Russell Simmons is expecting "the biggest hip-hop gathering ever" to take place this summer in New York.

On August 30, the same day the Republican National Convention commences in the Big Apple, Simmons and his Hip-Hop Summit Action Network are planning to hold "The March on New York."

According to a spokesperson for the HHSAN, Simmons' organization is planning for tens of thousands to converge on NYC, and is calling out to people all over the world to participate. The group is expecting that members of the hip-hop community will have a particularly strong presence at the march. So far no artists are confirmed, but the HHSAN says it will announce names throughout the summer.

The three main topics Simmons wants to address at the March on New York are the three he's been speaking about most ardently for the past year: the elimination of the Rockefeller drug laws (see [article id="1472299"]"Diddy, Jay-Z, Susan Sarandon Rally Against New York Drug Laws"[/article]), national funding for deprived schools across the country, and voter registration.

The HHSAN is working with the New York Civil Liberties Union to lock down the site of the march. If Simmons has his way, the March on New York will take place on 7th Avenue between 24th and 34th Streets from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. The Republican National Convention is being held at Madison Square Garden, located at 7th Avenue between 31st and 33rd Streets.

A New York Hip-Hop Summit is also in the works for August 30.

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