"Fellowship of Holy Hip Hop Forms Strategic Alliance with Music Resource Group and Opens New Category for Annual Independent Music Awards titled: Best Album: Holy Hip Hop and Best Song: Holy Hip Hop, to be selected by a committee led by: "Kurtis Blow" Walker and Christopher "Play" Martin and key leaders within the Holy Hip Hop and Gospel Community.

June 18, 2008. Atlanta, GA/Montclair, NJ.  Fellowship of Holy Hip Hop announced today that it has formed a strategic alliance with Music Resource Group (MRG): (1) publisher of the leading music industry contact databases the Musician's Atlas (with readership in excess of 250,000)  and the interactive Musician’s AtlasOnline and (2) producer of the global Independent Music Awards - ‘the awards program for the indie revolution’.

As part of the alliance, the Fellowship of Holy Hip Hop will assist the Independent Music Awards with the creation of new IMA categories honoring top Holy Hip Hop Album and Song Winners for the 8th annual IMA program that is now accepting submissions. The IMAs is a unique international program that promotes independent artists and releases to more than 15 million music fans and key industry players via year-long print, online and broadcast promotions, plus distribution and performance opportunities. Winners are determined by A-list artist and industry judges which have included:  Yolanda Adams, Jose Feliciano, Peter Gabriel, Norah Jones, Erykah Badu and George Clinton among others.

Industry leaders in the Holy Hip Hop and Gospel community including  "Kurtis Blow" Walker and Christopher 'Play'  among other key members of the community suggested by the Fellowship of Holy Hip Hop, will join the IMA judging panel to determine the winners in the Holy Hip Hop Song and Album categories for the upcoming 8th annual IMA program.  By adding  Holy Hip Hop categories to its already broad range of music genres,  the IMAs becomes one of the very few mainstream awards programs to honor excellence by artists in this genre (best Rap Gospel was added to the Recording Academy’s Grammy program 2 years ago).

“In the past several years, the IMA program has attracted a growing number of inspirational rap entries,” said Martin Folkman, director of the Independent Music Awards. “With so many great recordings being produced for this burgeoning genre, it is logical that the IMAs would add a category specifically to honor the talented independent artists, record labels and releases in this music category.”

“This timely mainstream decision by the Independent Music Awards to add a category for "Holy Hip Hop" serves to further the growing momentum of the global movement and mission to Take the Gospel to the Streets, uplift, and edify the community for generations to come," said eDDie Velez (da Preachin Puerto Rican), host of Holy Hip Hop Awards and CEO, Fellowship of Holy Hip Hop.

Additionally, for the next 6 months, all members of the Holy Hip Hop and Gospel community will get a special discount for the Musician’s AtlasOnline – full access to all of the system's qualified contact databases and interactive tools – with no activation fees. The Musician's Atlas is an invaluable, comprehensive information resource for any person who is either a member of the global music community whether as an artist or music biz professional; and a powerful tool utilized by the Fellowship of Holy Hip Hop for the past 4 years.

You must subscribe to the Musician’s AtlasOnline before December 2008 to receive this special discount offer. Activate your subscription now by clicking on the following link: Musician's Atlas  (or by copying and pasting the following link into your web-browser: http://www.musiciansatlas.com/holyhiphop.asp  


ABOUT MUSIC RESOURCE GROUP:

Music Resource Group (MRG) creates resources, interactive tools and programs for all members of the independent music community.  With The Musician's Atlas, the best-selling contact/networking directory; the AtlasOnline, an interactive contact & music biz management tool; the Independent Music Awards, a program that delivers real opportunities to indie artists, labels & releases; MRG helps artists, music biz entrepreneurs & other industry professionals to  market & sell music more successfully. The annual print directory, sold throughout North America, Europe, Australia and Japan, will print its 11th edition this year; the continually updated online edition features nearly 40% more listings than the print edition – new listings & updates added daily, plus interactive tools that make music careers more successful and easier to manage.

