The Legendary KRS-One

KRS-ONE, the legendary old-school emcee, activist, and overall hip-hop pioneer, is scheduled to headline the 2010 International Hip-Hop Festival at Trinity College, to celebrate the fifth year of this weekend-long festival of featured performances, lectures, graffiti artistry, and a break dance battle – judged by Trac2 –  for a cool $1,500 grand prize.

Lawrence Parker (aka KRS ONE), whose name stands for “Knowledge Reins Supreme Over Nearly Everybody”, had three Billboard Top 100 singles, and has etched himself into hip-hop history as a preacher of peace, and a critic of violence in hip-hop. He received a BET Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008 for his work with the Stop the Violence Movement, which he established in 1988 as a response to the excessive violence that is so prevalent in the hip-hop community. He also established The Temple of Hip Hop, which is a national organization intended to maintain and promote hip-hop as a genuine political movement and culture. It was created on the Trinity campus to support the mission of the festival. It encourages socially conscious songs, and encourages radio stations to play more socially-aware hip-hop.

Graffiti artists will have a chance to showcase their talents at the festival

In addition to KRS-One, The reMINDers, Nomadic Massive, Anita Tijoux, DAM, Shokanti, Wagëblë, Flex Mathews, DJ Nio, DJ Boo, Self-Suffice, Zee Santiago, Readnex Poetry Squad, and DJ H20 are all going to play at the celebration.