Click here to download mp3 of The Welfare Poets first single "Sak Pase"
For Immediate Release
Contact Email:
Hector - hecquarters368@aol.com
Ray - welfarepoets@verizon.net
www.welfarepoets.com
“Uninformed is the worst way to be unarmed.”
–The Media, Welfare Poets
RHYMES FOR TREASON
Welfare Poets Celebrate New Album
MAY 12TH @ REMY LOUNGE
104 Greenwich Street, Doors Open 9pm
$10 Admission
HOSTED BY: Flaco Navaja and Russell Shoatz III
PERFORMANCES BY: M – 1 of dead prez, Don Divino, Alkebulan, Yaya and Special Invited Guests
NEW YORK CITY, Spring, 2005 – Mind-Stirring! Inspirational! Heart-Thumping! The socio-political collective, the Welfare Poets have compiled a 14-track lyrical masterpiece entitled Rhymes for Treason. Following the release of their successful first album, Project Blues, in 2000, Rhymes for Treason promises once again to deliver transformative, thought-provoking lyrics with Afro-Caribbean beats, Hip Hop, funk and jazz.
Haiti, Vieques, Iraq, the current state of Hip Hop, and the role of the media in today’s society are only a few of the issues that have been given a voice in the new album. Rhymes for Treason is not only information and inspiration, charging America with hypocrisy in its brand of democracy and its attempts at capitalist globalization, but it is also an indictment on the continuing erosion of our civil liberties, evident in the passage of laws like the Patriot Act(s) and the Anti-Terrorism Bill. “Our work is to bring information and inspiration to the welfanos of the world living under a system where we don’t fare too well in order to collectively determine our shared future,” said the Welfare Poets.
On May 12, 2005, the Welfare Poets will celebrate their inaugural Rhymes for Treason release party at New York City’s Remy Lounge (104 Greenwich Avenue). Doors open at 9pm. Show starts at 10pm. Take the #1, #9, N or R train to Rector Street or the #4 or #5 trains to Wall Street. Other release dates include San Francisco (May 21), and Los Angeles (May 26). Don’t miss the new album or coming shows!
Most recently, the Welfare Poets performed at a tribute to Malcolm X, held at the Abyssinian Church in Harlem (New York City) on February 21, 2005, and at the Anti-War protest this past March 19th in Central Park, marking the 2nd anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq.
Sak Pasé
From its monumental revolution and establishment as the first free Black nation in the Western Hemisphere, to its current crisis, Sak Pasé is a cry for liberty and freedom for a nation that has contributed so much to the world; Haiti. The song is played in Cuban Cha Cha Cha with a touch of Hip Hop, with usage of Haitian Creole. Some terms used are Sak Pasé, Nag Bulé, Liberté a Ayiti translated to What’s up/Burning or I’m hot/Emancipate Haiti, respectively. Also mentioned is Bwa Kayman, the spiritual site in Haiti where Vodou Priest, Boukman held the ceremony that started the revolution in the 1790’s, which is still inspiring ideas of freedom and revolution in the minds of millions around the world.
The Media
Written before and after 9/11, The Media examines the role of the press, its relationship to multinational corporations and their desire to manufacture an illusory consensus. The epic poem connects the struggle to free Vieques (Puerto Rico), the genocide committed against the proud people of Palestine by the imperialist governments of both Israel and the United States, and the American occupation of Iraq. The Media was first performed at the historical “The World Says No to War” Rally in NYC on February 15, 2003 for a crowd of more than 500,000 protestors against the US’ illegal war in Iraq.
Rhyme For Reason
This song is another call for our modern day griots (Hip Hop emcees) to live up to the 5th principle of Hip Hop, which is Knowledge, Wisdom and Overstanding. It is also a show of force in the face of all our civil liberties being deprived due to the enactment of laws like the Patriot Act(s) and the Anti-Terrorist Bill. We boldly claim that we fight for the abolishment of this cruel system of capitalism as we attempt to expose the contradiction in America’s democracy and their continued plan to dominate the planet.
THE COLLECTIVE: Educators, Organizers and Performers
The Welfare Poets interpret indigenous forms of poetry and music, including Hip Hop, Bomba, Plena, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Funk, and Blues. Using the power of arts and culture, the Welfare Poets bring together people to realize the collective potential, and ultimately address social, political and economic issues critical to the survival of all communities. In addition to facilitating literacy workshops for students, parents and teachers, the Welfare Poets have joined and led campaigns for the Freedom of Political Prisoners, for the establishment of Cop Watch, Environmental Justice in NYC, Vieques, and fighting for human rights worldwide. They are also releasing an independent documentary about the death penalty due out the summer of 2005 called “Cruel and Unusual Punishment.”
The Welfare Poets are: Ray Ramirez (Rayzer Sharp – vocals, coro), Hector Rivera (HecOne - vocals, coro), Djibril Toure (bass, vocals), Jamaki Knight (drums, vocals), Emi (keyboards, trumpet, vocals, coro), Angel Rodriguez (congas, vocals, cuás, chékere), Jorge Vázquez (barriles, cuás, maracas, panderetas, güiro, congas, bongó, drums, coro), Fidel Paulino (guitars, coro), Kwami Coleman (keyboards, coro), Camilo Molina (barriles, panderetas, trumpet, drums), Elliot Cabrera (sax, coro) and Dahu Ala (trumpet, vocals).
