Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Arizona's Hero: Queen YoNasDa I am soo thankful!!
http://www.azcentral.com/video/#/News/Hip+Hop+4+Haiti/40280768001/35150280001/68080246001
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
Broken treaties, broken promises
--Queen YoNasDa
Broken treaties, broken promises
Hip Hop 4 Haiti-Jan.30 "A Day of Observance" TESTIMONIALS ..WE MADE HISTORY!
From relieving the nation's debt to ensuring the continued supplies of natural resources, food, water and medicine to the people of Haiti, there is still much to be done. Now is the time where we must make that crucial transition from charity to justice. Here in America, we can and must organize around Haiti and with the people of Haiti. Imagine the precedent we have already set; over 30 events across the nation in the name of Hip Hop helping Haiti. Hip Hop 4 Haiti signifies a generation of young people organized and fighting together for a just cause during a devastated nation's most critical time of need; it is the epitome of fighting for justice by linking solidarity and dignity. Let's continue this fight, join www.hiphophelphaiti.org, create a profile, and show your continued commitment to Haiti's recovery. --Lauryn Nwankpa (Hip Hop Caucus)
FLINT, MICHIGAN
-By Arian Nicole Muhammad, key organizer
FLINT QUOTES
“The Hip Hop For Haiti event hosted by the Music Is Alive campaign was very moving and necessary. It was an inter-generational testament to community, change, and engagement. Through song, poetry, dance, and Hip Hop culture, we were connected to our sisters and brothers in Haiti and to each other.” - Natasha Thomas-Jackson of RAISE IT UP! Youth Arts and Awareness
“I was honored to work with the Nation of Islam..’nuff respect’ due to them and all the hip hop artists I played alongside of. It was fun and I was amped to play the joints I love especially the ones I never get to rotate on the norm. i.e. Brand Nubian, Arrested Development, Rakim Allah, The Gravediggaz and others. I was mad proud to rep hip-hop, mexicanos, flintown, and the Nation.” Dj Eduardo Scissorhands
“Last night’s event was inspiring, it was heartwarming, it was touching. It was one of the most beautiful showing of support of the hip hop community of Flint, MI and I hope and pray that we can do many, many more.” Brother Tremikus of The Peace Keepers of Flint
WASHINGTON DC
"When I found out about Haiti I was devastated and wanted to do something. I woke up and began to think "What can I do, What can I do?" So I called my PR and told her that I wanted to put together an event for Haiti. So I just began to talk about what I wanted to do for Haiti on Twitter and Facebook, and that's when the further inspiration came. So many Artist began to reach out which led me to put together a Hip Hop Showcase for Haiti. I told Natasha let's call it Hip Hop 4 Haiti. In two hours we had gathered a venue and 22 confirmed Artist including DC Don Juan, Bear Witnez!, Whitefolkz, Kingpen Slim and many more! The show was held on Jan. 16th at Pasha Lounge and very successful we raised almost $800. We donated all of the money to Yele Haiti!" -Sherrella La Bella (CEO & Founder HONEYCOMB SET, LLC)
tool to get educate and get people involved in social isses. Here in Washington I was able to work with 3 organizer (2 of whom I
never met) and organize HIpHop4Haiti in the nations captial. I was inspired by my fellow organizer commitment to put on great event to get donations of clothing and medical supplies to Haiti.With only a week to organize a huge event here we each put our
connections together.It was a time consuming task locating venues, getting a roster of artist together, getting the word out to community.Ju,Sherell, and Natasha and I. really got. This runing and we put finishing touches four days left before January 30th. It was very important for us to have a good event being this headquaters for national policies.Radio personalities, community leaders, all got involved in helping us promote the show.The Hip-Hop community here really coming together. Some of DC Best
Djs, Artist, and promoters took active role in promoting the show. These performers took their time out to particpate in this event which no one would paid for their services. I feel honored to have been off movement by Hip-Hop that really contributing to helping haiti. Haiti an important to African Dispora and glad our music is a small means to assit them in recovery.
I would like to thank Queen Yonasda for push to having this event in DC a place important for african americans and policies.
Thank you to JU,Sherella,Ntasha for taking time out to make this a success. Thank you to all the artist. Artist like him Hott, Dashah who where still willing drive down in snow from NY to perform. Artist like Bearwitness and Jae Mills who engaged the community to come and support the event.Dj CeeDee thank you for volunteer to DJ the event."- Seven williams (Washington DC Key Organizer)
"In times of great human need, providing ANY relief seems angelic. So I'm honored to share what is God-given."- BEAR WITNEZ!
