Elementz, which uses the Hip Hop arts to engage local inner-city youth, is celebrating its eighth anniversary this Thursday with a special “open house” reception at the organization’s headquarters (1100 Race St., Over-the-Rhine) beginning at 5:30 p.m. The event will feature numerous performances by artists who have been involved with and benefited from the Elementz program, from Hip Hop and R&B musicians to poets, street artists and dancers. Advanced tickets are $10 (it's $12 at the door), which will go to help fund the center’s programming. Last year’s anniversary celebration drew around 300 people, according to elementz.org, where you can also find more info on the center and purchase advanced tickets. Elementz will be selling youth memberships for half off Thursday — for teens (13-18), a one-year membership can be obtained for $10; those 19-24 can join for just $20 a year.Here's a quick video press release for the open house/party:

Musician and Creative Director of the Elementz Hip Hop youth center Akhe Abdullah hosts a listening party tonight for his new album, Journey: The Sound of Life. Abdullah will speak about the album and give a short presentation before spinning the new, all-instrumental recording which mixes Jazz, Hip Hop and other elements (pun neither intended nor unintended). Click here for more details about tonight's 6 p.m. event.Abdullah is the son of a music-loving father who played sax with Rick James and the Stone City Band and also worked with Stevie Wonder, Destiny's Child and many others. Abdullah's done production work with area Hip Hop artists like Moxy Monster, Ill Poetic and Holmskillet, as well as New York's Infinit Evol.Abdullah is a graduate of the University of Cincinnati's Electronic Media program and was the subject of a brief documentary put together by current E-Media students at U.C. In the well-put-together doc, he speaks about his family, his music and his life as a Muslim. Check it out below (it runs about six minutes). Find out more about Abdullah and his journey here.

Local Hip Hop youth center Elementz — which provides an outlet for young people in the area to learn and practice the Hip Hop arts (DJing, MCing, dancing and legal graffiti artwork) — is settled into its new location at 1100 Race St., across from the School for Creative and Performing Arts and they're ready to show off their new digs. The new facilities are allowing the center to expand its mission, which will be discussed tonight, along with tours of the location and a few performances. The "open house" is free and open to all ages, running 5-9 p.m.Here is the video press release for tonight's event, as well as a recent interview with Elementz creative director Akhe Abdullah.

One of, if not the, coolest youth outreach programs in the region is the "Hip Hop Youth Arts Center" Elementz on Central Parkway, which gives local kids a consistent outlet to explore their creativity and learn about the arts. The center is now 7 years old and tonight at 6 p.m. the founders are hosting an anniversary party featuring performances by several artists affiliated with Elementz. Admission is just $3.The people behind the non-profit center recently began sending out video press releases to keep everyone in the loop on their happenings. Below is a clip about this evening's birthday celebration, followed by Elementz's winter video newsletter, which includes footage from various performances and workshops from the past few months, as well as an interview about politics with local DJ Hi Tek.There's also a special, surprise announcement about Elementz at the end of the winter newsletter clip. The center is preparing to move to the old Media Bridges headquarters on Race St. (across from SCPA) now that Media Bridges is relocating to the WCET building around the corner. (The new Media Bridges is slated to be reopened in its new space on May 3.) For more on Elementz, visit its website here.