Hip-Hop Summit forms network

(Launch) - Key participants in the recent Hip-Hop Summit have joined to create an organization, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network, that will be headquartered in the New York offices of The Source magazine, with field offices in Washington, D.C. and Los Angeles. Minister Benjamin (Chavis) Muhammad will serve as the executive director of HHSAN, which will include a board comprising Muhammad, Russell Simmons, the Reverend Al Sharpton, Sean "P. Diddy" Combs, The Source publisher Dave Mays, Def Jam president Kevin Liles, Motown president Kedar Massenburg, Loud Records CEO Steve Rifkind and Interscope-Geffen-A&M executive vice president Steve Stoute. Additionally, the HHSAN has formed the Nu America Political Action Committee, which will serve to promote the hip-hop community's political power. This fall, the HHSAN is also scheduled to participate in the Congressional Black Caucus, which will host a panel discussion "Hip-Hop and Political Empowerment" on Sept. 27.