"Sherrella we really appreciate all that you and Natasha have done, this tragedy has me so heart-broken and it is taking everything in me to not go crazy, but when we have people like you all that want to help it gives me hope that everything in my home will be okay" - Othniel Alphonse
PITTSBURG,PA
"I have been in the entertainment industry for 15 years and have had the opportunity to work with a wide range of artists. From Jazz & Hip Hop to Neo-Soul. As the world watched in horror at the aftermath of the earthquake that destroyed much of Haiti I cried wondering how my friends and their families could have survived such a tragedy. Haiti has always been my adoptive country. When I heard the call from Sister Yonasda I was immediately on board. However like my beloved Sister I did not think it would be such a huge movement. The journey to the closing stages was a learning experience that has sparked a spirit of motion in my heart. Hip Hop 4 Haiti- Pittsburgh was a success because of the many small acts of generosity from average everyday people. Who wanted to be a part of something bigger than themselves. The thought of how to put together a show in such a short time was somewhat intimidating to me. But the network of people that pulled together helped to push a vision into a reality. I then stepped out on faith and starting calling people that I knew and before I knew it calls began to flood my phone. There was a challenge to find a venue on the chosen date as many venues were booked solid. A library in a community that has been viewed as the center of the city had a newly renovated auditorium that was available and was given to us for half of the market rate. The obstacles I experienced were other parties that were using the theme of giving back to Haiti. It turned into a tag line instead of an opportunity to help our Haitian brothers and sisters. We were also blessed to meet Dr Leon Pamphile who is the President of FLM (Functional Literacy Ministry of Haiti) a 26 year non-profit organization with a rich history of medical and educational support for the country of Haiti. He graciously accepted the offer to speak at our event. This is when I think we all agreed that we were going to be successful . My mother-in-law sponsored the event by purchasing the flyers. My husband became my tech guy and my son helped with babysitting. So it was a family affair. The streaming hook up went well during the program, however we lost sound and were not aware until someone called us to inform us that we had audio problems. We ended up with approximately 20 artists signed up that day to perform. And the highlight of the evening was a performance by surprise guest Brother J from the X-Clan. The auditorium was packed. We received a wide range of donated items and some people also gave a monetary donation in lieu of physical donation. I want to thank Sister Yonasda for allowing us to share in her vision of unity and love for the country of Haiti. I also want to thank Bootsy Entertainment,360 Entertainment , Domestic Goddess International,Soul Pitt, Brotha Ash, Toro’s Bar & Grill, Dj Schizo, Dj Matt G, Adam Smith and Carnegie Library Homewood for their support in this spectacular benefit for Haiti.- GeAnita Smith (Pittsburg, PA Key Organizer for Hip Hop 4 HAITI)
And thanks to Honey Management for throwing the event and Rampage the Last Boyscout for blessing us with his presence
and a special thanks to everyone that came and supported. We all know that its bigger than us" -Sekou Evans(Mr. President)
"Hello, My name is Charlene Thomas and I am a Training Consultant and Motivational speaker, I was asked to speak at the Hip Hop for Haiti event hosted by Brian Newton. It was truly my pleasure to give my time and talent for such a worthy cause. I was majorly impressed by the sheer determination of Mr.Newton as he worked hard with little resources to make this event successful. A disaster of such proportion takes not only one country but many countries to lend their time and talent to help to rebuild the devastation that is of such a huge catastrophe. I have been enlightened on what can be done by a few with little to no resources. I am very happy to have been asked to be a part of this event and will surely help again in the future. " - Charlene Thomas
"Hello my name is Anwar Brownlee. I am a 28 year old preschool teacher. I was blessed to be able to participate in the Hip Hop for Haiti charity basketball game. It was truly a great experience to see people from the community come together to help touch the lives of the victims from the earthquake in Haiti. I pray that more efforts will go forth to help the victims of this tragic event, but it is great to be able to serve to some capacity. There is a lot more work to be done but an event such as the Hip Hop for Haiti charity basketball event is not only bringing together our community but it is changing the world. " Anwar Brownlee
