SiriusXM and Pandora to Launch Inaugural Sway Fest 2019

The Date: October 18, 2019

Live broadcast event curated and hosted by Sway Calloway of SiriusXM's Shade 45

Block party to be held on the streets outside of Pandora's Oakland headquarters with community participants and special guests to be announced

Four-hour special will broadcast live on Eminem's Shade 45 channel on SiriusXM

Oakland, CA native Sway Calloway returns to his roots on October 18 for the first ever 'Sway Fest 2019,' which will bring together celebrities, local leaders and special guests in a celebration of hip-hop, community and culture, to be broadcast on SiriusXM. The four-hour special will air live from the streets of Oakland, outside Pandora headquarters, beginning at 9am PT on SiriusXM's Sway in the Morning on Eminem's Shade 45 (ch. 45).

Calloway's celebrity friends, performers, local activists and community leaders will gather on Franklin Street between 21st and 22nd streets from 9am PT to 1pm PT in Oakland for performances and conversations on music, arts and the Oakland community.  This Sway-hosted block party is also a way for our Oakland-based SiriusXM and Pandora employees to celebrate the combining of SiriusXM and Pandora. 


In advance of 'Sway Fest 2019,' Sway will unveil his own Pandora Story, offering his commentary to a playlist of tracks that shaped him while growing up in Oakland and beyond. While SiriusXM subscribers can tune in live the day of the event, local residents are encouraged to attend this free event to hear live music, meet community and business leaders as they weigh in on important community issues, and celebrate music and culture.

"Sway Fest 2019' is a celebration of an amazing community of people that make up the Bay Area," said Calloway. "I'm looking forward to returning to my hometown and shedding a light on the diversity, culture, uniqueness and magic that makes Oakland an amazing place."

"Sway Calloway has been an integral part of the rise of SiriusXM over the years," said Scott Greenstein, President and Chief Content Officer, SiriusXM.  "We want to celebrate Sway's national accomplishments in Oakland, a place he has so much passion for, and which also serves as the home base of Pandora, which is now fully integrated with SiriusXM."

Calloway has been a part of the SiriusXM family since 2011 as the host of Eminem's Shade 45 channel's daily morning show, Sway in the Morning from 8am to 12pm ET and has recently added additional duties with Pandora as the voice on selected channels and podcasts.

Calloway also hand-picked local organizations to shine a spotlight on during Sway Fest 2019: Kongo SQ West Kinship Society and the Choose College Educational Foundation. Each organization will be represented on-site to spread awareness and educate attendees on their cause.

Kongo SQ West Kinship Society provides distinct services of impact in campaign relief advancement and social entrepreneurship.  Serving primarily the Bay Area, California with extensions to New Orleans, the Caribbean, and the Congo, the organization harvests the natural resources of its communities through strategic partnerships. As a respected cultural arts leader, Kongo SQ West remains dedicated to establishing a legacy of well-being and nourishment of communal artists of shared kinship works.

The Choose College Educational Foundation works to foster a vibrant, college-going culture among underserved communities with youth programming, grassroots outreach efforts and a robust commitment to connecting families with college resources and information.  Learn more about these organizations below.

SiriusXM and Pandora listeners will have the opportunity to enter for the chance to win a trip for two to Oakland, CA, including airfare, hotel stay, and a pair of tickets to SiriusXM and Pandora Present Sway Fest. See Official Rules for complete details at siriusxm.com/SwayFest. For more information on 'Sway Fest 2019' visit SiriusXM.com.

'Sway Fest 2019' marks a meaningful homecoming for Calloway as it serves as an opportunity for him to give back to his beloved community by bringing awareness to causes, culture and music that have helped to shape him personally and professionally.  Calloway began to hone his craft as an emcee and radio personality with his partner, King Tech, at KMEL-FM with their show, The World Famous Wake Up, that provided a platform for a host of hip-hop artists from all over the country, including, Tupac, the Hieroglyphics, Biggie Smalls, E40 and Eminem to name a few.

The duo continued to make history by producing albums distributed through Interscope Records entitled This or That, which featured artists such as Eminem, KRS-One, TecN9NE and RZA from Wu-Tang Clan.  Calloway also gained global fame as an integral member of MTV News, covering politics and music.  He remains a key correspondent and has been a part of initiatives, interviewing various political leaders that include President Barack Obama, President Bill Clinton, former Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, Senator John McCain and Mitt Romney.

His music endeavors at MTV included TRL's All Eyes series, which featured top artists like Kanye West and 50 Cent, MTV News Now's Jay-Z vs. Nas: Beats, Battles & Beef, MTV News Presents: After the Storm, RapFix Live, and The Hottest MC's List. He is also a part of the network's annual live events: MTV Video Music Awards, MTV European Awards and their Grammy pre-show.  He currently serves as an Executive Producer and Host of TRL-AM.  Calloway continues to participate in various panels and discussions, hosting and moderating on important issues like hate crimes, racism and education, and plays a major role with Viacom's Get Schooled program, which reaches students across the country to encourage them to graduate. He is also the Chief Navigator for his site, SwaysUniverse.com which features celebrity interviews, music, entertainment and health news.

About Kongo SQ West Kinship Society
Answering a call to service from the Gulf Coast Hurricanes, in 2005 Kongo SQ West Kinship Society was erected in in Oakland California, with a mission that serves to build bridges, restore networks and bind cultural ties. A respected leader of Cultural Arts partnered initiatives, the vitality of the Society's works generate campaign relief advancement initiatives, while creating dynamic philanthropic ventures of direct impact. Anchored by the visionary, Field Leaders, Community Service Agents, and Professional Technical Artists, Kongo SQ West sustains a seasoned working kinship of exchange that continues to fuel its mission, with extended service to New Orleans, Caribbean, and the Congo. Programs of services include Communal Healing through the Arts, Donor Procurement services and Good Service Agent recruitment.  Motto: "...of good works and prosperity." web: www.kongosqwest.com

About Choose College Educational Foundation
Founded in 2005, the Choose College Educational Foundation, Inc® (Choose College®) promotes the benefits of pursuing higher education beyond high school. Choose College® knows that all students have the ability to succeed academically and pursue post-secondary education if provided with resources, information, guidance, and support—it's their mission to make that happen. Choose College® spearheads a number of cultural and academic enrichment programs for Bay Area youth, including the Youth Cultural Ambassador Program (YCAP) and STEM Strategies to Empower and Prepare Students for Success (STEM STEPS for Success). Learn more and donate today at www.choosecollege4life.com.