We are live from #IgniteLA: Uprising Remixed talking about the role of hip-hop culture in a changing social and political landscape. Follow the live discussion here using #IgniteLA.

Paradise Gray, Nipsey Hussel, Medusa, Anthony Thigpenn and many more will be feature panelists of #IgniteLA: Uprising Remixed. We’re bringing together old school and new school to discuss the role of hip-hop culture in a changing social and political landscape. This is the conversation true hip-hop fans have been waiting for, and you don’t want to miss it.

Join us on June 30th at 1-4 p.m. PST for this livestreaming discussion and Q&A session on YoungVoter.

We’ll be submitting audience questions during the live broadcast. Be sure to tweet your questions to using the hashtag #IgniteLA and we will answer the most interesting questions from our followers.

By Rob “Biko” Baker

In the 20 years since the Rodney King verdict, Los Angeles has redefined itself and the individuals participating in #IgniteLA: Uprising Remixed have been some of the city’s strongest thought leaders in this two-decade long metamorphosis. This Saturday, the League of Young Voters, Cashmere Agency and SCOPE will host #IgniteLA: Uprising Remixed, a celebration of community organizing in South Los Angeles since the Los Angeles Riots. The unique event, broadcasting online at YoungVoter, will be shot on location at Mercado La Paloma in South LA from 1 to 4 p.m. and will feature guest appearances by Nipsey Hussle, Medusa, Jasiri X, Anthony Thigpen, Allhiphop’s Chuck Creekmur and many more. #IgniteLA: Uprising Remixed will be hosted by up-and-coming rapper Dee-1 and will feature performances by Thurz and League activist / artist Aliesa Nicole. It is underwritten with the generous support of the Compton Foundation and Nathan Cummings Foundation.

It’s been 20 years, but the summer of 1992 is indelibly etched in my brain. While Los Angeles’ fiery rebellion happened 2,000 miles away from my stomping grounds on Milwaukee’s far northwest side, the rage that pushed South Central Los Angeles residents to tear up their communities was very familiar to me. As a 14-year-old boy growing into his manhood in one of America’s most segregated cities, I understood very well that people of color faced unprecedented discrimination. By the time I graduated the 8th grade, street gangs, police brutality, and a rapid uptick of violent crime became prominent features of my midwestern hometown. In many ways, Milwaukee was just like Compton, Watts and every other black and brown working class neighborhood in California’s most densely-populated county.

But it wasn’t just the Rodney King verdict and its violent aftermath that resonated with me. The hip-hop music emanating from South Central Los Angeles stirred my and my friends’ souls and challenged us to think critically about our surroundings. At the time, murder and violent drug deals weren’t just fantasy tales spun by gifted lyricists, but consistent fixtures of urban life. Chuck D once said that hip-hop was the “CNN of urban America,” and for me and my friends, rappers like Ice Cube, Snoop Dogg and DJ Quik were rap’s top anchormen.
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Ever wonder what rappers and actors really have to say about politics? The League of Young Voters is coming to LA to find out!

RSVP HERE to watch online on YoungVoter

Ignite LA: Uprising Remixed, hosted by The League of Young Voters, Cashmere Agency, and SCOPE (Strategic Concepts in Organizing and Policy Education) is a livestreaming event, featuring big names in hip-hop and national thought leaders. Hosted by up-and-coming rapper, Dee-1, this raw and uncensored conversation on voting, politics, and the role of entertainers will be nothing short of groundbreaking.

Tune in live at 1 p.m. Pacific on YoungVoter and tweet your questions using the hashtag #IgniteLA.

This live event, scheduled during both the 20 year anniversary of the LA riots and the BET Awards, promises to be full of controversy and insight into the role of cultural activism in politics. Featuring live performances from some of your favorite artists, including Dee-1, Jasiri X and more.

You don’t want to miss one minute of this event. If you can’t be in LA for this momentous occasion, don’t worry, you can watch it live on YoungVoter on June 30th at 1 p.m. Pacific.

Follow the conversation on twitter all month using #IgniteLA. Send us your questions, or your thoughts on social change, political uncertainty, and future opportunity for growth. Log on for the show, and stay for the discussion. Join us as we set LA on fire, again!