL EDITION EVENT LAUNCHES AT THE ESSENCE MUSIC FESTIVAL IN NEW ORLEANS, LA ON JUNE 30; TOUR KICKS ON JULY 20 IN CINCINNATI, OH – OCTOBER 14 IN SAN ANTONIO, TX

New York, NY (June 13, 2023) – Universal Attractions Agency (UAA), RAMP Entertainment Agency and Mahogany Entertainment, announce the “Masters of The Mic: Hip-Hop 50 Tour” featuring Big Daddy Kane, Doug E. Fresh, KRS-One, Rakim, and Slick Rick, with special guests including EPMD, Roxanne Shante, DJ Spinderella, and more (lineup varies per city, check local listings). The celebratory tour will kick off on June 30 for a special edition event at the Essence Music Festival in New Orleans, LA, and officially launch on July 20 in Cincinnati, Ohio, through October 14 in San Antonio, TX. The founding fathers of hip-hop are joining forces like never before to celebrate the 50th anniversary in select markets around these legends’ otherwise busy touring schedules. The national tour will see the pioneers of the genre tear it up on stage live as a hip-hop supergroup backed up by a live band in most markets, reminding the world where hip-hop started and how it is now a global phenomenon, selling hundreds of millions of records, gaining billions of followers, and taking over music and culture, globally.

After helping start a movement that propelled NYC Breakbeat / Emcee / B-Boy culture to the forefront of pop culture, these “OG” masters of hip-hop are coming together on the MASTERS OF THE MIC: HIP-HOP 50 TOUR, representing a never-before-seen event in hip-hop history. The tour will see the iconic emcees perform genre-defining songs from hip-hop’s golden age. “This is truly unprecedented,” boasts Universal Attractions Agency’s Co-Owner Jeff Epstein who conceived the collaboration with Doug E. Fresh. To have such an elite group of hip-hop icons from the golden era coming together to celebrate 50 years of hip-hop music this way… it’s truly mind-blowing.”

On August 11, 1973, when DJ Kool Herc first displayed his new breakbeat technique called the “Merry-Go-Round,” using two turntables to extend the break, he sparked a music and pop-culture revolution that would change the world forever. Through the ‘80s and ‘90s, the genre broke through the mainstream and took the world by storm, with successive generations of artists emerging to global superstardom. Fast forward to 2023, hip-hop dominates music and entertainment culture hands down, both in terms of impressions and dollars. It’s a billion-dollar business.

As Doug E. Fresh tells it, “When we celebrate that block party in ’73 with Kool Herc that started it all, we’re celebrating the true spirit of hip-hop; everyone coming together and having a party sharing the love of their music and community. That’s the true heart of hip-hop culture right there.”

Says UAA’s Nick Szatmari, co-producer of the tour in partnership with Epstein, “While the culture may have started in The Bronx, it resonates with everyone across the globe, and a heap of credit goes to Doug, Rick, Kane, KRS, and Rakim, who were the pioneers that brought it from the block to the billboards. You don’t have any of the iconic rappers of today without them standing on the foundation laid by the ‘Masters of the Mic’ during the ‘80s and ‘90s.” He adds, “name any of the biggest styles to emerge or their most iconic superstars of today, and you must acknowledge the global influence of Doug and Rick, Kane, KRS, Rakim, and the rest of the golden era icons that paved the way for hip-hop to become what it is today.”

