When concert promoter Arthur Levy began planning the upcoming funk festival in Whittington Park, he wanted it to be a family event spotlighting some of the top bands of his youth.
Of course, having rapper Yung Joc, who is featured on a current chart-topping single, doesn't hurt either.
Yung Joc will be the headliner at the June 9 festival.
Best known for the hit single "It's Goin' Down," Yung Joc also will have a new CD, "Hustlenomics," coming out soon.
The rapper appears on T-Pain's "Buy U a Drank (Shawty Snappin')," which is No. 1 on the latest Billboard chart.
Zapp and Con Funk Shun, who can boast hits going back more than two decades, also will be featured. Denise LaSalle, a blues singer who was born in Leflore County and grew up in Belzoni, will perform, as will R&B singer Temmora.
The gates to the park will open at noon, and the music will begin at 3 p.m. Levy said he didn't know when each performer would begin, because they are traveling to Greenwood from different places. But Yung Joc, who is flying in from Las Vegas, definitely will go on stage last.
A car show will be held beginning at noon, and a spacewalk will be offered for the kids.
A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Southern AIDS Commission, which is based in Greenville.
Levy, an emergency room physician who lives in Pine Bluff, Ark., has been coordinating these kinds of events for 2½ years and has been producing and managing independent artists for seven. This is his first concert in Greenwood.
"I've always had a love for music, actually," he said. "I used to play classical piano."
Levy, who says he's in his 30s, remembers in the early 1980s when Michael Jackson, Lionel Richie and Prince crossed over to pop success. Many funk bands from those days are still touring and drawing audiences in the thousands, he said.
People who grew up on that kind of music are nostalgic for it, now that a lot of popular music is electronic and computer-driven, he said. Bands such as Zapp and Con Funk Shun "have become popular as we age and people begin to look for quote-unquote 'real music,'" he said.
He wanted to make the festival a family event where young people could hear that sound - and a rap star like Yung Joc can help draw them in. LaSalle and Temmora should attract blues and R&B fans as well, he said.
Levy said he faces two obstacles: It's the first year of the event, and many people find it hard to believe that a nationally known artist is coming to Greenwood. But he hopes to make the festival an annual event.
In fact, he'd like to have another 1980s band, Midnight Star, perform next year.
The personnel of Zapp and Con Funk Shun has changed over the years, but Levy said the sound still should be familiar.
Zapp's core lineup included four brothers: Roger, Larry, Lester and Terry Troutman. Roger and Larry Troutman have died, but the other two siblings are still in the group. Several members of Con Funk Shun's classic lineup are still performing with the band, including singer Michael Cooper.
"Certainly you'll still hear the same sound because it's the same voice that sang the songs," Levy said.
Levy said he began discussing the idea of a funk festival as far back as September. He considered other sites such as Greenville, Indianola and Laurel, in addition to Greenwood.
Since settling on Whittington Park, he has visited the city often and met with Mayor Sheriel Perkins and other local leaders. Putting together these events takes a lot of planning, but he said Perkins, the council, the police, the Convention and Visitors Bureau and others have been very helpful.
"Everyone's been great," he said.
The car show will begin at noon. Anyone wanting to enter a vehicle must pre-register by calling Chauncy Wright of Greenville, who is organizing the competition. His number of (662) 616-6316.
The entry fee is $15, and each category is limited to 10 entries.
There is no additional charge to attend the car show for those with tickets to the festival. Vehicles will be judged in six categories: best sports car, best small truck, best luxury car, best SUV/truck, best paint job and best rims.
Anyone may enter the competition, and more than one vehicle can be entered per person. We want to attract a broad range of people of different age groups, Wright said.
Wright came up with the idea while working with Levy on the festival. Wright served as director of the Mississippi Delta Blues and Heritage festival from 1997 to 2000. He has 20 years of experience in promotions.
