JTMP

HONK! is putting on its 6th HONK! Festival in Boston on September 30th through October 3rd, a gathering of musicians that express themselves about various issues and causes they support. Brass, or horns, are strongly encouraged but one can also find drummers. Causes range from migrant labor to environmental issues. Participants often dress up in costume, and have props to voice their concerns for their cause. The line between performer and audience is very blurry, on purpose. 

"Honkers" are explained on their website: "Across the country and around the world, a new type of street band is emerging. Acoustic and mobile, borrowing repertoire and inspiration from a diverse set of folk music traditions – New Orleans second line brass bands, European Klezmer, Balkan and Romani music, Brazilian Afro Bloc and Frevo traditions, as well as the passion and spirit of Mardi Gras and Carnival– these “honkers” all share a commitment to several core principles. Metaphorically speaking, they honk their horns for the same reasons motorists honk theirs: to arouse fellow travelers, to warn of danger, to celebrate milestones, and to just plain have fun."

They march and play their music and honk their horns "because it’s the best way they know to protest a world of violence and oppression." and "to celebrate the causes and institutions they support: multicultural festivals, peace conferences, social forums, artists collectives, community gardens, children’s workshops, neighborhood fundraisers, block parties, relief benefits and homeless shelters."

For more information watch the video below, and check out the HonkFest.org Website. 

Tunisian rapper Hamada Ben Amor — known as "El General" 

MSNBC World Blog: How rap music fueled the Arab Springs uprisings

by Karl Bostic, NBC News

"A bazaar in Libya's rebel capital of Benghazi might not appear to be the most obvious place to find a would-be Jay-Z.

But 18-year-old Boge and many others like him are pushing the boundaries of freedom of expression across the Middle East. The rappers have even been credited with helping to spark the so-called Arab Spring uprisings that deposed three long-serving dictators and rocked several other regimes.

Boge, who says he learned English from rap, is following in the footsteps of his hip-hop heroes KRS-One, Nas and Ice Cube.

"Our families are dying but yeah we're still tough, Gadhafi is trying to assassinate us," he rhymes during an impromptu performance amid vendors selling flags, shirts and hats in revolutionary colors at a market in the eastern Libyan city where the revolt against Moammar Gadhafi began."
 

Read the rest of the MSNBC article here.....

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Chely Wright (left) and her partner and now wife, Lauren Blitzer

Country music star Chely Wright, who "came out" and revealed to her fans she was a lesbian in 2011, has wedded her partner Lauren Blitzer in Connecticut. Her career suffered as a result of her coming out, and she said in an interview with the LA Times that "[Fans] would rather you were a drug addict than be gay. They will forgive you if you beat your wife, lose your kids to state, get six divorces, make a sex tape, get labeled as a tramp — any and all of it is better than being gay."

She was also in North Carolina on September 13th to battle against proposed legislation that will ban gay marriage, teaming up with Equality North Carolina. The state legislature approved the measure by one vote (30-16) achieving the 3/5 needed, and the proposed amendment will be on the ballot in the May primary. Chely had said the North Carolina's proposed marriage amendment is “not about preserving the sanctity of marriage … Rather, this measure is about tearing down the sanctity of human dignity. It is that full humanity that God places in the gay and lesbian individual as he does us all. And it is the full humanity that he wants us to recognize and embrace rather [than] reject, condemn and demean."

Read more on Equality North Carolina's website, and here is a video statement by Ms. Wright in support of LGBT civil rights:

RAPPER AND PURE GROWTH TO MAKE "STREET KING" DRINK

50 Cent, alarmed by the famine problem in Africa where tens of million kids face death by starvation, has teamed up with Pure Growth to create a new energy drink called "Street King", where proceeds will go to feeding as many kids as possible. His goal is to supply 1 billion meals in the next 5 years, and has released a video statement (see below).

Pure Growth is a group of business builders and investors with a vision "to make positive changes in the way the world thinks, works and creates values around businesses. Success for us is making the world a better place for business practices and models that set the bar for giving back." Read more on their website.

Nigerian musician and activist Bayo Ade has been killed by kidnappers, a country that has been recently plagued with a rash of kidnappings. The kidnappers, who initially demanded ransom money and received it, still murdered the musician. His father, Pa Ukpenyen, collapsed and died upon hearing the news of the death of his son, doubling the tragedy to his family and friends. 

Family, friends, and sympathizers took to the streets in a peaceful protest to call for Nigerian authorities to stop the recent violence and kidnappings that have been plaguing Benin. Edo State Commissioner of police David Omojola announced there are two suspects in custody.

Read our JTMP press release HERE, and read more on Nigeria News here, and below is a music video of his song, "Amebo".