The ROOTS Jam on With ROCK THE VOTE

The ROOTS Jam on With ROCK THE VOTE

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 18 /PRNewswire/ -- This year's 5th annual Roots Jam Session proved to be the best escape from traditional industry parties. The 4-hour jam packed out Sunset Boulevard's famous Key Club with the backbone of the industry -- managers, publicists, agents, celebrities and the evening's centerpiece, the Grammy Award winning band, THE ROOTS. The annual experience, occurring each year the night before the Grammys, teamed up with ROCK THE VOTE as they celebrated their 18th anniversary and an individual's right to choose -- all with a theme displayed large on a Sunset Blvd billboard hanging above the venue: Let your VERSE be heard ... Let your VOICE be heard ... Let your VOTE be heard ... Let your ROOTS be heard.

Since January, young people flooded the polls, proving they are the driving force behind the 2008 Presidential election and this night was evidence -- many spent the evening in debate over the present political scene while all spent the evening indulging in their passion for music versus competing for celebrity. The Jam Session was highlighted with a knockout drum off between ?uestlove and Travis Barker, The Roots and Fall Out Boy's Patrick Stump's version of "Walking on the Moon", and impromptu performances from Seal, Corrine Bailey Rae, Raheem DeVaughn, Eric Balfour's Born as Ghosts, as well as a Doug E. Fresh and American Idol's Blake Lewis' beatbox session underneath MC Lyte.

High-profile attendants including his Highness Prince, Missy Elliot, Raven-Symone, Fall Out Boy, Gym Class Heroes, Bilal, Jurnee Smollett, Nia Long, Solange Knowles, Ryan Phillipe, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Goapele, Sanaa Lathan, Will.I.Am and Brian Michael Cox, among many others -- were all seen partying the night away until 4am.

Besides the amazing pairings of musical genius which this night has become known for -- this year's social action cause and presenting partner, Rock the Vote integrated into the night with touch screens (http://www.runtriz.com/) displayed throughout the venue, allowing attendants to not only register to vote, but also voice their opinions on the issues that are most important to them (environment was number one, followed closely by the economy and then education), as well as celebrate the history of both Rock the Vote and the Roots with an interactive timeline. The entire night was once again produced by Tina Farris of Goodtime Girl Entertainment and Kevin Seldon of Keldof (http://www.keldof.com/). Title partners also included Zazzle and Wrigley's Doublemint.

For 18 years, Rock the Vote has fused celebrity and politics in an effort to inspire, engage and mobilize a generation to action. Rock the Vote gives young people the tools to identify, learn about, and take action on the issues that affect their lives and leverage their power in the political process. Rock the Vote is creative, effective, and controlled by nobody's agenda but their own -- they tell it like it is and pride themselves on being a trusted source for information on politics.

The Roots are: Ahmir "?uestlove" Thompson (drums), Tarik "Black Thought" Trotter (emcee), Kamal Gray (keyboards), Kirk "Captain Kirk" Douglas (guitar), Owen Biddle (bass), Frank Knuckles (percussion) and introducing on sousaphone -- Damon "Tuba Gooding" Bryson.

Jamara Walker
Director of Operations
AR PR Marketing
(213) 253-0550 - Work
(213) 253-0580 - Fax

First Call Analyst:
FCMN Contact:

Source: Keldof

CONTACT: Jamara Walker, Director of Operations of AR PR Marketing,
+1-213-253-0550, Fax, +1-213-253-0580, for Keldof

Web site:

http://www.keldof.com/
http://www.rootsjamsession.com/
http://www.rockthevote.com/

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