Urban Magazine Daily News

Multi-talented rapper and actor Ludacris will interview music legend Quincy Jones about his prolific career during the ASCAP “I Create Music” EXPO, it was announced today by ASCAP (the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers). The three-day EXPO will take place at the Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, April 22-24, 2010 in Los Angeles, CA.

Ludacris is the highest-selling Southern hip-hop solo artist of all time, with over 24 million records sold worldwide, as well as an award-winning actor who has forged a successful career spanning the studio, the stage and the screen. He will interview one of music’s greatest living legends, Quincy Jones, about his prolific career as a musician, composer, producer, arranger and conductor and his work with such entertainment giants as Count Basie, Miles Davis, Frank Sinatra, Michael Jackson, Ray Charles, Paul Simon, Aretha Franklin and many others. Ludacris will also explore Jones’s pioneering fusions of pop, soul, hip-hop, jazz, classical and other forms of music across all mediums that have left his indelible mark on American popular music and culture.

Ludacris’s interview with Jones is part of a series of key features at this year’s EXPO, which includes an interview with John Mayer and a conversation with Bill Withers. Also confirmed to participate are Jessi Alexander, Billy Austin, Aureo Baqueiro, Dave Bassett, Derek Bermel, Ken Burgomaster, Andreas Carlsson, Ramin Djawadi, Avner Dorman, Dot Da Genius, Mike Elizondo, Toby Gad, Chuck Harmony, Thaddis “Kuk” Harrell, Chris “Deep” Henderson, Wayland Holyfield, Jason Mraz, Jean-Baptiste, Rob Knox, Jon Lind, Mateo Messina, Gary Nicholson, Linda Perry, Jane’t A. Sewell, Skillz, Alex Shapiro, Kubilay Uner, Loudon Wainwright III, Nate Walka, Doug Wood and Yo Gabba Gabba’s Christian Jacobs and Scott Schultz. They will join a stellar lineup of songwriters and composers already confirmed for the 5th annual music creator conference, including ASCAP President and Chairman Paul Williams, Louis Biancaniello, Kenny Burrell, Desmond Child, Dre & Vidal, Steve Diamond, John Forté, Ashley Gorley, Lukasz “Dr. Luke” Gottwald, Ron Jones, Just Blaze, Bear McCreary, Robert Ellis Orrall, Don Schlitz, Brian Tyler, Sam Watters, Greg Wells, Wendy & Lisa, and Phil Vassar.

For a regularly updated list of panelists, please visit www.ascap.com/expo.