Roy Ayers & Fela Kuti take us to the center of the world. We follow with young, black woman song from Tori Tobin, ArinMaya, AAries, and K. Michelle. And we end up with a fantastic, gigantic Fela Kuti tribute blowout featuring J. Period & K’Naan, Mixmaster Mike, Michael Jackson, Gangbe Brass Band, Common, Rad., G-Do & Xception, Fela Broadway Cast, Meshell Ndegeocello, Bilal, Talib Kweli, Dead Prez, J. Ben, Art Ensemble of Chicago, Bugz In The Attic featuring Wunmi, Yerba Buena, Sade, Hugh Masekela, Somi, Afrodisiac Sound System, D’Angelo, Femi Kuti, Macy Gray, Nicholas Payton, and Simphiwe Dana! Let the congregation say: Ashé.
We all know the statistics: more black men in prison than in college; well over half of all black households headed by single women. There’s more bad news but we are all too familiar with that. There is no need to whip that dead mule. Besides most of us are just looking for a little relief, and thus we turn to entertainment if not to take our minds off our problems, then at least to have a brief respite of fun and dancing.
Yeah, yeah, we know. A song is not going to change our conditions but a well sung song can make the load a little easier to bear. Consider these lyrics as modern day work songs, because for sure, making a relationship work is hard work—hard, hard, real hard work.
—kalamu ya salaam