“As the death toll escalated by the day in Haiti, being an activist, I knew a movement had to manifest here in the states in support of our Haitian brothers and sisters. My counterparts at the International Youth Organization and I was scrambling for ideas under the “Got Love 4 Haiti” concept we have, when mind detecting mind, visionary, Queen Yonasda sent a timely email that extended to me organizing Hip Hop 4 Haiti in New Jersey. I immediately thought of engaging our youth and secured the venue at Central High School in Newark. Challenged with resources on such short notice, friends and family voltroned together and the next thing I knew, Tame-One (Artifacts), Rah Digga (Flipmode), DoitAll Dupre (Lords of the Underground), Taalam Acey and a host of New Jerusalem’s finest artists were all confirmed. And so the baby, Hip Hop 4 Haiti, New Jersey was a healthy and successful birth." SeeAsia (Hip Hop 4 Haiti Key Organizer) New Jersey ARTIST QUOTES “NEVER AGAIN…..EVER” – Tame One of the Artifacts (Because of time constraints, Tame wasn’t able to perform. He has an appreciation dinner coming to him) “Peace Queen! Thank you for stepping in for me and making sure the sisters' voices were heard. You had a lot on your hands. Love You, Peace” – Jael Divine, Femcee “The talent in that dressing room was over a billion bucks!! Shouts again to Dada Funk, Rah Digga, Loose Cannon, Drift, Billy Roadz, Tame-One, Papi Storz, DoitAll, Big Snuff, ROC, Producer P, Tai Greene, Kurt & Jah Jah - ShadesRadio.Com, Big Sev - Newark Illustrated & Much Respect to SeeAsia for putting the event together on short notice.” - Anthony Johnson, Management of Loose Cannon, Ruff Ryders PROVIDENCE,RHODE ISLAND "Today in Providence, RI, we accomplished the feat of holding our Hip Hop 4 Haiti event in spite of all the challenges that faced us in the beginning. When YoNasDa approached me about spear heading the movement in RI I felt honored. I anticipated there would be some challenges, but was ready to take on each and every one that came my way. Later that day I spoke to YoNasDa about the challenges I had already encountered and she encouraged me and gave me the reassurance I needed. After a few failed attempts to build with other people around the region to assist me with the event, a good friend of mine Calvin Anderson stepped up and was ready to take on the responsibility of helping with the event. We worked for the next few days on reserving a venue and locking in our artists. With many failed attempts we finally were able to accomplish this with hard team work we managed to lock in the Comedy Connection in East Providence, RI for the event. Our list of performers and volunteers immediately grew. Our DJ, Fred da Great- who is by far the busiest DJ in RI, took his only afternoon off to spend with us and spin at our event at no charge and for this we were truly grateful. Our event was held today Sunday, January 31st and I was honored to be a part of it. Every single person who participated helped promote and also brought donations and gave their performances their all. We were so overwhelmed with clothing and food donations and we were able to bring them to a local church, who at the time was loading a tractor trailer to transport all the donations they had collected along with ours. We were also able to raise a good amount of money which was donated directly to Yele. A lot of our performers were actually Haitian and many have missing family members and have also lost family members. Though they were sad they held their heads high and were proud to be a part of the event to be able to help others in their country. We had MC’s, B Boy’s n B Girls, Poets and a phenomenal DJ. It was a beautiful experience for me to be able to take my 11 year old son with me and show him how very important it is to give to those who need it when we can. My son heard the story of how children in Haiti eat “dirt cookies” because they can’t afford real ones, and they are made out of mud, oil and water. My son said, “Ma can we please go to the market when we leave here, I want to use my allowance to buy cookies for those poor kids”. This broke my heart, but also showed me that my son learned something today. Something that I hope all of us have learned through this. Below are some quotes from some of the artists who performed at our event today…"- Michelle Marciano “Hip Hop is more than a culture, it’s a way of life. A way to turn emotions into pictures. A way to bring different types of people from different walks of life together.” – Hovadomus “It was a successful and unselfish event that brought together Rhode Island’s great talents to one stage for a great cause that promoted positivity and hope for Haiti. We were excited and honored to be a part of it.” – Case Closed “If you think you have it bad, look down, not up.” –Yunus “Don’t take simple every day things for granted, a hug from your child, a call from your loved ones, a laugh with your friends, the job you may hate. Anything can change in the blink of an eye and it can all be gone” - Shell WILMINGTON,DELAWARE, Hip Hop 4 Haiti, Urban Avenue in Wilmington, Delaware "I’ve never been so proud of an event we put together. Of course it was nerve wrecking to know we only had a week and a half to pull together not just any event but one that was meaningful and full of volunteering efforts. But when Grouchy Greg forwarded me the email about the event, we knew we had to make it happen! Day 1, I didn’t receive the response I expected from people, but by day 2 my phone was ringing off the hook with volunteers from photography to video to making food to advertising the event on their radio station. I am so proud of my community, they truly surprised and encouraged us with how everyone came together so quickly and diligently to help the people of Haiti in the way we could. From the bottom of my heart, I say thank you to everyone who helped create Hip Hop 4 Haiti. " --Aisha Simona Word- Founder/CEO of Sophistication Defined (SophDef) Delaware Quotes "When I received the phone call from Aisha Word about the Hip Hop 4 Haiti event. I immediately said, “Yes Mam, I would love to give my time & support for this”. I was the photographer for this event and felt honored to capture the essence of the people coming to support. Delaware really came together for this event and I know the clothes, medical supplies, & food will have a great impact for the people in Haiti."
-Andre’ Wright Jr. "Celebrity Photographer" ATLANTA,GA "First Off, Thanks for letting Atlanta be a part of this, we had great amounts of support from the Venues: Icon Lounge and Club Sub Zero. The Sponsors were quick to come on board and support the event. thanks to TakeoneATL.com, Black Sea Media Group, The Alliance The W.E.M.A.D. Foundation. "-Big Head (Stunna Liquer/ Key Organizer) PHOENIX,AZ "Yonasda called me and said she wanted to do something for Haiti like a Hip Hop 4 Haiti Day and I told her I thought it was a great idea. She said asked if Therman and I would help her and I said “Absolutely, what do you need me to do”. We went to work to get artists to participant, I asked City of Phoenix Councilman Michael E. Johnson if he wanted to be a part of this event and he said yes along with Student Minister Charles Muhammad of Muhammad Mosque #32. Therman was able to get a stage company, sound engineer and many performers to participate. Yonasda went to work to get other cities involved and like a snowball effect, cities where being added daily. Yonasda asked Pastor & Lady Cooper of Dominion Harvest Church if we could have the event in their church parking lot and they graciously said yes. This grew into a national event in a matter of days. We had 62 performers, some which included Willy Northpole, Sleepless Souljaz (Haitian Group), Sis. Connie Muhammad, Divine Hands, poet Wisdom Soul as well as so many of Arizona’s finest B Boys, DJ’s, Hip Hop and R&B artists and guest speakers. There were several community members that donated non-perishable food, clothes and other items. A considerable amount of volunteers organized and packaged items for 6 hours. We filled two large trucks and one 15 passenger van with boxes. Those items were given to CS Sanctuary LLC Haitian Church to be shipped directly to Haiti. Pastor Shella of CS Sanctuary was overjoyed by the gesture of generosity shown by this community. This was one of the most heartfelt events we have ever had to coordinate. "-Therman & Dorrana Muhammad, co-organizers "Saturday I witnessed unity at finest. Hip Hop 4 Haiti was a historic event that unified ages, races, religions both locally and across the nation with the purpose of sending donations to Haiti. What started as a small charity event turned in a festival. I became involved with Hip Hop 4 Haiti in order to spread the word in Arizona and I met so many wonderful people during this process. Together we created an event that became bigger than everyone involved.The talent that performed was outstanding and so many donations we made that day. One day those donations will help replace what was lost to one of the victims of the earthquake. Even as small part of Hip Hop 4 Haiti I am grateful that i was able to contribute what i could for such a noble cause." -Simone (Phx Finest Company) "It started with a text message from the brain child of this event Yonasda Lonewolf. I remember calling her about the text I had forward to all my contacts and how everyone was confused about the dates and times of a shoot for a commercial that was to be done at the MLK March here in Phoenix, AZ for this event that would take place Jan. 30, 2010. I then had got the details on the event and automatically thought to myself on how can I help and be a part of this event. With no thought to it I contacted a friend, Jassy The Radio Princess, whom works for the local radio station 101.5 JamZ , to see if they could help in anyway! Well they did! They stepped up and helped out on this event! Also another good friend that is a promoter (Simone with PhxFinest) stepped up to the plate and helped out a lot. Next thing you know I was fully involved with Hip Hop 4 Haiti. Between getting the word out for this event and trying to get everything accomplished from what was asked of me from several people, I stepped out of my life for this short period of time to help out. I remember one day saying to my sister that I hadn't ate for 3 days. But it was nothing! I knew that this was for a good cause. And on Jan. 30, 2009 I finally saw what its was all for. It brings me to tears that one woman's vision came to life! Not for fame, but for the goodness that is in her heart, spirit, and soul to help out others that are in need. My little spiritual sister (Queen YoNasDa) has inspired me! She has motivated me! I am blessed to have been apart of this event and would do it again any day! I am so proud of Arizona for such a great turn out and the support and love everyone showed that day. This is what HIP HOP is! It's universal, and I am proud to be part of such a diverse community! I have been touched in a way I can't explain. THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU! - Melissa Ayala (volunteer) Phoenix, AZ Quotes:
HOUSTON,TX “As soon as I got the word via Twitter from Queen Yonasda about the National Hip Hop 4 Haiti Day, I asked her if Houston was on board yet. When she replied “no”, without hesitation I accepted the challenge to organize our city’s gathering in a little over a week. I called upon Krystal Muhammad of the newly formed Black Cross Relief Initiative and she offered their facility as the hosting venue. She and I invited several artists to come perform and nobody turned us down. We promoted via Internet and in the streets. The show included K-Rino, 144 Elite, David Sha, spoken word artists and even a guest appearance by Hip Hop legend Willie D of the Geto Boys. Sisters prepared Haitian style vegetarian dishes, a Texas Southern University radio show host was the deejay, and the people donated medical supplies, toiletries and monies towards local relief efforts for our people in Haiti. Everyone donated their efforts. Without unity we could not have pulled this off.”- Bro.Jesse Muhammad (Hip Hop 4 HAITI Key Organizer) HOUSTON QUOTES “This Hip Hop 4 Haiti day is all about giving back. This is what we do. Anytime you have a situation like the one in Haiti with people dying and in dire need, you just reach out. It’s nothing to think about,” said Willie D of the Geto Boys. “Black people in America has suffered so much in this country that it is only natural that we want to help our people in Haiti. It won’t end here today, we will keep this effort going,” said rapper K-Rino. “This was an important event because we need an entity like The Black Cross headed by Krystal Muhammad. Also we as a people need to understand the history of Haiti and why its in that condition. We need to support Haiti,” said Brother Omowale of the National Black United Front. Costa Rica "July 12th our colleague Timote Georges was in Port Au Prince. He survived the 7.0 earthquake at the loss of several family members. Since the event we have consulted with the Haitian Lawyers Leadership Network, collaborating with Timote and the Haitian NGO Infinite Way. Timote's reports will also be presented to university students, staff and faculty. Beneath the moon on January 30th, our stage was set at la Casa de la Cultura en Ciudad Colon, Costa Rica. Saylove warmed the crowd with old school breaks and latin grooves while Ramiro "Miro" Barriga (Bolivian born B-Boy) demonstrated the element of b-boying for our gathering locals and international colleagues. Next up, Ali "Kipaza" (Kenyan born emcee) blazed the stage with his own Swang. (Swahili-English- Jesaka Earth Saylove (Peace Educator, Artist, Activist) Costa Rica Quotes "Youth united for a human cause is to see a new morning for humanity." -Miro Ramiro "Miro" Barriga is an international lawyer and B-Boy who has organized dance programs for youth gangs in Bolivia, Peru and Chile. He advocates for indigenous populations in Central America, and is presently working for the Center for Justice and International Law (CEJIL) while completing his MA In International Law and Human Rights at the UN Mandated University for Peace. "All humankind has one blood and one love for Haiti." -Kipaza Ali Franklin "Kipaza" Murianki is a Kenyan born emcee who is part of the group Mobile R.E.B.E.L.S. Ali is a Protections Clerk for The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Kakuma, Kenya, as well as the Director of Chokosh International, an NGO concerned with street youth. Ali is presently completing his MA In International Peace Studies at the UN Mandated University for Peace. PORTLAND, MAINE "Peace, Though I was organizing the event in Ciudad Colon, Costa Rica, I was inspired to reach out to my people in Portland, Maine for the cause. Dominic D'Allesio III Founder of Evolve 2 Advance was the first person who came to mind. The Arm Factory is a screen printing warehouse on Anderson, Street in Portland, Maine. There graffitti artists and other artists exhibit their unique work. This is the physical location associated with Evolve 2 Advance, a grassroots organization that utilizes the arts to affect the greatest change for earth and all humanity. Naturally, The Arm Factory became the location of Hip Hop 4 Haiti, Portland, Maine. Admittedly, it was difficult to reach my key contacts in order to get everyone on board due to my own busy schedule a far. However (inevitably) Portland, Maine rose to the occasion as it continues to show and prove. Portland's Crew Sand Bag supported the event at the drop of a dime. "Basically it was an important cause and we couldn't pass it up," Shupe conveyed. Sand Bag consists of Ill By Instinct, Shupe, Pensivv and Doc Joshua. They brought out their turn tables, beats, rhymes and hosted an open mic as they so comfortably do. Food, clothing and other donations were gathered. People came through. I am sincerely grateful for the work that Evolve 2 Advance, The Arm Factory and Sand Bag put into this event. Perhaps we can arrange an HH4H event on a larger scale when I am able to make the date!" - Evolve 2 Advance and Saylove CHICAGO,IL "Let me start by giving thanks to a God that doesn't give small blessings. I am so honored to have been able to participate in such a tremendous effort as the National Hip Hop 4 Haiti Food & Clothes Drive. Thank you for giving myself and Angela along with all of the volunteers and performers the chance to represent Chicago in such a positive manner. This has truly been a labor of love, when I first contacted you Yonasda I was under the impression that I would just be collecting some food and clothes from friends and family, HOWEVER, our God had something else in mind, as others in the area reached out to you, you in turn sent them to me this led to some wonderful friendships being made and some old friends being found. Let's not mention the need to dig out some old skills of networking and event planning ! With the combined efforts of all involved we collected about 50 or more boxes of clothing and food. The volunteers were so wonderful that they sorted the clothing by gender and weather, as well as assisted in the drop off of these items ! There is no way we could have done this without the help of the following: God, Queen Yonasda Lonewolf, Angela Magee, Christophers House of Hope, Dream Foundation, Power Teens, New Life Movement, RPE/SMM, Nyatu Marvel, Race, Alexander Davis , ALL OF OUR WONDERFUL VOLUNTEERS and the Chicago South Loop Hotel ! Our performers and speakers included: Congressman Danny K. Davis,Dr. Murphy of the Life Movement,Bro. Stephen Muhammad,Twone Gabz, Marzo,Robert Allen,J Noise,Chi West,Yung Vet & Six Fo,Kurt Lewie,Nu Nu & Hershey,Chi West,In tha Go,Circle of Royalty, I truly hope I haven't forgotten anyone if I did it wasn't intentional"- Toya Smart ( Key Organizer for Hip Hop 4 HAITI- Chicago,IL) NEW YORK CITY, NYC "The magic of HH4H NYC has to be found in its volunteers. We were blessed with over 25 young people ranging from ages 8 to 21 from various different schools and boroughs throughout the city the majority of which were facilitated by Lanell Gardenhire of buildOn a Not-for-profit based here in NYC. These kids were fired up and READY TO GO! Responsible, level headed, and enthusiastic about having a purposeful assignment , these young people were assigned to various key people in NYOIL’s (NYC’s Lead Organizer) team. The beauty of HH4H NYC must be found with the core team of Lynx Garcia, Pat-ra Africa (NIA), Ms. Shani (Stilettos and sounds pr), and Oveta Clinton (the ELAN group) who selflessly sacrificed their time skill sets and money to help make HH4H NYC a successful event. Juggling jobs families and finances, deprived of sleep, and in some cases learning while they were going along, these women maintained a positive energy throughout the event that was quite frankly ‘SAINTLY’ With artist ranging from Sugar Hill Gang, Styles P, Naughty By Nature, Emilio Rojas, Esso, Supa Nova Slom, Dj Flipside, Drag-on, Do-it-all, and many many many more the nights entertainment was incredible. The artist were all humble to the larger cause of Haiti and stayed focused on the real reason we had all assembled, I cannot say enough how gracious and patient they were with the young staff working to accommodate their efforts.We cannot talk about HH4H without talking about the sponsors that made it possible. Brothers Care Inc., P.E.M.G., DJ GreenArrow, AllHipHop.com, Hoodlifemovement, the National Black Theater of Harlem. Our thanks and love go out to the RBG movement, and the NBPP for providing the security for the event. And no discussion about HH4H NYC would be complete without thanking the audience for their attendance, energy, and donations. It was an incredible night that left everyone asking what’s next?!? " -NY Oil ( Rap Artist/Activist/Key Organizer Hip Hop 4 Haiti-NYC) "It was a honor to be the main dj for the NY HipHop4Haiti event. I was able to DJ for Saigon, Styles P, NYOIL, Sav Killz, Poison Pen, Math Hoffa, Emilio Rojas and many more. Artists from the 1st generation to the newest upcoming cats performed and tore it down! 30+ years of hip-hop was in the building. I'm just proud to be able to provide my time and equipment to the cause and at the same time see my culture (Hip-Hop) stand up and help the people of Haiti"- DJ-JRONIN |
Who is Queen YoNasDa
Queen YoNasDa
pronounced Yo-Naja-Ha
No Nation Can Rise Higher Than It's Woman," is a saying that breathes truth. Queen YoNasDa epitomizes this energy as a hip hop artist, curator, and activist. Without a doubt, there is an imbalance occurring in hip hop where female emcees have been silenced. Her strong presence is bringing femcees with a message back to the forefront of music as the days of Queen Latifah and Lauryn Hill with a modern twist. Her musical style encompasses an eclectic mix of wisdom, grooves, catchy hooks, and is sure to reach the masses.
Queen Yonasda has driven herself in the industry beginning choreographing for BET's own Teen Summit, Planet Groove and Soundstage to opening nationally on the Wu Tang Clan 8 Diagrams Tour (Winter 2008-2009). Along the way she has performed with many other artists from Lloyd, Ginuwine,Method Man & Redman, Jurassic 5, Christina Aguilera & Many more. She has appeared on various mixtapes and albums (Flip Ya Wigs Compilation, Kanye West presents Malik Yusef "G.O.O.D Morning-G.O.O.D Night" 2009, 2006 Wu South Mixtape, 2006) & artists albums Cappadonna "The Transition," Shaka Amazulu the 7th –Debut (UK artist), Atllas "Hunger & Starvation", and completing her own debut album God, Love & Music (Released October 2009). Also look for her single Pow Wow" in the Empire Films movie "Diamond Dawgs: Code 487".
Most recently, Queen YoNasDa just completed her first national co-headlining tour with Wu Tang Clan's Raekwon alongside Capone N Noreaga "Built For Cuban Linx 2 Tour" (Nov.13-Dec 19,2009). She performed songs from her highly respected album "God. Love & Music" that hit retail/ digital stores internationally October 27, 2009.
"I'm not here to beat people in the head with a sermon, I'm here to tell the truth," she eludes. This lyrical queen has released her debut album independently with Supa Music/Kingz N Queenz/101 Distribution, "God.Love and Music" featuring Cappadonna, Dr. Ben Chavis Muhammad, Keith Murray, M-Eighty and others with production by Cookin Soul, New York West, CR Productions, K-Boog and others. She speaks and performs across the United States promoting unity, education and respect for all cultures. With roots reaching back to Native American tradition and the Nation of Islam, where her mother, a Lakota (Sioux) and her father, a hustler and a fine artist hailing from Brooklyn, this queen knows the blues all to well, but never let it dampen her spirits.
As a young child YoNasDa stood by her mother's and grandfather Minister Louis Farrakhan, side speaking to the hip hop nation. She remembered when he uttered "one of a rapper's songs is equivalent to five of his speeches." As an emcee, YoNasDa is living proof. She takes her responsibility seriously by using her music as a mouth piece to educate and uplift young people. As a mother she sees what music can do and understands the power of the spoken word. YoNasDa has a mission and is going full throttle. She is the national director for the Indigenous Nations Alliance-Millions More Movement. This truth-teller is a published writer who has a weekly column in the Final Call Newspaper and is now bringing her artistry to the world. She most recently founded a national movement called "Hip Hop 4 HAITI" which was a national fundraising event on Jan.30,2010 with over 32 cities in collaboration with the Hip Hop Caucus.To YoNasDa "Queen" is not just a word, it is a calling and she's rising to the occasion.
For booking inquiries/interviews you can contact