Applauding the profanity-free, family oriented nature of the Hip Hop Anniversary Tour the NAACP’s (National Association for the Advancement of Colored People) Interim President & CEO Dennis Courtland Hayes says "The pioneers of this global art form are to be commended for setting the proper tone as they set out to play to adoring crowds around the world." "As their fame, popularity and string of awards demonstrate, you can be creative and sell without degrading women, being profane, violent, racist or sexist. We hope that more contemporary artists are paying attention."

The anniversary tour showcases legendary hip hop and rap artists and enormous talents that created the hip hop and rap music genre in the USA starting in May. In the last 30 years, hip hop and rap has increasingly become a cultural phenomenon and its influence dominates as America's latest offering of pop culture to the world. The Tour is sponsored by Visit Florida (http://visitflorida.com) and aims to present 3 hours of non-stop Hip Hop without profanity. In fact, they are urging the whole city to not use profanity for a whole day. A No Profanity Day.

"The music from the past was fun," hip hop and rap industry legend Kurtis Blow said in announcing the series of U.S. and European shows in Washington, D.C. with fellow hip hop and rap icons:

* Grand Master Mele Mel

* Grand Wizard Theodore

* The Force MDs

* Big Daddy Kane - for selected shows

* Whodini - for selected shows

* KRS One - for selected shows

* Dana Dane

* Afrika Bambaataa and The Soul Sonic Force - for selected shows

* The Air Force Crew (BBoys)

* Rob Base - for selected shows

Kurtis Blow added "The tour brings those beats and good feelings back with three hours of Hip Hop with no profanity and within the bounds of universal acceptance."

Last year Kurtis Blow, former ''gangsta'' rapper Master P, his son Romeo, other entertainers and media corporations, signed on to the NAACP's STOP Campaign. Kurtis, now a minister, also participated in the NAACP's symbolic burial of the N-word at its annual convention in Detroit.

KRS One says this is a challenge for any real MC - one day of no violence, no crime, no murder, no hate and no profanity.

The STOP Campaign -- an initiative of the NAACP Youth & College Division -- seeks to end the prevalence of racist, sexist language, images and concepts in the media by holding the industry responsible and by calling for a shift in personal behavior. The targets of the STOP Campaign are the record and television industries, recording artists and the African American community. More information about the STOP Campaign can be found at: www.naacp.org

The No Profanity Tour embarks on a mission: A National Holiday - No Profanity Day!

MAY

10 Pensacola, FL

11 Talahassee, FL

14 Greenville, SC*

15 Columbia, SC*

16 Raleigh/Durham, NC

17 Richmond, VA

18 Washington, DC

21 Rochester/Buffalo, NY*

22 Newark, NJ

23 New York, NY

24 Hartford, CT

25 Philadelphia, PA

28 Cleveland, OH

29 Indianapolis, IN*

30 Chicago, IL*

31 St Louis, MO*

JUNE

1 Kansas City, MO*

4 Dallas, TX*

5 Houston, TX

6 Austin, TX

7 San Antonio, TX*

8 El Paso, TX*

12 Phoenix, AZ

13 San Diego, CA*

14 Los Angeles, CA*

15 Bakersfield, CA*

18 Las Vegas, NV

19 Fresno, CA*

20 Sacramento, CA*

21 San Jose, CA*

22 San Francisco, CA*

26 Portland, OR

27 Seattle, WA*

28 Anchorage, AK

Learn more about the tour online at: www.hiphopanniversary.com

ABOUT THE NAACP

Founded in 1909, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People is the nation's oldest and largest civil rights organization. Its more than half-million adult and youth members throughout the United States and the world are the premier advocates for civil rights in their communities and monitors of equal opportunity in the public and private sectors.