Thug Life Army

"Detroit is one of the strongest hubs of hip-hop in the nation," declared Dr. Chavis. "Under the leadership of Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick Detroit is not only on the rebound, it is on the rebuild. We are rebuilding communities, families and key to this rebuilding is financial empowerment."

On Saturday, April 14, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network returns to Detroit for its national "Get Your Money Right" tour on financial empowerment.

The "Get Your Money Right" tour will convene at Max M. Fisher Music Center, located at 3711 Woodward Avenue in Detroit. The program takes place from 1:30-4 p.m. Doors open at Noon. Tickets for the Detroit Summit on Financial Empowerment are free and available at http://www.hsan.org.

The title sponsor and partner of the tour is Chrysler Financial and the presenting sponsor is Anheuser-Busch, Inc. The Hip-Hop Summit on Financial Empowerment's "Get Your Money Right" National Tour, now in its third successful year, brings together the powerful combination of hip-hop stars and Chrysler Financial experts to speak to students and community members about the importance of financial literacy.

Joining Co-Chairmen Russell Simmons and Dr. Benjamin Chavis in Detroit will be hip hop and rap notables Layzie Bone and Krayzie Bone of Bone Thugs-n- Harmony, Mike Jones, Remy Ma, Raz-B, Belly, Trick Trick and Congresswoman Carolyn Kilpatrick (D-MI). Beautiful Hip-Hop television personality and artist, Free, will co-moderate the Summit with Dr. Chavis.

The Hip-Hop Summit on Financial Empowerment is a grassroots effort to help engage young people in discussions about the importance of personal finance. The "Get Your Money Right" agenda features an interactive panel discussion on financial literacy, including such topics as the basics of banking, repairing and understanding credit scores, asset and wealth management, vehicle financing and home ownership. The tour will utilize the "Get Your Money Right" workbook, produced and distributed by HSAN in both English and Spanish and given to all participants. The workbook is free and is also downloadable at http://www.hsan.org.

"One of the most urgent issues facing young adults today is the issue of having a firm financial foundation," emphasized Russell Simmons. "Hip-hop is about transformation. The theme ''Get Your Money Right,'' is not some rhetorical gesture. This is a real issue and we are talking about providing real solutions that attendees at the Hip-Hop Summit can use for the rest of their lives."

"Although April is Financial Literacy month -- we plan on delivering powerful financial empowerment messages to young people across the country throughout the year," said William F. Jones Jr., Vice President – Chrysler Financial. "At the Summit our employee volunteers will discuss the topics of personal finance, credit and vehicle financing and we will continue delivering those messages during Money Smart Week programming April 20-29 in the City of Detroit and April 30-May 2 in Chicago."

"The opportunity to live productively begins with a plan that mandates personal financial responsibility," said Johnny Furr, Vice President of Urban Marketing and Community Affairs for Anheuser-Busch, Inc. "We consider it a real benefit to support HSAN's mission to provide young people with the tools, knowledge and inspiration they need to begin creating the futures they want tomorrow, today."

Community partners for the Summit include the Detroit Urban League, Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation, Detroit Community Initiative and the Heidelberg Project.

"Detroit is one of the strongest hubs of hip-hop in the nation," declared Dr. Chavis. "Under the leadership of Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick,

Detroit is not only on the rebound, it is on the rebuild. We are rebuilding communities, families and key to this rebuilding is financial empowerment."

The 2007 "Get Your Money Right" tour will make five more stops including Toronto, Ontario in August 18; Greensboro, N.C., September 8; Washington, D.C., September 29; Miami, Fla., October 20; and Atlanta, Ga., November 3.

For more information visit http://www.hsan.org