Music: September 2007 Archives

Berkeley-based hip-hop artist Lyrics Born hit the main stage of Earthdance's hub event in Laytonville, Northern California on Friday night. Born in Tokyo, Japan, Lyrics Born is half Japanese-American and half Italian-American. He spent his formative years in Salt Lake City and Japan. With a unique global perspective, Lyrics Born shares his personal prayer for peace with the Daily Mantra.

"I pray for the peace that humanity has earned, by enduring and triumphing over adversity and tremendous challenges throughout history. I pray that we will find more creative ways to resolve our disputes, in an effort to achieve and attain peace. I will do my part to work towards this goal, with what means and methods I have at my disposal, as I pray you will with yours."
Lyrics Born

After his 2004 track "Callin' Out" became a radio favorite, Lyrics Born toured extensively with The Roots, De La Soul and Franz Ferdinand, among others. His music has been heard on numerous TV shows including Six Feet Under and Entourage.

Today, at 4 pm (PST) an estimated one million people in over 350 locations in 60 countries will unite in a Prayer For Peace, as part of the 11th annual global Earthdance event. Los Angeles band Ozomatli, are co-headlining the three-day hub event in Laytonville, CA, playing their blend of Latin, hip-hip, funk and dub music on the main stage tomorrow night (Sunday, September 16th). We asked the multi-cultural band, who have championed progressive causes for the past 12 years, for their own prayer for peace.

"I pray for the peace our children need to survive through all generations to come. To make the home we live in better for their sake, and their children. I pray for the biggest disease, known as ignorance, to be cured, and for humanity to show courage to first change on the inside, in order to change the rest of the mess many generations have made in the past. I pray for the strength I need to spread this word, and to continue this spec of fool's hope -- but hope none the less -- that I have for positive, proactive change."
Asdru Sierra, Ozomatli

Ozomatli was born out of a fight for social change in downtown Los Angles back in 1995, when original band members Wil-Dog Abers and Anton Morales (who is no longer with the group), along with 30 coworkers, sought to improve their working conditions by supporting action to unionize their workplace. Ultimately they lost their jobs, but, after squatting in the building for a month, Wil-Dog & Co. won the right to retain the premises, founding the Peace and Justice Center of Los Angeles there. To support the new community center, Wil-Dog and friends began playing shows each weekend. Twelve years and several Grammys on, the band are still going strong, releasing their fourth studio album, Don't Mess With The Dragon, earlier this year.

The group made headlines again in July, when they toured the Middle East as U.S. Cultural Ambassadors. The trip was sponsored by the U.S. State Department in the hope that it would spread "a global message of peace and understanding through diversity in music."

World music vocalist Marie Daulne, and her group Zap Mama, will be performing on Sunday night (September 16th) at Earthdance's three-day hub event in Laytonville, CA. One of the most powerful moments at the Earthdance event will be at 4 pm (PTS) on Saturday September 15th, when all the events around the globe will be synchronized, to unite in a Prayer For Peace. The Daily Mantra asked Marie Daulne for her own personal prayer for peace.

"I pray love supreme, thank love supreme the ONE above all to be blessed, to be able to receive and give beauty and I thank love supreme to be alive in music. To be able to receive love and give love to every person. May people receive and use this love to share beauty and peace all over the world. We pray for the lost people of the world. We pray that they can feel and receive the wind of goodness. I pray for the future event, may our open soul get the love message; I thank God for the peace and all good vibes and save trip for the music who brings peace and enlightens what it is to be a human being in dignity."
Marie Daulne, Zap Mama

Zap Mama's music is an exotic mix of African rhythms, lush melodies, eclectic instrumentation, traditional onomatopoetic Pygmy tones, and close vocal harmonies, with lyrics sung in multitude of foreign tongues. Their music reflects band-leader Daulne's heritage: a mother from the central African Republic of Zaire, a Belgium father, with time spent growing up on both her maternal and paternal continents before America embraced the band's 1993 breakthrough album Adventures In Afropea I.

Zap Mama's new album, Supermoon, featuring contributions from Me'shell N'degeocello, Tony Allen, and Spearhead's Michael Franti, is in stores now. The band will be touring the US from now through November to support its release. Check their website, www.zapmama.be, for dates.

With music and dance as the common language, at 4pm (PST) on Saturday September 15th, an estimated one million people in over 350 locations in 60 countries will unite in a Prayer For Peace, as part of the 11th annual global Earthdance event. The organization has raised over a $1 million for charity over the years, with event promoters around the world being asked to donate at least 50% of profits to local charities of their choice.

The hub event at the Black Oak Ranch, in Laytonville, CA has been extended to a three day festival this year (9/14-16/07). Attendees will be able camp in a scenic creekside setting, amidst ancient oak trees. Artists on the bill include Ozomatli, Zap Mama, Les Nubians, Lyrics Born, The Coup and DJ Sandra Collins. Hosted by a united nations of elders from many cultures, who will be on hand to offer spiritual guidance, patrons will be able to educate themselves in the event's Activist Alley, and enjoy healthy international organic food and artisan crafts from hand-picked vendors.