Rapper David Banner,
Jimmy Henchman, manager of the Game and Swisha House CEO Michael Watts will be
among the panelists addressing music industry issues during a weekend of discussions
sponsored by Rap Coalition and The 3rd Annual Southern Entertainment Awards. Topics for the panels include:
How to Get a Record Deal, How to Build a Huge Buzz, Indie Labels: How to Put
Out Your Own CD or Start Your Own Label, How to Lose $1 Million: Top 10 Mistakes
in The Music Industry and other topics of interest.
Other panelists include
rappers Too Short, Killer Mike and Trick Trick as well as Blue Williams, manager
of Outkast, Vanessa Satten, music editor of XXL Magazine, Jane Higgins, publicist
for Nelly, and Murphy Lee, directors Flx ("Dirty States of America")
and Lexx Luger ("White Boys Can’t Rap"), Hump, CEO of Sucka Free Entertainment
and Rap Coalition founder Wendy Day.
Founded in 1992, Rap Coalition
is a nonprofit advocacy organization dedicated to the education, support, protection
and unity of hip hop artists: rappers, producers, and DJs.
The Southern Entertainment
Awards honor artists and DJs of the southern music industry each year with awards
voted on by their peers.
The panel discussions
are free and open to the public from noon to 6 PM on Friday, Jan. 20 and 11
AM to 7 PM on Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Grand Casino in Tunica, MS (30 miles
south of Memphis).
The weekend will
be capped off with parties at the Martini Room and Club Premier and the third
annual Southern Entertainment Awards, which takes place at 2:00 p.m. Jan. 22
at the Horse Shoe Casino.
The Southern Entertainment
Awards ceremony begins at 2 PM on Sunday, January 22 at the Horse Shoe Casino.
Tickets are $60 and available at TicketMaster.com.