This has been a great week for hearing and meeting conscious artists from around the globe. I flew up to the Harmony Festival in Sonoma to connect with Michael Franti and Somalian Hip Hop artist K’Naan. It was a beautiful festival (www.harmonyfestival.com) and great opportunity to reconnect with Michael and his crew and hear both he and K’Naan inspire and move the crowd. Michael is one of the artists on my upcoming Yoga Revolution CD. K’Naan and I will be working together on my soundtrack for Beat The World. K’Naan is also touring this summer two other great voices of note – Nas and Damien Marley.
Back in LA, KNaan performed at the Wiltern with Matisyahu, where we were joined by Brazilian top rapper and social leader, MV Bill. Bill lives inside City of God and helps countless youth there and throughout Brazil to use music, dance and art as alternatives to gangs, violence and drugs. He is a hero to fans and peers alike. I look forward to visiting him again in Brazil in a couple weeks, seeing him in action and collaborating with him on a song for Beat the World.
Finally, last night Nigerian superstar Femi Kuti lit up the Hollywood Bowl with amazing music, dance and social insights. He really reminded me again that one of the greatest things we can help people realize in their lives is joy – through the music, through dance, through celebration and rejoicing in the global community. Femi makes it quite clear that sharing and expressing joy in no way means that the issues confronting many in the world are less than serious. We need to address the issues, to do the hard work AND to instill joy into the hearts of ourselves and others along the way. Femi, like his late father Fela Kuti, believes that the gift of music comes with a responsibility to use that gift for the good of the people.
For more info, check out: http://knaanmusic.ning.com/
Excerpt from Femi Kuti interview before Red Hot & Riot AIDS Benefit
