NEW YORK (FinalCall.com)�For two days, June 12-13, the New York Hilton will be the site of a National Hip Hop Summit. Russell Simmons of Rush Communications and Def Jam Records has called together leading artists, record company producers and the NAACP to inspire the hip hop community "to reach for new heights."

The industry movers and shakers will discuss hip hop�s problems, how to fix them and how to clean up the music�s violent image.

The Honorable Minister Louis Farrakhan, leader of the Nation of Islam, will deliver the keynote address. Min. Benjamin Muhammad, special assistant to Min. Farrakhan and national director of the Million Family Movement, will serve as the moderator.

"I am very excited about this summit," Mr. Simmons told The Final Call during a telephone interview from his New York City office. One of the points the hip hop mogul wanted to stress was the importance of NAACP involvement. "The NAACP signing on as a co-sponsor shows the interest in the hip hop industry from the outside world and that is an interesting statement," commented Mr. Simmons.

According to Mr. Simmons, other co-sponsors include Sean Combs of Bad Boy Records, Master P, Dr. Dre, Snoop Dogg, Doug E Fresh, Eve, Queen Latifah, Jazzy Z, Talib Kweli, Scarface, Q-Tip and KRS-ONE.

"We are coming to the National Hip Hop Summit to document our genre in a positive light," KRS-One told The Final Call. "Too many times we see hip hop on trial�this one shooting at that one�some scandal, some gossip, but those are strange, bizarre stories and we want to make that clear," he added.

Mr. Simmons, in a May 16 MTV interview, said, "We�re preparing a list of things of how we plan to police ourselves in terms of how we market the music." Proponents of hip hop culture have complained that the media has criminalized the culture to the detriment of millions of youth worldwide.

"There are people who say that they are concerned about the language used in rap music and in time we will work that out, but right now I am more concerned about ideas. I want these young people to vote�to choose the next president," Mr. Simmons said.

Rap is about society�s downtrodden, insisted Mr. Simmons.

"Rap has done more to breakdown the barriers of racism and there are those who don�t want to see the youth united," he added. "That is why Min. Farrakhan�s address at the summit is important. Min. Farrakhan will inspire the youth of America to a higher level of understanding."

Min. Farrakhan is not new to issues confronting the hip hop community. In 1997, the Minister held a hip hop summit in Chicago, bringing together the East and West Coast factions of the industry. Min. Farrakhan is credited with helping to curb violence that had reached its pinnacle with the shooting deaths of Tupac Shakur in 1996 and Notorious Bigg aka Biggie Smalls in 1997.

"Black youth are very conscious young brothers and sisters and the music/cultural phenomena called hip hop is an evolutionary outgrowth of the struggle for freedom, justice and equality," said Min. Benjamin.

He called the summit a "blessing from God" and predicted that it will have a global impact.

No one can deny hip hop�s worldwide appeal, performers with names like Nasty Boys, Big Doggy Posse, PBS, Da Molly Krew, Kadig and Yaw T perform in the clubs in countries like Senegal, France and Belgium.

"The whole hip hop world will be cheering us on June 12 and 13," KRS-One said. "We won�t hear about it right away�but there will be a chain reaction around the globe�an electric reaction to what we do in New York," he said.

There will be a special June 14 press conference to announce a plan of action, according to summit organizers.