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Music Festival Brings Rapper Memphis Bleek, Kenny Lattimore to Bed-Stuy

 Rapper Memphis Bleek will perform at a free concert in Herbert Von King Park on Aug. 6 as part of the Bed-Stuy Music Festival, organizers said.
Rapper Memphis Bleek will perform at a free concert in Herbert Von King Park on Aug. 6 as part of the Bed-Stuy Music Festival, organizers said.
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Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images

BEDFORD-STUYVESANT — Get your fix of jazz, gospel, hip-hop and more at the Bed-Stuy Music Festival this August.

The event showcases local artists at neighborhood venues starting on Aug. 2, and closes out with a free performance from rapper Memphis Bleek at Herbert Von King Park and a concert from R&B singer Kenny Lattimore.

The festival, hosted by community service organization 500 Men Making a Difference, aims to draw attention to the Bed-Stuy park, according to founder Wayne Devonish.

In 2015, the group launched a conservancy to spruce up Von King Park.

“We really hope to have this be an economic engine not only for the park, but for the community,” Devonish said.

“These music festivals really help to ignite the local economy, and we wanted to do exactly that.”

Gospel-lovers can enjoy tunes on Aug. 2 at a “Christian Night” led by Antioch Baptist Church, the organizer said, and performances will continue through the week at spots including Bedford Hall.

Bed-Stuy native Memphis Bleek, known for hits like “Round Here” and “Is That Your Chick,” takes the stage at Von King Park on Aug. 6, and later that evening, Kenny Lattimore will perform at a ticketed show at Christ Fellowship Baptist Church.

DJ Funkmaster Flex will spin at an after party at Brooklyn Tap House on Myrtle Avenue, where tickets are $20.

The performances follow the nonprofit's free, 7th annual "Men's Day" event at Von King, where community members are invited to participate in family-friendly activities, contests, and lectures starting at 7:30 a.m., Devonish added. 

For tickets and more information, visit the 500 Men Making a Difference website.