[Toronto, ON] – Today, Toronto Urban Music Festival Incorporated (TUMF) has announced their plans for the second annual Urban Music Week taking place in the beautiful city of Toronto, Ontario, Canada from February 22 – 27, 2011.
Urban Music Week 2011 events will include: Acoustic Soul (open mic) presented by Black Lotus Media in association with TUMF Urban Music Week, the Urban Artist Exposure Showcase, the two-day Urban Music Conference at Toronto’s Delta Chelsea Hotel featuring a keynote address by Chris Hicks, Executive Vice President of Def Recordings, and the three-day Urban Film Series at the National Film Board Cinema.Continue reading for more
continue reading for more
Urbran Music Week launched in 2010 as the Toronto Urban Music Festival’s highly anticipated, first annual winter event and included several dazzling music presentations, an informative two-day urban music conference at Royal York Hotel, a spectacular visual arts exhibit at Toronto City Hall Rotunda, Hip-Hop and R&B music film screenings at National Film Board Cinema, a public forum at North York Central Library and a collaborative spoken word program.
Phil Vassell, Founder of Word Magazine and Director of the Toronto Urban Music Festival Incorporated proclaims, “Urban Music Week is a great opportunity to not only organize and bring together people in the Canadian music industry but an opportunity to unite them face-to-face with artists, producers, executives, etc. from around the world, while providing everyone with valuable information and real opportunities to further their careers in entertainment. Toronto is the perfect city to house Urban Music Week and we look forward to continuing to grow and expand the events in the years to come.”
Urban Music Week 2010, keynote speaker Al Branch, General Manager of Hip Hop Since 1978, a management production firm representing multi-platinum producer Just Blaze, Canadian rapper Drake, Kanye West and many others, spoke highly of Toronto and encouraged urban artists to continue to represent for their city, which has a wealth of urban talent.
This year, Urban Music Week is focused on not only providing an outlet for aspiring Canadian talent, but is striving to become the premiere Urban Music Conference in the world by offering quality music education from every aspect of the industry… production, management, funding, marketing, promotions, social media, digital marketing, distribution, and public relations.
The detailed schedule for Urban Music Week including panellists for the Urban Music Conference and films to be screened at the Urban Film Series will be announced in the coming days.
www.tumf.net
Follow us on Twitter @UrbanMusicWeek - http://twittter.com/UrbanMusicWeek
Join our Urban Music Week Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Urban-Music-Week/128049620594329
About Urban Music Week’s Urban Music Conference Keynote Speaker Chris Hicks:
Christopher Hicks' resume reads like a dream actualized. In his current roles as Executive Vice President of Def Jam Recordings as well as a partner in multiple independent holdings: Noontime and Content, Hicks has positioned himself at the helm of a fast growing music empire.
A native of Richmond, California, Chris moved to the East Coast in 1989 to attend Howard University where he was a student until 1993. His first music venture began in 1994 when he co-founded Ivory Coast Entertainment. Two years later he relocated to Atlanta and in 1997 co-founded Noontime Music with Partners Henry "Noonie" Lee, Ryan Glover and Terrance "TR" Ross.
Under Hicks' direction, Noontime quickly grew into reputable music management company with a highly sought-after roster of producers and songwriters like Jazze Pha, Bryan Michael Cox, Teddy Bishop and Johnta Austin, recognized for creating hit records. Eventually Chris parlayed Noontime's success into a joint venture publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music.
Chris Hicks' reputation for staying on the pulse of music trends eventually caught the eye of Senior Management at Warner Music. In a rare move, he was tapped for double duty serving as Senior Vice President, Head of Urban Music for Warner/Chappell Music and Senior Vice President of A&R, Urban at Atlantic Records. After several years at Warner Music Group, Antonio “LA” Reid was among several top executives to notice Hicks’ business savvy and asked Hicks to join his team as Executive Vice President of Def Jam Recordings where he oversees several projects including pop phenomenon, Justin Bieber.
The Content Group is Hicks’ most recent endeavour. The objective is to create a firm of managers that represent the creative talent that is among, if not absolutely, the best talent in their respective area of Urban Music. Gathering a consortium of talent brokers under the Content umbrella, Hicks and crew will hold "The Thumbprint of Urban Music."
About Toronto Urban Music Festival Incorporated (TUMF):
The Toronto Urban Music Festival Incorporated is a music presenting and professional development organization.
As a non-profit organization, our mandate is to promote, present and to provide performance and development opportunities for the multi-disciplinary artistic talents of Canadian independent artists alongside established artists performing in urban and contemporary black music genres.
As a music-based organization, the Toronto Urban Music Festival Incorporated serves a unique and foundational role in Ontario. Our organization produces two distinct music festivals serving two distinct segments of the music/artistic community and the general public. These festivals, the Toronto Urban Music Festival (celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2011), which presents Urban Music Week (www.tumf.net) and the IRIE Music Festival (celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2011) (www.iriemusicfestival.com), are pioneers in their respective categories and are among the largest festivals of their kind in Canada.
Past performers at the Toronto Urban Music Festival includes: Mos Def, Jill Scott, Talib Kweli, Kardinal Offishall, K-os, Bilal, Divine Brown, Jully Black, Saukrates, Michie Mee, Royce Da 5’9”, DJ Hi-Tek, Dweli, Slum Village, Brass Monk, and Dilated Peoples, Pharoah Monch and Eric Roberson to name a few.
Media contact:
Alyse Feldman, On the Fly Public Relations, 416-802-3592 or 347-223-5904, ontheflypr@gmail.com
For sponsorship information, to submit showcase or panellist applications or any other inquiries contact: urbanmusicweek@gmail.com
Urban Music Week 2011 events will include: Acoustic Soul (open mic) presented by Black Lotus Media in association with TUMF Urban Music Week, the Urban Artist Exposure Showcase, the two-day Urban Music Conference at Toronto’s Delta Chelsea Hotel featuring a keynote address by Chris Hicks, Executive Vice President of Def Recordings, and the three-day Urban Film Series at the National Film Board Cinema.Continue reading for more
continue reading for more
Urbran Music Week launched in 2010 as the Toronto Urban Music Festival’s highly anticipated, first annual winter event and included several dazzling music presentations, an informative two-day urban music conference at Royal York Hotel, a spectacular visual arts exhibit at Toronto City Hall Rotunda, Hip-Hop and R&B music film screenings at National Film Board Cinema, a public forum at North York Central Library and a collaborative spoken word program.
Phil Vassell, Founder of Word Magazine and Director of the Toronto Urban Music Festival Incorporated proclaims, “Urban Music Week is a great opportunity to not only organize and bring together people in the Canadian music industry but an opportunity to unite them face-to-face with artists, producers, executives, etc. from around the world, while providing everyone with valuable information and real opportunities to further their careers in entertainment. Toronto is the perfect city to house Urban Music Week and we look forward to continuing to grow and expand the events in the years to come.”
Urban Music Week 2010, keynote speaker Al Branch, General Manager of Hip Hop Since 1978, a management production firm representing multi-platinum producer Just Blaze, Canadian rapper Drake, Kanye West and many others, spoke highly of Toronto and encouraged urban artists to continue to represent for their city, which has a wealth of urban talent.
This year, Urban Music Week is focused on not only providing an outlet for aspiring Canadian talent, but is striving to become the premiere Urban Music Conference in the world by offering quality music education from every aspect of the industry… production, management, funding, marketing, promotions, social media, digital marketing, distribution, and public relations.
The detailed schedule for Urban Music Week including panellists for the Urban Music Conference and films to be screened at the Urban Film Series will be announced in the coming days.
www.tumf.net
Follow us on Twitter @UrbanMusicWeek - http://twittter.com/UrbanMusicWeek
Join our Urban Music Week Facebook Page - http://www.facebook.com/pages/Urban-Music-Week/128049620594329
About Urban Music Week’s Urban Music Conference Keynote Speaker Chris Hicks:
Christopher Hicks' resume reads like a dream actualized. In his current roles as Executive Vice President of Def Jam Recordings as well as a partner in multiple independent holdings: Noontime and Content, Hicks has positioned himself at the helm of a fast growing music empire.
A native of Richmond, California, Chris moved to the East Coast in 1989 to attend Howard University where he was a student until 1993. His first music venture began in 1994 when he co-founded Ivory Coast Entertainment. Two years later he relocated to Atlanta and in 1997 co-founded Noontime Music with Partners Henry "Noonie" Lee, Ryan Glover and Terrance "TR" Ross.
Under Hicks' direction, Noontime quickly grew into reputable music management company with a highly sought-after roster of producers and songwriters like Jazze Pha, Bryan Michael Cox, Teddy Bishop and Johnta Austin, recognized for creating hit records. Eventually Chris parlayed Noontime's success into a joint venture publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Music.
Chris Hicks' reputation for staying on the pulse of music trends eventually caught the eye of Senior Management at Warner Music. In a rare move, he was tapped for double duty serving as Senior Vice President, Head of Urban Music for Warner/Chappell Music and Senior Vice President of A&R, Urban at Atlantic Records. After several years at Warner Music Group, Antonio “LA” Reid was among several top executives to notice Hicks’ business savvy and asked Hicks to join his team as Executive Vice President of Def Jam Recordings where he oversees several projects including pop phenomenon, Justin Bieber.
The Content Group is Hicks’ most recent endeavour. The objective is to create a firm of managers that represent the creative talent that is among, if not absolutely, the best talent in their respective area of Urban Music. Gathering a consortium of talent brokers under the Content umbrella, Hicks and crew will hold "The Thumbprint of Urban Music."
About Toronto Urban Music Festival Incorporated (TUMF):
The Toronto Urban Music Festival Incorporated is a music presenting and professional development organization.
As a non-profit organization, our mandate is to promote, present and to provide performance and development opportunities for the multi-disciplinary artistic talents of Canadian independent artists alongside established artists performing in urban and contemporary black music genres.
As a music-based organization, the Toronto Urban Music Festival Incorporated serves a unique and foundational role in Ontario. Our organization produces two distinct music festivals serving two distinct segments of the music/artistic community and the general public. These festivals, the Toronto Urban Music Festival (celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2011), which presents Urban Music Week (www.tumf.net) and the IRIE Music Festival (celebrating its 10th anniversary in 2011) (www.iriemusicfestival.com), are pioneers in their respective categories and are among the largest festivals of their kind in Canada.
Past performers at the Toronto Urban Music Festival includes: Mos Def, Jill Scott, Talib Kweli, Kardinal Offishall, K-os, Bilal, Divine Brown, Jully Black, Saukrates, Michie Mee, Royce Da 5’9”, DJ Hi-Tek, Dweli, Slum Village, Brass Monk, and Dilated Peoples, Pharoah Monch and Eric Roberson to name a few.
Media contact:
Alyse Feldman, On the Fly Public Relations, 416-802-3592 or 347-223-5904, ontheflypr@gmail.com
For sponsorship information, to submit showcase or panellist applications or any other inquiries contact: urbanmusicweek@gmail.com
