*The 2007 Soul-Patrol Convention, celebrating black music, culture and history, will take place beginning May 25 at two Philadelphia locations: Clark Park (43rd and Baltimore) and Enterprise Center (46th and Market). All of the events are free, with the exception of the Black Music Cabaret, and all are welcome to attend the “Great Black Music from the Ancient to the Future.”
*The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival, which will take place June 7, 13, 21, 22 and 23 in various locations, has announced rapper Ghostface as its 2007 headliner. The legendary Wu Tang MC will perform on the event’s final day, June 23. The first two festival dates will take place at the PowerHouse Arena in DUMBO while the last three will be held at Empire Fulton Ferry State Park. For more info, including ticketing, visit www.brooklynbodega.com.
*Former Utah Jazz player John Amaechi is returning to Salt Lake City to serve as Grand Marshall for the 2007 United For Equality, Utah Pride Festival, June 1-3. Amaechi, who played for the Utah Jazz from 2001 to 2003, is the first member of the NBA to openly identify himself as gay. "I am honored to return to Salt Lake City and be the Grand Marshall for the Utah Pride Festival," Amaechi said. "Events like the Utah Pride Festival are important to unite the community and celebrate those individuals who work tirelessly to promote acceptance and equality for all people in the GLBT community regardless of age, race, ethnicity, gender or sexual orientation." Other celebrities joining Amaechi over the course of the event include Sheena Easton (June 1) and En Vogue (June 2). For tickets or more information, visit the Utah Pride Web site (www.utahpride.org).
*Former “American Idol” finalist Kimberley Locke will perform and sign copies of her new CD, “Based on a True Story,” on May 1 at Borders bookstore in Hollywood (1501 Vine Street, at corner of Sunset). Locke’s sophomore album on Curb Records features the first single “Change,” currently at No. 11 on the Hot Adult Contemporary Tracks chart and No. 12 on the Hot Dance Club Play chart. The Borders event begins at 7:30 p.m.
*Jacmel, Haiti’s cultural center, will host its first international music festival, Festival Mizik Jakmel from May 25-27 with headliners Stephen and Damian “Junior Gong” Marley. The event will also include more than 24 bands and musicians from around the globe. The drummers of Haiti will also be uniting at the festival in an attempt to break the Guinness World Record for the largest drumming ensemble, last set in India 2006 with 7,951 people continuously drumming for five minutes. It is estimated that over 10,000 will participate.