For more information on Music Resource Group, please visit:

http://www.MusiciansAtlas.com

http://www.IndependentMusicAwards.com

http://www.MySpace.com/musiciansatlas

http://www.myspace.com/theindependentmusicawards
 

About Independent Music Awards:

Unlike any other music industry program, the Independent Music Awards - ‘the awards program for the indie revolution’ - delivers real career opportunities for Indie artists, labels and releases. The IMAs is not a contest. The program helps Indie artists & releases worldwide overcome mainstream obstacles by placing Winners & Finalists in front of more than 15 Million new fans via yearlong promotion, marketing & distribution programs.

Winners of the 8th Annual IMA program will be promoted throughout 2009.

MAJOR RESULTS FOR INDIE RELEASES:

Produced by Music Resource Group, Publisher of The Musician’s Atlas & co-sponsored by online retailers eMusic & PureVolume; music pubs HM, Reax Magazine & Venus Zine, and radio promotion gurus, The Planetary Group; digital networks, ManiaTV & HavocTV; Burnside Distribution; Coalition of Independent Music Stores (CIMS); and radio tracking service, MediaGuide, IMA Winners are promoted to more than 15 Million music fans & key industry players including:

Commercial, Public & College Radio Programmers
Music Journalists
Film, TV & Gaming Music Supervisors
Club & Festival Talent Buyers
Ad Agencies
National & Regional Promoters
Music Fans

The IMAs recognizes excellence in Music, Music Promotion, Packaging and Merch Design. The program's year-long marketing campaigns, partnerships and distribution alliances put IMA Winners and Finalists in front of millions of music fans and industry decision makers around the world.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:
*5,000 copies of the IMA Winners CD compilation are distributed to music fans & industry insiders at international music conferences, festivals, and more.
* The IMA sampler is promoted at 650+ US & Canadian college & public stations by The Planetary Group and routinely places in the Top 1-25 CMJ charts.
* The CD is promoted to more than 2 Million eMusic subscribers.
* The CD is promoted to more than 1.8 Million Pure Volume members.
* The CD is featured on listening stations at all CIMS Independent Music stores throughout the month of July.
* IMA Winners’ releases will be available for sale and featured in a special IMA display at all CIMS stores.
* Select IMA Winners are invited to tape live performances at the ManiaTV studios in Los Angeles for broadcast on the ManiaTV site, the ManiaTV “All Access” indie music channel, the Independent Music Awards site, and on the artists’ own sites.
* Winners will be promoted on WorldSpace digital satellite radio heard by Millions in Africa, Asia, Middle East & Europe.
* Music & Music video category Winners & Finalists are promoted to more than 12 Million on cable & digital broadcast sites including ManiaTV.com & HavocTV.com.
* Winners & Finalists promoted to MySpace, Trig.com & other social networking communities.

IMAs GET RESULTS:

Unlike any other Industry event, the IMAs delivers real support for indie artists & releases.

Winners & Finalists credit the program with boosting their visibility among festival bookers, club talent buyers, radio programmers, distributors, industry insiders and fans.

Past Winners & Finalists include: Sweet Honey in The Rock, Speech, Richard Julian, The Minister John Butler, Lacuna Coil, Koko Taylor, Sugarcult, Chris Whitley, Speech, Eleni Mandel, The Mooney Suzuki , Girlyman, Dan Bern,  Mary Gauthier, The Apples In Stereo, Miko Marks, Madrigaia, Suzanne Ciani, Dave’s True Story, Bitter:Sweet, Melissa McClelland, Kristy Kruger, Rebecca Martin, Katie Viqueira and God Forbid.

Additional winner premium benefits, judges and updates will be announced as details are finalized.

For more information on the Independent Music Awards, go to: http://www.IndependentMusicAwards.com

For more information on the 2009 Holy Hip Hop Awards and the Global Movement to Take the Gospel to the Streets, log on to: http://www.HolyHipHop.com