How To Succeed in Hip-Hop

Many Kansas City hip-hop artists need to keep their day jobs. But they should all ask to be off from 3 to 5 p.m. today, when some pioneering locals hold an urban-music-oriented networking and info-sharing event called, simply, the KC Music Forum. Co-founder Jaz Brewer, engineer and owner of 64111 Studio (one of the area’s leading hip-hop factories), along with fellow leaders Trap Muzik and DJ Jamel Rockwell, hope to put on a series of such events to provide the city’s unheralded hustlers with better tools to compete in the game and more knowledge of the business side. For today’s happening, which is at the New Southeast Community Center (4201 East 63rd Street, 816-513-0632), they’ve enlisted a committee that includes Kenny Diamondz of KPRS (Hot 103 Jamz), Necia Gamby of HipHopKC.com, Keewuan G. of Van Brunt Entertainment, DJs Shad and Soul M.U.T.T., and artists James Christos and Money Graphics. Each will lead breakout sessions to focus on topics such as local radio, navigating the club-DJ scene and playing live. The event is free and open to artists of all ages. Bring a pen, notepad and hella respect.

Sat., Jan. 23, 3-5 p.m., 2010