LEGENDARY GEEK HIP HOP ARTIST NYAF'S FIRST 2008 GUEST

Norwalk, CT, May 15, 2008: The New York Anime Festival (NYAF) today announced mc chris -- one of the most unique, provocative and poignant voices in hip hop today -- will be performing at its 2008 event. mc chris's music is a combination of hip hop beats and lyrics ripe with comic book, movie, television, and cartoon references that he simply calls "rap for dorks." The New York Anime Festival, an anime, manga, and Japanese pop culture convention from the creators of New York Comic Con, takes place September 26th through the 28th at the Jacob Javits Center in New York City.

mc chris's last release, Dungeon Master of Ceremonies, debuted in iTunes's Hip Hop Top Ten without any major label marketing, advertising, or distribution, and his next album, mc chris is dead, will be released on May 27. Sample tracks can be heard on his official website located at mcchris.com.

When he's not making music, mc writes and acts. Working at Cartoon Network's Adult Swim for five years as a writer, actor, and animator, he provided the voice of MC Pee Pants in the Aqua Teen Hunger Force series, motion picture, and video game, the voice of Hesh on Sealab 2021, and various voices in The Brak Show. This year, he'll be returning to Adult Swim in two new projects -- Cheyenne Cinnamon and The Fantabulous Unicorn of Sugar Town Candy Fudge with Neko Case, MF Doom, and T Pain as well as the new live-action series Fat Guy Stuck in Internet. He'll also be starring in the new adultswim.com web series 1000 Virgins with Saturday Night Live's Fred Armisen.

"We're excited to welcome mc chris to the New York Anime Festival," Show Manager Lance Fensterman said. "The Anime Festival has anime at its center and reaches out to embrace everything popular -- whether it's red hot, up-and-coming, or underground -- with anime fans, and mc chris is a unique artist who speaks directly to our audience. If every attendee isn't a fan of mc chris already, they're sure to all be by the time the convention's over."

mc chris's concert begins at 8:30 PM on Friday, September 26 in the New York Anime Festival's Main Theater. He will be signing autographs from 3-4 PM on Friday and 11 AM-12 PM on Sunday in the Autograph Room. mc chris is holding a Q&A with fans from 4-5 PM on Saturday in the Anime Culture Panel Room. To attend mc chris's concert, attendees will need a separate mc chris ticket priced at $10. Convention tickets and mc chris concert tickets are both available now at newyorkanimefestival.com.

ABOUT THE NEW YORK ANIME FESTIVAL:

The New York Anime Festival takes place September 26-28, 2008 at the Jacob K. Javits Center in Midtown Manhattan and is organized by Reed Exhibitions, the creators of New York Comic Con. The New York Anime Festival showcases the best of anime pop culture, including the latest anime, manga, Japanese cinema, music, and games, and anime-influenced comics, animation, and films from around the world. The festival features exclusive and extensive screenings, a gala cosplay masquerade, sessions with the some of the biggest names in anime from Japan, Asia, and America, and explores the Japanese cultural experience with displays of both traditional and cutting-edge Japanese life. Further information can be found at newyorkanimefestival.com.

ABOUT REED EXHIBITIONS:

Reed Exhibitions is the world's leading events organizer. In 2007 Reed brought together over six million industry professionals from around the world generating billions of dollars in business. Today Reed events are held in 38 countries throughout the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Asia Pacific, and organized by 39 fully staffed offices.