About the Artists:

Doug E. Fresh, proudly raised in Harlem, New York, Doug shot from local phenomenon to nationally recognized talent with the help of an appearance in the 1984 cult classic movie “Beat Street.” By 1985, Fresh had become one of hip-hop’s biggest international stars, thanks to the success of his classics, “The Show” and “La Di Da Di,” recorded with his Get Fresh Crew, including MC Ricky D (a.k.a. Slick Rick). As highlighted in a 2019 Wall Street Journal article and in a 2014 TED Talk by multi-platinum music producer Mark Ronson, “La Di Da Di” holds the distinct honor of being the fifth most-sampled song in the history of music. To date, Doug E. Fresh is one of the most actively touring musicians across all genres, averaging a whopping 200 live, domestic performances per year for the past two decades. A tireless act who remains highly relevant and on the pulse of innovation, Fresh plans to continue to use his gifts to be of service to others. “I’ve always lived my life saying I don’t want to be financially rich and spiritually bankrupt,” he says. “So most of my decisions lean toward what’s better for the spiritual growth of others and for myself, and toward creating the best celebrations of life. When I make music, I’ve always been about trying to elevate the culture. Hip-hop is supposed to uplift, to educate people on a higher level, and to make change.”

Slick Rick a/k/a “Rick The Ruler” followed his legendary collaboration with Doug E. Fresh in the 80’s to become a global influencer and icon of hip hop in his own right. The London- born emcee became the most successful British rapper of all time. In the process, he’s become one of the most sampled and interpolated artists in hip hop history by such iconic artists Eminem, Mariah Carey, Beyonce, Beastie Boys, TLC, Nas, Miley Cyrus, Kanye West, Black Star, The Notorious B.I.G., Snoop Dogg and Color Me Badd. Many of these new songs became hit singles and spawned new sub-genres, underscoring his pervasive and timeless influence.

Big Daddy Kane was more than just a dapper rapper back in the 80’s and 90’s, famously playing two sold out shows at Harlem’s Apollo theater for women only, and appearing in Madonna’s “Sex” book alongside Naomi Campbell and Madonna. With “Ain’t No Half Steppin’,” he pioneered the battle-rap style that spawned a generation of rappers which helped propel hip hop’s influence globally.

KRS-One (represented by Simone Parker and The Ramp Entertainment Agency), made it clear from the beginning that the world needed to take hip hop seriously, that the message would not be ignored. His 1993 hit “Sound of da Police,” told the story of police brutality towards African Americans long before Ferguson, MO and Eric Garner incidents created a national firestorm behind the Black Lives Matter movement. A prolific educator and philosopher, he’s been called the “conscience of hip hop” (Rolling Stone).

Rakim exploded onto the stage with his then partner Eric B, and their album, “Paid In Full,” went on to sell in the multi-millions worldwide. Billboard, Rolling Stone, MTV and a host of others, consistently refer to “Paid in Full” as “the greatest hip-hop album of all time”. Rakim was

named the “#1 Lyricist of All Time” by The Source magazine, and he received the coveted BET Lifetime Achievement Award. He was also nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

About Universal Attractions:

In business since 1945, Universal Attractions Agency (UAA) boasts locations in the heart of New York City and Los Angeles. The agency’s celebrated history includes launching the career of the legendary soul singer James Brown and representing him for more than 40 years, in addition to a truly jaw-dropping list of talent on its rosters, including Chuck Berry, Little Richard, Aretha Franklin, Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, Smokey Robinson, and the Miracles, Joe Tex, Solomon Burke, the Staples Singers, The Grateful Dead, Sepultura, Salt-N-Pepa, Coolio, Naughty By Nature, The Jacksons, New Edition, MC Hammer, George Clinton & Parliament Funkadelic, and so many more. UAA has proven itself as an industry leader among talent agencies, continuing to help direct the careers of some of the most prominent artists, comedians, and entertainers of today, such as Nelly, Ludacris, T.I., Ja Rule & Ashanti, Cedric the Entertainer, UB40, Keith Sweat, Flo Rida, and countless others. UAA also created one of the most sensational tours of the last decade with the “I Love the 90’s Tour.” To find more information about Universal Attractions and the agency’s roster, visit the official UAA website.

About Ramp Entertainment Agency:

R.A.M.P. specializes in Research, Advertisement, Marketing, and Promotion and is operated by KRS-One’s manager, Simone G Parker. Visit online.

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CONTACT:
Asia Jeter-Gelibert
Universal Attractions Agency
asia@universalattractions.com