STEP UP TO THE PLATE
Jul 1, 2005 12:00 PM
Of the many good causes to get involved with, one of particular urgency is the AIDS crisis in Africa. Benefiting African children who have been orphaned by AIDS, reBOOT: Notes for the Next Generation (Om, 2005) is a CD championing the cause in a constructive way — literally. The proceeds from the comp, sponsored by NextAid and Om Records, will fund the building of a multipurpose center for the South African youth group Youth With a Vision (YWAV). Located in poverty-stricken township Dennilton, two hours from Johannesburg, the center will house 60 orphans and function as a learning center, focusing particularly on theater and music.
Eco-architect Joseph Kennedy teamed up with YWAV founder Cynthia Nkosi, NextAid founders Lauren Segal and Neil Feineman and Om Records' Chris Smith and Charlotte Tregoning to make the overall project a reality. Artists such as Thievery Corporation, Louie Vega, Miguel Migs, Kaskade and Mark Farina donated original (and mostly unreleased) tracks for the compilation.
“Based on the behavior of the powers that be and people in general, I'm beginning to think we should change the national animal from the springbok to the ostrich,” says Troye, a South African artist whose “Happy Times” is featured on reBOOT. “Everyone's got their heads in the sand, hoping someone else will deal with the problem. And I'm one of them. Poor people are the most severely affected by the AIDS epidemic because they are malnourished, under-informed and dealing with hectic social stigmas. All of these factors provide a perfect platform for the virus to make itself at home. Since the poorest of the poor are being left in the lurch, I've realized that it's up to every individual to take every opportunity to help: If you can help, you must help.”
For more information about the compilation and the cause — including release parties this summer in the U.S., Canada and South Africa — please check out www.nextaid.org or www.om-records.com.
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