The successful Indianapolis Hip-Hop Summit enters its third year Sept. 8 at the Martin Luther King Center (corner of 40th and Illinois Street), with a wide array of performers and events.

Sponsoring organizations include United States of Mind, the Martin Luther King Center, Tabernacle Church, Northside News Cafe and the Indianapolis chapter of the Hip-Hop Congress. Nick Saligoe, aka DJ MetroGnome of Class of ’93 and local chapter head for the Hip-Hop Congress, is one of the volunteer organizers.

“The summit is about building positive community relations,” Saligoe says. “The intention is to unite as many of the hip-hop groups as possible. I think it’s important to build up a local community as well as national. If people begin to expect it each year, we can build it up each year.”

Events include hip-hop performances, b-boy battles, spoken word and an open stage for young performers. “We want to provide an outlet for young people to perform: writing, singing, poetry,” Saligoe says. In addition, there’s also a pre-show at Tip Top Tavern Friday night.

The performers include hip-hop artists Twilight Sentinels, Blacksoil Project, The Philosophy, Tasha Jones, Rocco, Justice League, Son of Thought, Class of ’93, Ms. Rebelle, Partners in Rhyme, Butterfly Toungz, Whoislouis, Full Blooded, 2 Mics & a Kit, Blackberry Jam and 16th Dynasty. Poetry performances in between sets include Queen Black, Niq, Tatjana, Ike Boyd Jr., Cymplicity, A.P., Insatiable and Allen Imagery.

The summit is intended to be a family-friendly event for all ages.

“We’re trying to book artists that have a positive, family-friendly conscience,” Saligoe says.