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Goapele goes black and white for the sensual politics of “Play” from the forthcoming Break of Dawn.

Bay area based ingenue’ Goapele, one of the most alluring and powerful voices of our time, has just released the new single “Play”, with a video to follow next week. The song sees its release through Skyblaze Recordings/Decon via iTunes as the lead single from her forthcoming full length Break of Dawn, due later this Fall. Goapele joined her own Skyblaze Recordings with New York based indie Decon for the single’s release, marking a return to her indie roots after joining forces with Sony Music for her 2006 release, Change it All.

“Play” was written by Goapele with production by Oakland based duo Electric Thunderbolt. It’s a soulful, sexy downtempo cut with elements of electronica bubbling to the surface. The forthcoming video, directed by John Mazyck and Daveed of Detail Shoppe, was shot in a graphic black and white, showcasing Goapele in a glamorous, high fashion setting that is both evocative and sensual. The single offers just a taste of the musical feast Goapele will offer later this year when her new full length Break of Dawn sees release. Like previous efforts, her fans can expect a testimony driven, soulful record filled with poignant words of passion and substance.

Goapele captivated the music industry in 2001 with her stunning independently released debut album Even Closer earning fans and musical champions ranging from her superstar musical contemporaries Erykah Badu, Mos Def and Kanye West to such legendary luminaries as Prince and Stevie Wonder. She is widely hailed for consistently delivering emotionally charged yet uplifting soulful cuts that skillfully blend hip hop, jazz, and melodic R&B.

Listen to the new single here.

iTunes

Bay Area Soul Singer Goapele to host I.S.I.S Science & Culture Festival on Sunday, September 5th at the Chabot Space & Science Center in Oakland, California with NASA’s first ever holographic presentation featuring Rapper/Actor Mos Def & Astronaut Leland Melvin, encouraging the youth to embrace Science, Math & Discovery

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Location:

Chabot Space & Science Center
10000 Skyline Blvd.
Oakland, CA 94619

Sunday, September 5th
11am-5pm
Free Event!

Featuring Special Debut Holographic Presentation with
Mos Def and NASA Astronaut Leland Melvin

“Leland Melvin and myself are working with the Instituting Science in Schools Program, sponsored by NASA and I’m just here to give the young people some inspiration, some positive encouragement and some good information about science, technology, creativity and discovery and how to use math, science and information to make a positive impact and changes on the world around us.” ~Mos Def

About I.S.I.S. Science and Culture Festival:

The world is rapidly becoming an environment where innovation is the primary engine for economic evolution. However, the American Public Education system is failing in its responsibility to equip our youth to continue to be leaders in innovation, particularly in the fields of math, science and technology. Scores from the 2006 Program for International Student Assessment showed that U.S. 15-year-olds trailed their peers from many industrialized countries. The average science score of U.S. students lagged behind those in 16 of 30 countries in the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development, a Paris-based group that represents the world’s richest countries. The U.S. students were further behind in math, trailing counterparts in 23 countries.

The I.S.I.S. Science & Culture Festival is a half day of interactive programming and activities for students around the themes of science, space and technology.

MISSION STATEMENT: Utilizing new technology to create culturally competent science curricula for the next generation

INSPIRE: Students will begin the day with an immersive presentation co-written and produced by Ankh Marketing and Obscura Digital. Utilizing Obscura’s unique and unparalleled holographic technology we give the students a 20 minute introductory experience featuring a live performance by youth poets, followed by a holographic celebrity and astronaut Leland Melvin delivering a short, inspirational lesson about space and science which is developmentally appropriate for our solicited grade levels. This presentation will provide a wow factor that will immediate excite the students to hear and learn more about space, science, and technology.

ENGAGE: Following the holographic presentation the students will then participate in an interactive space/science fair. Using NASA’s in house resources and other activities provided by potential local partner organizations we will provide students with an immediate opportunity to engage in hands on dynamic learning experiences.

EDUCATE: Provide developmentally appropriate culturally competent curricula for teachers to bring back to their classroom and utilize as a follow-up to the interactive experience. The curricula will be available online and in software form for easy distribution.

