New York, NY (Top40 Charts/ K&K PR/ Def Jam Interactive) -
Kevin Liles, President and CEO of KWL/ Def Jam Enterprises received the Medaille de la Ville de Paris, the highest honor an individual can receive for their contributions to Parisian culture. Liles was recognized for his role in helping to globalize the cultural phenomenon of hip hop to Paris. He joins the ranks of past winners that include fashion designers
Valentino and Gianni Versace, actress Jane Fonda, and Nobel Prize winning scientist
Linus Pauling. Liles was presented the Medaille de la Ville de Paris by
Christophe Girard, Paris' Vice Mayor, at an intimate ceremony at City Hall. In addition to the extraordinary distinction associated with the award, Liles is now an honorary Parisian citizen. He is the first of the award's many prestigious winners to have been chosen specifically for his influence on hip hop culture in Paris.
"Kevin Liles represents for me hope and talent, energy and commitment. He never gave up his battle for hip hop and today hip hop is a fully recognized art," said Christophe Gerard, Vice-Mayor of Paris. "He is an example for the new generations and now he is my friend and a friend of Paris."
"I am profoundly honored to receive the Medaille de la Ville de Paris, especially for my role in helping to make hip hop a mainstream art form globally," said Liles. "Spreading the message of hip hop and what it can mean to anyone has long been a personal passion of mine. To be given such a special honor in one of the world's best cities for just that purpose is genuinely overwhelming."
Kevin Liles is an entrepreneur and former president of Def Jam Recordings. He was the executive vice president of the Island Def Jam Music Group from 1999 to 2004. He served as executive vice president for Warner Music Group before stepping down to pursue entrepreneurial endeavors in September 2009, founding his own company, KWL Enterprises.
Liles recently orchestrated a new partnership with 4mm games, launched by former Rockstar Games founders Jamie King and Gary Foreman. 4mm's first release, the highly anticipated Def Jam Rapstar is scheduled for October 5, 2010. Liles also hosted a VIP event at Palais de Tokyo in the heart of Paris to jumpstart European excitement for the upcoming videogame release of Def Jam Rapstar. Local celebrities, athletes, hip hop tastemakers and socialites alike attended to get a sneak peak of the game, the first music console game to allow players to rap along with the hottest hits from the history of hip hop music.
Liles received the award during his visit where he served as Honorary President of Paris Hip Hop 2010, appointed by CEO of Generations FM (https://generationsfm.com), and Founder and President of Paris Hip Hop, Bruno LaForestrie, and Generations FM Vice Chairman, Francois LaForestrie.
Paris Hip Hop 2010 marked the fifth year of the cultural celebration and took place from June 22nd through July 4th. Over 50,000 fans attended 10 different venues in Paris, including the Centquatre, the Zenith and the Elysee Montmartre, to celebrate this versatile culture through dance, painting and photography. Highlights of the festival included the Nas and Damian Marley concert at the Zenith, French artist Roce at the Point Ephemere as well as a DJ Day that featured 9th Wonder.
While in Paris, Liles also attended a prestigious panel discussion about hip hop and its evolution both in Paris and around the world. United States Ambassador to France, Charles Rivkin, hosted the discussion and was joined by the President of La Villette among other intellectual and cultural luminaries.
