Tag: Jtmp

Lady Gaga won the "Best Video With a Message" award at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards show on Sunday for her song "Born This Way", a song that speaks about the issue of civil rights for the LGBT community. The award was created to recognize artists that delve into social issues that are relevant and important to today's youth, and gay rights is one of the top issues. The other artists nominated also spoke out about domestic abuse, female empowerment, and even everyday bullying.

The Nightwatchman, and Tim McIlrath have joined forces and are launching the"Justice Tour", which will be swinging through Madison, Flint, and Cleveland. The tour will feature songs from Tom's current release, "Worldwide Rebel Songs" that feature Wisconsin protesters on the album. The tour will be going to places where “people need a little more wind in their sails,” Tom recently told The Nation, where “people’s spines need steeling.” This is how Morello operates: “fighting the good fight, guitar in hand.”

On The Nightwatchan's website it says:

Tom Morello & Tim McIlrath of Rise Against have joined forces for The Justice Tour. The tour will bring them to Madison, WI, Cleveland, OH and Flint, MI this September with all profits benefiting The Nation Institute. This month, Morello released the EP Union Town, with all profits benefiting the America Votes Labor Unity Fund via SaveWorkers.org. The release consists of pro-union songs and was inspired by Morello’s performance in Madison, WI in February of this year in protest to an anti-union bill put forward by Governor Scott Walker. Tom Morello stated, "This year’s Justice Tour aims to support independent media which is battling the mountain of disinformation and propaganda foisted on the public by right wing media barons. We will also return to the union battlegrounds of the Midwest to help steel the backbone of workers under siege." Tim McIlrath added, “Playing with Tom on the steps of the Capitol building in Madison last February was an inspiring experience. I cant wait to join him again for such an important cause. Media has become a battleground, and we're out to even the odds.”

A nonprofit media center, The Nation Institute was established to extend the reach of progressive ideas and strengthen the independent press in the United States. It's dynamic range of programs include a bestselling book publishing imprint, Nation Books; an award-winning Investigative Fund, which supports groundbreaking investigative journalism; the widely read and syndicated website TomDispatch; the internship program at The Nation magazine; and Journalism Fellowships that fund up to 15 high-profile, convention challenging reporters every year. Work produced by The Nation Institute has sparked Congressional hearings, new legislation, FBI investigations and the resignation of government officials, has changed the debate and has a regular impact on the most urgent social and political issues of our day. Much more on the Institute's work can be found at www.nationinstitute.org.

For more information, go to: http://nightwatchmanmusic.com/

From WNYC.org:

Marlon Bishop - WNYC Culture Producer

“Hopefully we’ll put this out in two weeks, when he’s really gone” said Khaled.

Khaled was raised in the Libyan dissident community based in Lexington, Kentucky, home of an anti-Gadhafi group called the National Front for the Salvation of Libya. His father was one of the founders of that group, and according to Khaled, was tortured for five years by the regime for opposing the government. Khaled spent the first years of his life on the run, using false identities and traveling from country to country.

Read more...

By Agence France-Presse
Sunday, August 21st, 2011 -- 10:20 am

LAHORE, Pakistan — Against a backdrop of militant bombs and bullets, wealthy young Pakistanis are turning to the beat of modern music to help bring social change to their troubled Muslim nation.

"I love how when you enter the place, you're completely transformed," said DJ Faisal Big at a recent all-night rave in a brick factory courtesy of London's Ministry of Sound.

"It doesn't feel like Pakistan -- definitely not the Pakistan you see on the media."

The one-off Ministry of Sound event cost $100 dollars, an expensive night out in the impoverished country -- but the mini-revolution has spread far beyond the brick factory doors.

Organisers persuaded the famous London nightclub, billed as the home of dance music and celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, to send over a DJ to lead a club for one night only.

The youth music scene in a deeply conservative Islamic state, dogged by deadly Taliban and Al-Qaeda attacks, is opening up to new influences -- offering anger-release and a space for political expression.

The cultural capital of Lahore is centre-stage for young people looking to modern music for a break from stifling militancy and political crises.

(more:)

http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2011/08/21/young-pakistanis-turn-to-music-to-beat-bombers/

Well known African musicians, bands and poets have come  together for the campaign, "Africans Act 4 Africa" to help raise awareness and funds for the worsening famine problem in East Africa. Youssou N'Dour from Senegal, Sara Mitaru, Nameless, Juliani and Sauti Sol from Kenya, P-Square and Asa from Nigeria, and poet Maya Wegeris from Tanzania are all throwing their support behind the campaign. Sara Mitaru, is organizing the event, and has been using social media to spread the word and call on her other fellow musicians in Africa to help out. “The response has been overwhelming, like nothing I have seen in Africa for the last ten years,” she said. “Everyone’s response has been the same, they want to be involved. We all agree that it is completely and utterly wrong for people here to be dying, when we have the power to change that. ”

The UN has reported it has a shortfall of $1.3 billion of the $2.4 billion needed to help alleviate the suffering. 6 of the 48 countries in Africa have helped, South Africa, Sudan, Namibia, Botswana, Kenya and Ethiopia but the other 42 have not pledged funds yet. “That is simply unacceptable,” said Ms. Mitaru. A fundraising conference is set for August 25th, and the hope is leaders will give generously to the aid groups. They also want to convince countries to invest in long term infrastructure projects to help prevent future droughts from being so disastrous as this one. Oxfam is one of the aid groups involved, and the Pan-Africa director, Irungu Houghton, has said the response so far had been “wholly inadequate. That’s why this campaign is so important,” he said. “It’s a powerful way of showing our leaders that there are issues which are not domestic, but which still require their action. This is a pan-African crisis and the government of Nigeria for example, should help even though the people affected are not the ones voting for you as a Nigerian politician. ”

Individuals wanting to help out with the cause can do these things:

• Use social media to connect and raise awareness by going to the Act  4 Africa Facebook Page.

• Follow the campaign's Twitter account: @africansact

One can also go the campaign's website and help out by recycling used cell phones, volunteering, donating, and many other things. They are also giving away a car in a raffle. Please check out their website at act4africa.org.

Here is a video of many African musicians and bands asking for support in the cause: