Pussy Riot is Free, But Their Fight is Far From Over

After months of international protests, intervention from global amnesty groups, and outcries from fans, Maria “Masha” Alyokhina and Nadezhda “Nadya” Tolokonnikova, a.k.a. Pussy Riot, were released from prison at the end of December. Pussy Riot, a Russian, feminist-influenced punk rock band, were originally arrested in March, 2012 for a controversial public performance on the steps of a Russian church. Now that Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova are free, they are continuing to spread the word in hopes of reforming Russia’s oppressive laws.

According to NPR, “Members of the punk protest band Pussy Riot were just released from jail after spending nearly two years in a penal colony for a controversial performance at a Moscow church in 2012, but they are far from done fighting,” of the band’s unflinching attitude towards achieving justice and equal rights in their home country. Since their release Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova have spent time traveling the world, visiting prisons to gain insights towards improving Russia’s prison system.

Enlightened by their time spent in a harsh prison environment, and empowered by the international fans that have followed their story for years, Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova are on a mission to raise awareness about injustices that face prisoners. “What we’d like is for other people who have this same kind of microphone – this celebrity – to stand up [for the disenfranchised] too,” says Alyokhina. The young women’s work as activists is far from over; it would appear that they are merely taking a different approach. Rather than retreat to quiet lives after their prison release, Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova are bolding standing against human rights injustices, learning, traveling, and spreading the word.

And what about Pussy Riot? Will Alyokhina and Tolokonnikova still be creating music? The two explain that Pussy Riot is more of an activist movement, rather than a band that credits its individual artists. As Tolokonnikova explains, “Pussy Riot can be anyone, and no one can be excluded from Pussy Riot […] Pussy Riot can only grow.”

Learn more about Pussy Riot’s activism and story on NPR.

Fela Kuti’s Legacy Renewed in New Biopic

During his life, Olufela Olusegun Oludotun Ransome-Kuti, most known as Fela Kuti, or Fela, was a visionary within the music industry. A fascinating public figure, the musician and political activist has continued to captivate people even since his 1997 death. There have been biographies written about Fela Kuti, films made, and even a Broadway musical honoring his message and the legacy he left behind. Now, a new biopic about the iconic performer and human rights activist is in the works.

Fela Kuti was a Nigerian multi-instrumentalist musician and composer, who is most known for his creation of the Afrobeat genre, something he gave name to and infused with political messages throughout his career. Afrobeat is a complex fusion of jazz, funk, psychedelic rock, and traditional West African chants and beats – Fela’s version of the genre resulted in energetic, instrumentally complex songs with repeated, groovy riffs, strong percussion, and a focus on vocals. Fela’s songs were primarily sung in Nigerian pidgin English, and he rotated between playing the saxophone, keyboards, trumpet, electric guitar, and drums.

One of the reason’s that Fela Kuti has remained such a significant and fascinating figure is because of the weight that both his art, and his activism carried, especially when intersecting. His music was his best political weapon; it allowed him to successfully transmit messages to his audience about freedom, equality, and social justice. Fela was also famously nonconforming to music industry standards. Biographical author Carlos Moore explains, “Fela refused to bow to the music industry’s preference for 3-minute tracks, nor did he buckle under entreaties to moderate his overwhelmingly political lyrics. He went down in 1997 still railing against the consumerist gimmicks that taint pop music, with the aim, he felt, of promoting and imposing homogeneous aesthetic standards worldwide, thereby inducing passivity.”

With such a tenacious and passionate spirit, it’s no wonder that this incredible figure has garnered so much attention throughout, and even after his life. The newest Fela Kuti film will be a biopic based off of Michael Veal’s 2000 book, “Fela: The Life and Times of An African Musical Icon,” which Nigerian poet Chris Abani is helping to draft into a motion picture screenplay.

Stay posted for more news about the film’s production progress!

Image: Marta Medel via Flickr CC

How Mary Lambert Continues to Steal the Show

As predicted, this year’s MTV Video Music Awards were everything we could have ever hoped for (and some things we didn’t hope for, courtesy of Miley Cyrus’ tongue). There were long-awaited reunions, such as the highly anticipated live performance from ‘NSync, over-the-top fashion choices, racy and jaw-dropping numbers performed by the likes of ahem, Ms. Cyrus, and a whole lot of love for the best music videos of the year.

Everyone predicted that Macklemore and Ryan Lewis would take home the Moon Man for “Best Video with a Social Message” for their song “Same Love,” but few imagined the impact that up-and-coming songbird Mary Lambert would have on the music industry. Lambert is the female cameo part who sings the profoundly touching chorus in “Same Love,” and her performance at the VMAs was truly one of the highlights of the evening. Through exposure from the now famous song, which many consider to be a sort of “LGBT anthem,” Lambert has also become an important gay rights activist and supporter within the music industry.

After “Same Love” was released, the singer produced an extended version of Macklemore’s political pro-gay song called “She Keeps Me Warm.” Lambert’s version is a more in-depth look at a lesbian love story, a sweet glimpse at a relationship beginning to unfold. Her beautiful vocals paired with an important message about love and equality is what will make Lambert’s music career endure and excel far beyond her famous cameo on “Same Love.” The singer has now breached multiple genres while unobtrusively singing about human relationships and the importance of justice for LGBT people whose love is, as everyone participating in and watching the VMAs can agree, the same.

About being gay, and an artist, Lambert says, “I think that when you’re gay and you’re in a gay relationship, it’s inherently political whether you want it to be or not. You’re creating music; you’re writing from your experience; and if your experience is being in the gay community, that’s going to affect the way you write. So whether or not you want to be a gay artist or not, you’re going to be a gay artist. It’s just, whether you want to be an activist or not.” Lambert has definitely become a prominent gay rights activist, and a role model to those her music reaches. The music industry, as well as the LGBT community, is lucky to have her. 

Images: marylambertsing via Instagram

FLOTUS Collaborates on New Hip-Hop Album for Kids

 

First Lady Michelle Obama is known for being an activist for many causes. First Ladies typically carry out a political agenda of their own while their husbands are in office, and over the last five years Michelle has worked to improve education, bolster employment rates, and perhaps most notably, made efforts to tackle the challenges of childhood obesity as a national epidemic. 

Her latest work to improve the wellness of American children involves an unexpected tool to channel her message: a hip-hop album. That’s right, the First Lady is helping put together a full-length hip-hop record, one that was conceptualized as a means to inspire healthy living. According to Pitchfork, Mrs. Obama has collaborated with the organizations Partnership for a Healthier America, as well as Hip Hop Public Health to release an album called Songs for a Healthier America. The public health-inspired album is part of the First Lady’s continual efforts to curb childhood obesity, and contains nearly twenty songs that feature music industry heavyweights. Creating a socially conscious health-centric album seems easy when you’re as well connected as Michelle Obama.

According to The White House Administration, “When people first ask First Lady Michelle Obama to describe herself, she doesn’t hesitate to say that first and foremost, she is Malia and Sasha’s mom,” a part of her identity which certainly influences her goals as First Lady. A mother to two young girls, childhood obesity is an issue that Mrs. Obama has been exposed to first hand in her work with youth. It’s excellent that she is able to use her connections to inspire changes in health and wellness in a creative way.

Songs for a Healthier America will feature recognizable artists such as Ashanti, Jordin Sparks, DMC of Run DMC, Matisyahu, Ariana Grande, and Travis Barker, among others. Some of the song titles include “We like Vegetables,” “Veggie Luv,” and “U R What You Eat,” and all encourage healthy eating and exercise for children. While Mrs. Obama won’t be singing on any of the album tracks, she is reported to make cameos in upcoming music videos. 

Image 1: Barack Obama via Flickr

Image 2: michelleobama via Instagram