Wilmington Event Tackles Healthcare Disparities

Health, Hope & Hip-Hop will host it’s first event at The Queen in Wilmington.

WILMINGTON- This Friday, The Queen in Wilmington will spark a groundbreaking event that blends music, culture, and health care advocacy -the Hip Hope Ball.

Hosted by the Health, Hope & Hip-Hop Foundation, the event will bring together local leaders, healthcare advocates, hip-hop icons, and community members to address critical healthcare challenges and gaps in access for the people of Wilmington.

Attendees will experience:

A gourmet dining experience
Powerful personal stories of resilience and health advocacy
A live celebrity hip-hop performance
Dancing and a late-night snack to keep the celebration going until midnight

This will be the foundation’s first event. It wants to begin in Wilmington and expand to Philly, Newark, NYC, and beyond.

In 2024, Oya Gilbert, a Wilmington native and hip-hop pioneer, founded the Health, Hope & Hip-Hop Foundation, with the mission to spread awareness among Black and Brown communities about their propensity for certain types of cancer and what can be done to improve survival odds.

Gilbert’s battle with multiple myeloma began when he was diagnosed in 2017. Multiple Myeloma is a type of blood cancer that disproportionately affects Black individuals. His experience with his health issues inspired him to turn his pain into action. His journey revealed the deep disparities in healthcare access, leading him to launch this initiative to educate, empower, and drive meaningful change.

“Multiple myeloma, which is a blood cancer that affects Black people two to one over white people—not because of anything physiological, but due to socioeconomic access to care,” said Amy Katzenberg, Executive Director of Health Hope & Hip Hop.

“Unfortunately, when he started feeling sick in 2015, it took two years for him to get diagnosed,” she said. “They made him think he had anxiety, but in fact, he had an undiagnosed blood cancer.”

Oya Gilbert, Ceo and Founder of Health, Hope & Hip Hop

Oya Gilbert, Founder of Health, Hope & Hip Hop (Photo Courtesy Amy Katzenberg)

Their model is based on using hip-hop music and culture to raise health literacy and empower people to seek and receive the care they need.

“There are a lot of ways to tackle this, but first and foremost, people need to talk about it—with people they trust,” said Katzenberg.

The foundation also tries spreads awareness through Oya’s podcast “Hip Hop Parade: Black Men Talking Health.”

“Even though they’re talking about serious stuff, it’s done in a way that’s real, approachable, and accessible. That’s a big part of what we’re trying to do.”

The foundation has partnered with Us Ignite, a closed-loop data organization, to track engagement and outcomes.

“We want measurable change—better patient outcomes, better conversations with healthcare providers, and more action taken.”

The event also includes sponsors like Pfizer, Christiana Care, and the International Myeloma Foundation. Plus, partnering with community centers, faith-based leaders, athletes, and restaurants.

Katzenberg expressed how Health, Hope & Hip-Hop continues to connect with its community needs.

“We’ll listen to the community, figure out what they need, and build from there. Our model is grassroots, and it depends on real people connecting with us,” she said.

The night will continue with a musical performance from rapper Slick Rick, whose previous philanthropic work aligns with Health, Hope & Hip Hop’s mission.

While dinner tickets for the evening are sold out, concert and late-night show tickets are still available for the balcony lounge overlooking the main hall.

Learn more about how to access tickets HERE.