Macy Gray, Mary J. Blige, Erykah Badu and Kelly Price have been tapped to perform at the Million Family March on Oct. 16 in Washington, D.C. Minister Louis Farrakhan is organizing the march to take place on the fifth anniversary of the original Million Man March.

360HipHop founder Russell Simmons has also been involved in the planning of the March. Simmons and his wife Kimora Lee will help head an entertainment committee for the March along with Sean "Puffy" Combs, Whitney Houston and Bobby Brown, Will Smith and Jada Pinkett-Smith, and Haqq Islam and Chris Tucker. The Committee has put together a list of performers who have offered commitments to supporting and attending the march including the aforementioned performers along with Ice Cube, DMX, Eve, Snoop Dogg, Warren G, the Wu-Tang Clan , D'Angelo, Jay-Z , Joe, Common , Jam Master Jay and others.

In addition to the artists, Simmons has support pledged from industry reps from Motown Records, Bad Boy Entertainment, J Records, Spike Lee's 40 Acres and a Mule, Def Jam Records and Magic Johnson Enterprises.

"I believe this march will have a dramatic effect on race relations," Simmons said in a statement. "It's a march about the human family, rising above color and religion, symbols and creed."

For more information about the Million Family March go to www.millionfamilymarch.com.

ANDREW DANSBY
(September 22, 2000)