New Music!!
Mos Def & Goapele
“Different”

(Los Angeles, California – July 19, 2010) Rejuvenated by the election of Barack Obama, The World Cup arriving in South Africa and the success of African artists like K’Naan, Akon, Ayo, Nneka and Daara J, Goapele is exploring other avenues of creativity, the latest endeavor being a groundbreaking, multifaceted project entitled Victory, uniting African sounds with Americanized ingenuity. Leading with the title track: a multi-lingual affair recorded in English, Sitswana and Xhosa, the project will pair continent natives and artists from throughout the African Diaspora. Victory is a bold and innovative way to pay respect and showcase talented musicians including Lira, Jozi, ProVerb, Jean Grae, Whosane, UNI and Hip Hop Pantsula while drawing attention to the need for education and resources to combat its society’s most crucial dilemmas.
Listen:
“Victory”
Ever prideful of her South African heritage and keen on how volatile perception can be in a world of globalized media, Goapele says, “Collaborating with other African Artists, was just a matter of time, and the stars aligned. I experienced a sense of victory, being at the inauguration of a president that I voted for and believed in. Although there’s many things that still need to follow to make real positive changes, it’s still a victory. The World Cup happening in South Africa gives me a sense of victory, because the entire world finally looked to my father’s country in a positive light. There’s so much negative media that has plagued Africa, I’m thankful to finally see this continent get acknowledged by the world. People flew in from everywhere to experience and celebrate the World Cup and it was magical to hear the vuvuzelas mesmerizing and exciting the world.”

Victory will also encompass philanthropy, political and social activism, and a wide array of other auxiliary forms of creative expression from the African Diaspora. Proceeds from the project will go to ANSA (Artists for a New South Africa) a non-profit organization working to combat HIV/AIDS, assist children orphaned by the disease, advance human and civil right, educate and empower youth and build bonds between the U.S. and South Africa through Arts & Culture. Far from eschewing her activist beginnings, Goapele is expanding on them, using the powerful perspective granted to her by a multicultural heritage while she moves the crowd with a passion that’s as personally motivated, as it is political.

Goapele aims to fuse the seemingly disparate cultural and creative aspects of the African Diaspora through various mediums of expression with the goal of furthering dialogue amongst its kindred denizens. “With Africans, African-Americans, and others throughout the African Diaspora, this is about our connection to each other thru music.”

About Hip Hop Pantsula:
Award winning South African hip hop sensation Jabulani Tsambo who goes by the pseudonym Hip Hop Pantsula (HHP) is arguably one of the most recognized MC’s in the motherland. He has recorded for over a decade, released seven critically acclaimed studio albums and received countless Wins and Nominations at the South African Music Awards, MTV Africa Awards, MTV Europe Awards, BET Awards, MOBO Awards and more. This overwhelming international public approval is a mark of how far this gifted artist has come from his rural Mmabatho days (far from Johannesburg) to carving out what is now an enviable solo career in the South African music scene.

HHP began collecting accolades early in his career when nominated for “Best Newcomer” at the South African Music Awards (SAMA) in 2000. He would later go on to be nominated for “Best Rapper” at SAMA 2002 & 2006, “Best Video” at SAMA 2007 as well as in 5 categories at the Channel O Awards 2007. He was nominated for “Best African Act” at MTV Europe Music Awards 2007, “Best Album” and “Record of the Year” at SAMA 2008, “Best African Act” at the Nigerian Hip Hop Awards 2008, “Best African Act” at the MOBO Awards 2008, and in three categories at the Channel O Awards in 2008. This past year he was nominated for “Best International Act” at the 2010 BET Awards alongside K’Naan, Corinne Bailey Rae, Sade and Estelle. His wins include “Best Male Solo Artist” and “Best Rap Album” at the South African Music Awards 2008 as well as “Best Music Video” for his song “Mpitse” at the MTV Africa Music Awards 2009.

In 2007 HHP released his sixth studio album Acceptance Speech featuring the hit single/video “Music & Lights” which included cameos from Danny K and R&B vocalist Amerie. The album also featured the poignant track “Darfur” with Khethi and Tumi, calling out the injustices and human rights issues in Western Sudan. This past year HHP released his most recent album to date Dumela, which included popular tracks like “Let The Beat Go,” “Respect” and “Keledimo” featuring hip hop artist Nas. HHP calls his style of music “Motswako,” translated to mean a ‘mixture’ in his native Tswana language.