Russell Simmons On As American G8 Producer, Mogul Talks Hip-Hop, Africa

Hip-Hop mogul Russell Simmons has joined the long list of celebrities contributing to the Live 8 Show held this Saturday in Philadelphia. Simmons has signed on as a producer to the concert, which is being held to pressure the world’s richest countries-the G8–to cancel Africa’s massive debts and double the aid for the continent. “This […]

Hip-Hop mogul Russell

Simmons has joined the long list of celebrities contributing to the Live 8 Show

held this Saturday in Philadelphia.

Simmons has signed on as a producer to the concert, which is

being held to pressure the world’s richest countries-the G8–to cancel

Africa’s massive debts and double the aid for the continent.

“This is no charity this is about justice,” Simmons

told AllHipHop.com. “This is to repair the past and to pay for the resources

that are still being taken from Africa.”

Accepting to participate in the event was not a hard decision

for Simmons, who dedicates a healthy portion of his time fighting on behalf

of numerous civil causes.

Philadelphia is one of 10 countries holding concerts on July

2. Participating cities include London, Moscow, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Tokyo,

Barrie, Canada and Johannesburg.

The Philadelphia show will be hosted by Will Smith with performances

from Jay-Z, Alicia Keys, Sean “P. Diddy” Combs, Stevie Wonder, Black

Eyed Peas and many more.

“All the Pop stars in the world can’t do for Africans

what Hip-Hop can do,” Simmons stated. “We must pull more resources.

Some stars aren’t involved [and] they need to join in now. We need their

help and we must press now to send a message to these world leaders.”

Celebrity presenters include Chris Tucker, Jennifer Conolly,

Natalie Portman, Salma Hayek and others.

Organizers said

the concerts could be the largest global telecast, as they hope to attract at

least 4 billion viewers.