In keeping with the culture of “Everything’s bigger in Texas,” the Houston Department of Health & Human Services has teamed up with H-Town’s top hip-hop radio station KBXX-FM 97.9 The Box and the NAACP Houston Branch to host the largest HIV/STD screening event in Houston. Amerigroup Community Care is sponsoring the effort which is dubbed Hip Hop for HIV Awareness.

Jump in for the full press release and event details.

Hip Hop for HIV Awareness is slated to be the single largest testing event in the United States. The goal of the campaign is to provide free and confidential HIV and syphilis screening to 15,000 youth and young adults between the ages of 15-40 in the City of Houston. Free testing begins Monday, June 22 for four consecutive days at the NAACP Family Technology Center located at 4203 Fannin Street in Houston and will continue through July 10th at various other locations across the city.

Hip Hop for HIV Awareness encourages youth and young adults to receive free testing and consultation. Each person tested will receive one ticket to a star-studded concert featuring national recording artists Plies, Pleasure P, Day 26, Melanie Fiona, Bobby Valentino, LeToya Luckett, Twista, Yung Problemz, Yung L.A., G.T., Gorilla Zoe, Bun B and Ginuwine.

The concert event will take place on Saturday, July 11, 2009 in Houston at The George R. Brown Convention Center from 2:00p – 6:00p. Only those tested for HIV and receiving their results will be issued a ticket for admittance.

The HIV epidemic is a growing concern. African Americans, women and youth are among the fastest growing population of new HIV infections. There are 18,404 individuals known living with HIV in Houston/ Harris County and an estimated 3,500 to 4,500 individuals living with undiagnosed HIV infection. Every 9 ½ minutes someone is infected with HIV in the United States.