Simmons made the announcement at the Sheraton New York Hotel & Towers with Hilary Rosen, president of the Recording Industry Association of America; Tom Freston, CEO of MTV Networks; Danny Goldberg, chairman of Artemis Records; recording artists Jay Z, Mary J. Blige, Mos Def and Kofi; and urban community leaders including Martin Luther King III, the Rev. Al Sharpton and former New York mayor David Dinkins.

Rap the Vote 2000’s mission is “to mount an aggressive, artist-driven campaign targeting a hip-hop audience,” using concerts and public service announcements to get its message out, according to a press release issued by 360hip-hop.com. “They (PSAs) will focus on pressing issues facing urban youth today – particularly racial profiling and police brutality – while promoting the importance of voting to seek solutions to these problems.”

Hilary Rosen said in an RIAA release, “I’ve seen first hand the tangible benefits and the direct impact a movement like this can have on an election and on a new generation of voters.”

The RIAA and Time-Warner are assisting the organization with funding.

Perhaps underscoring the political nature of the organization, even the kickoff press conference was mired in controversy. The event, originally announced as taking place at Manhattan’s City Hall Park, was abruptly moved to the Sheraton. Event organizers issued a press release accusing New York mayor Rudolph Giuliani’s office of canceling a permit for the event at 5:30 p.m. May 30, the day before the planned noon conference.

A spokesperson for Giuliani’s office declined comment to Pollstar. A 360hip-hop.com spokesperson told Pollstar the organizers stand behind their statement.

However, a New York City Parks Department spokesperson told Pollstar that no permit had ever been issued, because it was decided that the press conference promoted a “commercial enterprise” and was subject to city fees.

“Yesterday (May 30), late in the morning, a proposal was sent to us to allow what we first believed was a simple press conference in City Hall Park. As the day progressed, it became clear it was a commercial endeavor. Any commercial endeavor requires a fee.

“Instead they (Rap The Vote 2000) refused to negotiate a fee and took (the press conference) to another location,” the spokesperson said.

Of the joint sponsors of the project, Rock the Vote is a non-profit 501(c)(3) that was founded in 1990 by members of the recording industry in response to a wave of political attacks on freedom of speech and artistic expression, according to the group’s Web site. Active Elements Foundation raises funds to support youth activism. Simmons’ 360hip-hop.com will be the official Internet home of the Rap The Vote 2000 campaign.

It was 360hip-hop.com’s involvement that evidently drew the attention of New York City officials.

“It’s Def Jam; it’s Russell Simmons,” the parks spokesperson told Pollstar. “Look at Def Jam or Phat Farm (Web sites); they sell merchandise, clothes, records, all kinds of stuff on those sites. It’s commercial. A lot of companies try to sneak commercial ventures in under somebody’s 501(c)(3). Companies do that all the time.”

The 360hip-hop.com Web site launches in June.