PlayStation®2 Supports the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network to Encourage America's Youth to Vote

In an effort to empower young voters to participate in the 2004 election, PlayStation®2 has joined forces with Russell Simmons and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network (HSAN) in a non-profit, non-partisan voter initiative. The last presidential election in 2000 only brought 36 percent of Americans ages 18-24 to the polls, according to census figures. With a PlayStation 2 in one out of every four U.S. households and as an entertainment leader for America's youth, Sony Computer Entertainment America will provide support for this outreach program and help HSAN encourage more youth voters to go to the polls this November. Through the credibility of today's hottest hip-hop artists, entertainment industry leaders and education advocates aimed at involving the hip-hop generation in issues such as voter education, youth leadership and economic advancement, the local Summits have already registered over a half million young people.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020701/SFM066LOGO )

"We are thrilled to partner with Russell Simmons and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network in an effort to reach out to our audience and emphasize the importance of exercising the right to vote," said Andrew House, executive vice president, Sony Computer Entertainment America. "With the accelerated fusion of hip-hop and interactive entertainment this is a natural marriage for us, and the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network presents a unique opportunity to connect with our core demographic base through this outstanding youth empowerment program."

"Our national voter registration drive is in full force, registering from 20,000 to 80,000 individuals per stop," emphasized HSAN Chairman Russell Simmons. "With the partnership of PlayStation 2, the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network will be able to reach even further into the community to educate young people on how to get their individual voices heard by empowering them to vote in this year's election."

Each local Summit includes a special guest panel of celebrities, hip-hop artists, local politicians and community leaders who hold open panel discussions on voter education, youth empowerment and community involvement. Celebrity panelists have included anyone from Eminem to Beyonce to LL Cool J.

For each stop, a private PlayStation 2-branded jet will transport talent to and from the Summit. PlayStation 2 will also feature recently released game titles for guests to play, including Rise to Honor™, MLB™ 2005, Jak II™, and many more. On-site activation includes opportunities for attendees to win PlayStation 2 consoles, accessories and games.

The Summits will continue throughout the summer touching down in New Orleans on June 17; Boston on July 26; and St. Louis on August 21. The program also includes two additional markets, Detroit and Columbus, Ohio, which ran May 22 and June 3 respectively.

About Hip-Hop Summit Action Network

HSAN is a non-profit, non-partisan national coalition of artists, entertainment industry leaders, education advocates, civil rights proponents and youth leaders united in the belief that the "hip-hop" phenomena is an enormously influential agent for social change which must be responsibly and pro-actively utilized to fight the war on poverty and injustice.

  For more information go to http://www.hsan.org/.

  About Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. continues to redefine the entertainment lifestyle with its PlayStation® and PS one™ game console, and the PlayStation®2 computer entertainment system. The PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system is set to revolutionize the home entertainment market, offering the most compelling interactive content and the capability to be used as a network terminal in the coming broadband era.

Recognized as the undisputed industry leader, Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. markets the PlayStation family of products and develops, publishes, markets and distributes software for the PS one game console and the PlayStation 2 computer entertainment system for the North American market. Based in Foster City, Calif. Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc. serves as headquarters for all North American operations and is a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.

Visit us on the Web at http://www.us.playstation.com/

Photo: NewsCom: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20020701/SFM066LOGO
AP Archive: http://photoarchive.ap.org/
PRN Photo Desk, 888-776-6555 or 212-782-2840

SOURCE: Sony Computer Entertainment America Inc.

CONTACT: Katie Cray, +1-310-205-8395, or kcray@bncpr.com, or Meredith
Cammaker, +1-917-305-8055, or mcammaker@bncpr.com, both of Bragman Nyman
Cafarelli, for Sony

Web site: http://www.hsan.org/

Web site: http://www.playstation.com/