GUERILLA UNION TEAMS WITH MYSPACE TO ANNOUNCE PERFORMERS AND ROUTING OF THE LEADING HIP-HOP FESTIVAL SERIES TODAY AT ALL-STAR PRESS CONFERENCE AND SECRET SHOW
2008 ROCK THE BELLS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL SERIES POWERED BY SANDISK LINE-UP RELEASED
HEADLINERS INCLUDE A TRIBE CALLED QUEST, NAS, MOS DEF, DE LA SOUL, RAKIM AND
REUNITED SPECIAL GUESTS THE PHARCYDE
WITH ADDITIONAL PERFORMANCES BY SPANK ROCK, SANTOGOLD, KID SISTER, JAY ELECTRONICA AND MANY MORE!
ROCK THE BELLS has established itself as a world-class hip-hop platform by hosting legendary performances. The 2007 festival series included performances by a reunited Rage Against the Machine, the Wu Tang Clan, Public Enemy celebrating their 20th anniversary as a band and many more. The tradition of top names and memorable performances continues in 2008 as the line-up and routing for this year’s ROCK THE BELL 2008 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL SERIES POWERED BY SANDISK--kicking off July 19 in Chicago--was announced today during a press conference in Claremont, CA by Chang Weisberg of Guerilla Union and hip-hop all-stars A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, Raekwon, Murs, and Supernatural who are all confirmed on this summer’s bill.
Featuring performances by A Tribe Called Quest, Nas, Mos Def, De La Soul, Rakim, Method Man & Redman, Raekwon & Ghostface (Cuban Linx), Immortal Technique, Dead Prez, Murs and Kidz In The Hall, the ROCK THE BELLS 2008 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL SERIES POWERED BY SANDISK once again is marked by the leading hip-hop line-up seen on one bill this year. This year will be highlighted with an unexpected reunion of The Pharcyde. But it does not stop there, as fans will also see performances by the brightest names in the emerging electro-hip hop scene including Spank Rock, Santogold, Kid Sister, Wale, Flosstradamus, Jay Electronica and The Cool Kids with hosts B-Real of Cypress Hill and the world renowned Supernatural.
After its July 19 launch, ROCK THE BELLS 2008 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL SERIES POWERED BY SANDISK will hit nine more North American cities on seven consecutive weekends, wrapping up in Vancouver at the end of August. 2008 also marks the first year that ROCK THE BELLS will go global with four stops in Europe and one in Japan. Highlights of the series include first time dates in Toronto, Vancouver and Philadelphia, plus a return to the Glen Helen Pavilion in San Bernardino, CA where last year’s show sold out with a capacity crowd of 45,000 people. Pre-sale tickets will be available May 14th - 16th via www.guerillaunion.com, and then to the general public on May 17th. Exclusive LA pre-sale starts on May 7th-9th with on-sale to follow May 10th.
Most of this year’s headliners will be performing with new music as well; performers with albums coming out this year include Q-tip from A Tribe Called Quest with The Renaissance, Nas with Nigg*r, Mos Def with The Ecstactic, and Murs with his major-label debut Murs For President. Method Man & Redman return with Blackout 2, the follow-up disc to their 1999 platinum selling album Blackout!, and Ghostface Killah will join Wu Tang Clan bandmate Raekwon to perform songs from Only Built 4 Cuban Linx II, Raekwon’s highly anticipated follow up to the critically acclaimed 1995 release Only Built 4 Cuban Linx.
Event organizer Chang Weisberg of Guerilla Union is thrilled with the direction on this year’s festival series stating: “This year’s line-up represents, respects and recognizes the diversity and inspirational possibilities often promised, but rarely delivered in a live hip-hop experience. We really feel that this year’s group of artists define our platform and further galvanize the legacy that Rock The Bells has earned through the years. Guerilla Union constantly strives to curate shows that house those once-in-a-lifetime performance experiences that our fans have come to expect. I am thrilled that the majority of performers on this year’s bill have new music to showcase, and we have still managed to deliver all the qualities of Rock The Bells that our fans demand year after year. There’s always something fresh and familiar about our line-ups. Fortunately, we have a knack for making Hip Hop dreams come true. And this year is going to be no different.”
“We are very enthusiastic about partnering with Myspace.com (a place for Hip Hop) to announce this year’s line-up to an audience of 70,000,000 people,” adds Weisberg. “Traditionally, we have launched our shows via print and radio, but this year we will tap into the muscle of Myspace.com to help expose our platform to an unprecedented global audience. Our shows provide a visceral and aural backdrop to the legions of dedicated fans. Fortunately, the live experience can never be duplicated or downloaded, but the memories and experiences continue to live digitally on our cameras, mobile phones and Myspace pages. Viral outlets have become our fans’ method of choice when spreading the word on the Hip Hop lifestyle and community. What better way to launch our event than by capturing that audience globally via MySpace.”
In addition, Guerilla Union has announced that SanDisk has renewed its partnership with Rock The Bells to introduce mobile flash memory to their community and SanDisk as a title sponsor to our festival series. “Micro SD technology can help change the music industry,” says Weisberg. “We are proud to work with SanDisk and develop better ways to empower artists and the fans who enjoy their music. Rock The Bells will host SanDisk’s “Wake Up Your Phone” campaign. We are constantly amazed at how flash memory improves the functionality of everyone’s cell phone. Our fans are on top of their “tech game” and we believe that this partnership will improve the live experience in general by incorporating these new technologies into the fan experience. Our festivals are uniquely powered by SanDisk and we thank them for all of their support.”
Guerilla Union’s ROCK THE BELLS 2008 INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL SERIES POWERED BY SANDISK, has established itself as a world-class hip-hop platform by hosting legendary performances by Rage Against the Machine, NAS, A Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy, Lauryn Hill, Blackstar (Talib Kweli and Mos Def), Hieroglyphics, Living Legends, De La Soul, Busta Rhymes, Cypress Hill and Jurassic 5 as well as reuniting Wu-Tang for their last performance with ODB in 2004. In 2007 it was the top-grossing hip-hop event in the country.
ROCK THE BELLS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL SERIES POWERED BY SANDISK DATES:
==TOUR DATES==
Sat 7/19 Chicago, IL
Sun 7/20 Toronto, ON
Sat 7/26 Boston, MA
Sun 7/27 New York, NY
Sat 8/2 Miami, FL
Sun 8/3 Philadelphia, PA
Sat 8/9 Los Angeles, CA
Sat 8/16 San Francisco, CA
Sat 8/23 Denver, CO
Sat 8/30 Vancouver, BC
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