The Hip-Hop Summit commenced in Detroit Saturday (April 26), with tremendous success. The event, which was co-hosted by Eminem and Detroit mayor Kwame Kilpatrick and FM 98 WJLB, drew over 17,000 participants.

"It was so big and much better than the New York Summit," HSAN Chairman Russell Simmons told AllHipHop.com. "Kwame Kilpatrick, half the Congressional Black Caucus, State Senator Council Members, and of course the rappers all came out and showed tremendous support."

Leading rappers and moguls attended the summit, to create an "action agenda" on various issues, including support for public education, community economic development, expanding career opportunities and voter registration.

Dr. Benjamin Chavis, President of the Hiphop Summit Action Network, announced the creation of "Hiphop Team Vote," a national voter registration and education program.

"We are standing stronger and stronger after each Hiphop Summit," Chavis told AllHipHop.com. "Detroit was off the hook. We are going to register 20 million new young voters to make a regime change, right here in America."

The program aims to register four million new voters per year over the next five years, primarily from the 18-30 year old age group, throughout the United States.

Congresswoman Maxine Waters (D-CA) was on hand to make a special presentation and encouraged youth to turn their cultural impact into political power.

Nas and Eminem were both honored for their contributions to youth empowerment. Nas was awarded the National Heroes Award for his song and video, "I Can."

"We just stay brave and take on the enemies as they come, whoever they be, George Bush down to whoever," Nas said. "They've been trying to snuff out young black men since the beginning of time. It ain't gonna happen no more. So I'm standing up and speaking out and I'm participating with all the real brothers, like Eminem, that's speaking out and speaking their minds. Don't matter what color you are, as long as you real with it from the heart. That's why I'm still here."

Eminem was given the National Outstanding Achievement Award for his charitable work and support of youth in Detroit and in other cities.

"I remember 7, 8 years ago, when Detroit was growing, it was like a seed that was growing and all I ever heard and all anybody was talking about was wanting to be the first person to blow up Detroit and the first person to get on and the first person to do this and the first person to do that. Everybody was just fighting for Detroit to have a voice," Eminem added.

"Once I got on, I realized it wasn't about that. I knew there was so much talent in Detroit, period. There's probably 10,000 MCs in Detroit that have it in their heart to just do hip hop and just be something and they have that drive. What I'm trying to do is bring the industries here, bring the record labels here and make them realize there's talent in Detroit, and to start looking.

"The Detroit Hiphop Summit's four events put more than 17,000 hip-hop supporters in action to take the transformation of America to the next level," Chavis concluded
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9th Wonder, Big Pooh, and Phonte, aka Little Brother, have made some major noise in 2003. Their debut, “The Listening,” has received nothing but critical acclaim. Even the indie-hating Source showed love with 4 mics.

North Carolina’s finest has teamed up with fellow hip-hop sensations Blackalicious and newcomers Floetry for some tour dates. Unfortunately, Little Brother is only working some select shows.

April 28th - Philadelphia, PA TLA (334 South Street) - with Blackalicious
April 29th - New York, NY - SOB's (406 Varick Street) - with Blackalicious
April 30th - New York, NY - SOB's (406 Varick Street) - headlining show
May 1st - Washington, D.C. - 9:30 Club (815 V Street) - with Floetry & Blackalicious

"I'm so friggin' jealous of Little Brother. Hip Hop the way I love it -- tight beats, on point lyrics? What!!! I made 4,887,234 people listen to 'Whatever You Say' at gunpoint, and I don't even own a gun!" - ?uestlove of The Roots
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While most acts go on the road in support of new albums, several Def Jam Records artists will launch a tour next month behind the release of a new video game. Hosted by Method Man, the Def Jam Vendetta tour will encompass concert performances by Capone-N-Noreaga (CNN), Keith Murray, and Joe Budden, as well as a gaming contest where players will go head-to-head on the recently released "Def Jam Vendetta" video game.

The tour will kick off May 10 in Milwaukee and visit more than 20 cities through early June. In each market, Murray, CNN, and Budden, as well as Murder Inc. / Def Jam artist Caddillac Tah will give away tickets, VIP passes, and game challenge entries via a local radio station. "Def Jam Vendetta" Challenge matches will be held in the afternoons at Gamestop retail stores, with the concert to follow in area nightclubs.

Electronic Arts "Def Jam Vendetta" pits likenesses of a host of the label's artists, including DMX, Ghostface Killah, Redman, and Ludacris, against one another in the ring. There are more than 45 characters to choose from, each with signature moves, who fight through a series of underground hip-hop clubs as they work up to a fight with kingpin D-Mob. The game is available for Playstation 2 and Nintendo GameCube.

Along with the game, some of the artists on the tour also have new music to support or preview on the tour. Mixtape regular Budden is enjoying the success of his single "Pump It Up," which is No. 12 on Billboard's Hot Rap Tracks chart and No. 66 on the Hot 100. Murray's "He's Keith Murray," his first album in five years and Def Jam debut, was originally due for release Tuesday (April 29) but has been bumped to July 15.

As N.O.R.E., Noreaga last year released his solo debut "God's Favorite," which debuted at No. 3 on Billboard's Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart and The Billboard 200. Capone is due to release his solo Def Jam debut later this year

Here are the Def Jam Vendetta tour dates:

May 10: Milwaukee (Rave)
May 11: Chicago (House of Blues)
May 12: Pittsburgh (Laga)
May 13: Columbus, Ohio (Brick Yard)
May 14: Cleveland (Peabody's)
May 15: Philadelphia (Chrome)
May 16: Baltimore (Hammerjacks)
May 18: Washington, D.C. (VIP)
May 20: Atlanta (Vision)
May 21: Orlando, Fla. (Tabu)
May 22: Tampa, Fla. (XS)
May 24: Miami (TBA)
May 27: Los Angeles (House of Blues)
May 28: Anaheim, Calif. (House of Blues)
May 29: San Francisco (Fillmore)
May 30: Portland, Ore. (Roseland)
June 1: San Diego (4th & B)
June 2: Phoenix (Cajun House)
June 5: Norfolk, Va. (Boathouse)
June 6: Raleigh, N.C. (TBA)
June 7: Columbia, S.C. (TBA)