Hudson youth-advocacy organization Beautiful Racket will make some joyful noise at the city’s Waterfront Park on July 29 when it holds its second annual summer fundraising festival, which this year doubles as a celebration of the 50th anniversary of hip-hop.
“Born out of the need for accessible creative programming for the youth of Hudson,” Beautiful Racket is, as its mission statement explains, “committed to eliminating barriers that have historically prevented Black and Brown people from accessing the power of self-expression, by creating a safe and empowering environment rooted in: representation in leadership and instruction; tuition-free programming for students; and competitive wages that honor the true skills of the instructors.”
This year’s event promises performances from rapper and producer J-Live, bassist Zwelakhe-Duma Bell le Pere and band, Eddies Award-winning DJ Intell Hayesfield, and Hudson High School’s Kenold Dorce and his “hip-hopera.”
The festival serves as a fundraising event to help finance Beautiful Racket’s fall and winter lessons, programs, shows, and other activities that include the Beautiful Racket Winter Concert at Hudson’s yearly Winter Walk extravaganza. Along with the music, the festvial will include food and drinks from Half Moon Pizza, Alima’s Kitchen, Shakesphere’s, Whatsreallygood, and Upstate’s Cold Brew, as well as a retrospective celebrating hip-hop fashion curated by EU Tailoring, a community arts info table, vendors, and more.
“As a hip-hop artist myself, Beautiful Racket has continually looked to this artform for inspiration on how creative expression can help heal and uplift communities of Black Americans, especially among their youth,” explains Beautiful Racket’s founder and NYSCA Folk Artist Apprenticeship Grant recipient Anneice Cousin. “So as a homage to all that hip-hop has done for me, Beautiful Racket, and the Hudson community, I wanted the theme of this year’s festival to be a celebration of this culture the best way I know how, with music!”
The Beautiful Racket Summer Festival will take place on July 29 at 4pm at Waterfront Park in Hudson. Admission is free.
This article appears in July 2023.