For Immediate Release
Contact Email:
Hector - hecquarters368@aol.com
Ray - welfarepoets@verizon.net
www.welfarepoets.com
“Uninformed is the worst way to be unarmed.”
–The Media, Welfare Poets
RHYMES FOR TREASON
Welfare Poets Celebrate New Album
MAY 12TH @ REMY LOUNGE
104 Greenwich Street, Doors Open 9pm
$10 Admission
HOSTED BY: Flaco Navaja and Russell Shoatz III
PERFORMANCES BY: M – 1 of dead prez, Don Divino, Alkebulan, Yaya and Special Invited Guests
NEW YORK CITY, Spring, 2005 – Mind-Stirring! Inspirational! Heart-Thumping! The socio-political collective, the Welfare Poets have compiled a 14-track lyrical masterpiece entitled Rhymes for Treason. Following the release of their successful first album, Project Blues, in 2000, Rhymes for Treason promises once again to deliver transformative, thought-provoking lyrics with Afro-Caribbean beats, Hip Hop, funk and jazz.
Haiti, Vieques, Iraq, the current state of Hip Hop, and the role of the media in today’s society are only a few of the issues that have been given a voice in the new album. Rhymes for Treason is not only information and inspiration, charging America with hypocrisy in its brand of democracy and its attempts at capitalist globalization, but it is also an indictment on the continuing erosion of our civil liberties, evident in the passage of laws like the Patriot Act(s) and the Anti-Terrorism Bill. “Our work is to bring information and inspiration to the welfanos of the world living under a system where we don’t fare too well in order to collectively determine our shared future,” said the Welfare Poets.
On May 12, 2005, the Welfare Poets will celebrate their inaugural Rhymes for Treason release party at New York City’s Remy Lounge (104 Greenwich Avenue). Doors open at 9pm. Show starts at 10pm. Take the #1, #9, N or R train to Rector Street or the #4 or #5 trains to Wall Street. Other release dates include San Francisco (May 21), and Los Angeles (May 26). Don’t miss the new album or coming shows!
Most recently, the Welfare Poets performed at a tribute to Malcolm X, held at the Abyssinian Church in Harlem (New York City) on February 21, 2005, and at the Anti-War protest this past March 19th in Central Park, marking the 2nd anniversary of the US invasion of Iraq.
Sak Pasé
From its monumental revolution and establishment as the first free Black nation in the Western Hemisphere, to its current crisis, Sak Pasé is a cry for liberty and freedom for a nation that has contributed so much to the world; Haiti. The song is played in Cuban Cha Cha Cha with a touch of Hip Hop, with usage of Haitian Creole. Some terms used are Sak Pasé, Nag Bulé, Liberté a Ayiti translated to What’s up/Burning or I’m hot/Emancipate Haiti, respectively. Also mentioned is Bwa Kayman, the spiritual site in Haiti where Vodou Priest, Boukman held the ceremony that started the revolution in the 1790’s, which is still inspiring ideas of freedom and revolution in the minds of millions around the world.
The Media
Written before and after 9/11, The Media examines the role of the press, its relationship to multinational corporations and their desire to manufacture an illusory consensus. The epic poem connects the struggle to free Vieques (Puerto Rico), the genocide committed against the proud people of Palestine by the imperialist governments of both Israel and the United States, and the American occupation of Iraq. The Media was first performed at the historical “The World Says No to War” Rally in NYC on February 15, 2003 for a crowd of more than 500,000 protestors against the US’ illegal war in Iraq.
Rhyme For Reason
This song is another call for our modern day griots (Hip Hop emcees) to live up to the 5th principle of Hip Hop, which is Knowledge, Wisdom and Overstanding. It is also a show of force in the face of all our civil liberties being deprived due to the enactment of laws like the Patriot Act(s) and the Anti-Terrorist Bill. We boldly claim that we fight for the abolishment of this cruel system of capitalism as we attempt to expose the contradiction in America’s democracy and their continued plan to dominate the planet.
THE COLLECTIVE: Educators, Organizers and Performers
The Welfare Poets interpret indigenous forms of poetry and music, including Hip Hop, Bomba, Plena, Afro-Cuban Jazz, Funk, and Blues. Using the power of arts and culture, the Welfare Poets bring together people to realize the collective potential, and ultimately address social, political and economic issues critical to the survival of all communities. In addition to facilitating literacy workshops for students, parents and teachers, the Welfare Poets have joined and led campaigns for the Freedom of Political Prisoners, for the establishment of Cop Watch, Environmental Justice in NYC, Vieques, and fighting for human rights worldwide. They are also releasing an independent documentary about the death penalty due out the summer of 2005 called “Cruel and Unusual Punishment.”
The Welfare Poets are: Ray Ramirez (Rayzer Sharp – vocals, coro), Hector Rivera (HecOne - vocals, coro), Djibril Toure (bass, vocals), Jamaki Knight (drums, vocals), Emi (keyboards, trumpet, vocals, coro), Angel Rodriguez (congas, vocals, cuás, chékere), Jorge Vázquez (barriles, cuás, maracas, panderetas, güiro, congas, bongó, drums, coro), Fidel Paulino (guitars, coro), Kwami Coleman (keyboards, coro), Camilo Molina (barriles, panderetas, trumpet, drums), Elliot Cabrera (sax, coro) and Dahu Ala (trumpet, vocals).
