In the context of Three 6 Mafia’s relatively vulgar lyrics, a benefit concert appearance may seem somewhat incongruous. On Monday, Nov. 17, however, the Academy-Award winning band will perform at Hip-Hop for Hope, an Alpha Epsilon Pi-organized philanthropic concert at Ackerman Grand Ballroom. The event aims to raise money for breast cancer research.
“We were looking for creative ways to give back to the community,” said Jeffrey Kopstein, third-year biology student and special events coordinator for AEPi, “and (we) realized that UCLA provides the perfect opportunity to bring premiere entertainment to college students for philanthropy.”
In their effort to simultaneously entertain the students of UCLA and benefit the community, the brothers of AEPi worked tireless hours to organize the event. Planning for the event began late last year. Due to the dedication of Kopstein, third-year political science student and fellow special events coordinator Ayal Bainvoll, and fraternity president and fourth-year history student Max Rosenberg, this will be the inaugural Hip-Hop for Hope concert. If everything goes according to plan, Monday’s event will be the first of many philanthropic concerts presented by the fraternity.
From meeting with artists, sponsors and charities, to selling tickets and advertising throughout the UCLA community, the AEPi brotherhood went above and beyond the steps necessary to make the concert happen. To promote the concert, AEPi has been selling custom Hip-Hop for Hope T-shirts, the proceeds of which are donated directly to aid the fight against breast cancer through Susan G. Komen for the Cure. Proceeds from ticket sales ““ each costs $30 for students at CTO ““ will also directly benefit the organization.
“I’m really proud of all the hard work the brothers put in to make thisconcert come together,” Kopstein said. “Without everyone’s help it would have been impossible.”
The concert will open with a performance by California rapper Keen Joseph, who will showcase his fusion of hip-hop and rap and his hard-hitting, deeply personal lyrics. Then a surprise guest will take the stage, entertaining the crowd before the main event.
Hailing from Memphis, Tenn., the rap group Three 6 Mafia will headline. Led by Juicy J and DJ Paul, Three 6 Mafia showcases the talents of numerous Southern hip-hop artists. After releasing their debut album, “Smoked Out, Loced Out” in 1994, which featured lyrics about rape, murder and drugs, the band has adopted a more mainstream, arguably more agreeable sound.
The group earned national recognition and acclaim, not to mention an Academy Award for Best Original Song, for their track “It’s Hard Out Here for a Pimp,” which was featured in the movie “Hustle and Flow.” Several albums, a few tours and an appearance on “My Super Sweet Sixteen” since then, their popularity has only grown.
This summer’s ubiquitous “Lolli Lolli (Pop That Body)” from the group’s latest release “Last 2 Walk” has reached No. 18 on the Billboard Hot 100, receiving significant commercial success. The group is scheduled to perform both songs at the benefit concert, along with a variety of other danceable tracks from their previous albums.
Although the concert at Ackerman likely won’t end in fights and arrests like previous Three 6 Mafia concerts, Juicy J and DJ Paul plan to engage the crowd in other ways. The duo has been known to involve the audience and incorporate them into their shows.
During previous concerts, the band members have invited fans to come dance onstage with them. And if the artists keep up to their usual stage antics, Juicy J and DJ Paul will have the audience dancing throughout the duration of the concert.
Proceeds for the concert will go to Susan G. Komen for the Cure, the largest breast cancer charity in the United States.
For over 25 years the Susan G. Komen for the Cure has raised both awareness and money for breast cancer research, providing support for survivors in the process. It is the world’s largest network of breast cancer survivors and activists.
In their efforts to educate women about breast cancer, the organization has prepared a brief presentation to be given at the concert, reminding fans and supporters of the true reason for the event.
“Not only does breast cancer affect the lives of millions of college students nationwide, but members of our fraternity have been personally affected by this disease,” said Kopstein. “In the past few years, brothers of our fraternity have lost immediate family members to this horrible disease.”
While the first Hip-Hop for Hope benefit concert promises to be an enjoyable show for fans of Three 6 Mafia, it also marks yet another step forward in the fight against breast cancer.