12th Annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival to feature .@Nas .@MyFabolouslife .@TalibKweli

The 12th Annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival will take place in the livest borough from July 13 to July 16. Presented by Brooklyn Bodega, Inc. and The Bodega Agency, the four-day festival will incorporate all of the elements of hip-hop, and features headlining performances by Nas, Fabolous, and Talib Kweli. Also taking the stage at "The Big Show" on Saturday, July 16 will be Return of the B-Girl femcee, Rapsody.

The first day of the Festival is filled with panel discussion and lectures on topics such as criminal justice in urban communities and the importance of entrepreneurship. Fittingly, the "Hip-Hop Institute" will take place at Medgar Evers College-- a university named for a civil rights leader assassinated in 1963. Thursday, July 14, is all about cinema. Also at the Women’s Center at Medgar Evers College, the Dummy Clap Film Festival includes screenings of documentaries, short films, and hip-hop classics, with filmmaker master classes available for good measure. “We held our inaugural Hip-Hop Institute event at Medgar [Evers College] last year and loved being there," Festival Executive Director Wes Jackson said in a release. “Thankfully they felt the same and invited us back. Medgar’s commitment to the community is an inspiration and as we expand our educational programming and film offering we wanted to do it with them."

The festivities move to St. Anne's Warehouse (45 Water St, Brooklyn) on July 15 for the "Juice Hip Hop Exhibition." Artists, dancers, producers, DJs, emcees, and sneakerheads will receive the spotlight at a series of events highlighting the elevation of the culture: Sneaker Gallery, Show & Prove Showcase, Art Gallery, Dance Off, Producer Showcase, and Salute The DJ. The following afternoon welcomes live music performances at Brooklyn Bridge Park (Main Stage) and St. Anne's Warehouse (Second Stage). Hosted by DJ and VJ Uncle Ralph McDaniels and Brooklyn emcee Torae, attendees will party to music by Festival house DJ Rob Smith before the New York legends hit the stage for "The Big Show." The Main Stage will be at Brooklyn Bridge Plaza, directly under the Brooklyn Bridge. Visit the nearby Vendor Village on New Dock Street for food, merchandise, and other goods sold by local businesses. "Our programming belongs right here in this world class park," Jackson added.

Tickets for the 12th Annual Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival are available now on the festival's website and on Eventbrite. More information can be found on bkhiphopfestival.com and on Twitter @bkhiphopfest.

 By: Brownie Marie