Sudanese Hip Hop performer, Emmanuel Jal, makes a
heartfelt plea to help to stop the atrocities in Darfur
 Former Sudanese child soldier turned rapper Emmanuel Jal, who releases his new album 'Warchild' on 12th May, today spoke out about the atrocities in Darfur on what is now the 5th Anniversary of the on-going crisis.
"Genocide is happening before our eyes and all the other nations are just watching it happen," says the politically aware hip hop performer.
Continues Jal, "What is killing us is the oil. China is buying it, and in doing so, they're arming the Sudanese Government, who is making preparations to wage war against Southern Sudan after they finish with Darfur."
"We are celebrating the Olympics but we are forgetting that the host nation is playing a part in this genocide," says Jal, who believes the Olympics in China should be boycotted. He praises celebrities who have only recently drawn attention to what is going on, and says that we need more people in the public eye to pressure their governments to take action.
Emmanuel's own life was put into chaos by the conflict in Sudan when as a young boy at the age of eight. Against his will, he was taken from his home and trained to be a child soldier, fighting for the SPLA (Sudan People's Liberation Army) in Sudan's civil war. He learned how to fire a machine gun before he could ride a bike, and lives with the nightmares of the unspeakable acts he was forced to participate in.
When he was about 13, he, along with some 400 other "child soldiers," courageously deserted the rebel lines. Only sixteen made it to the relative freedom of a refugee camp. Jal was one of them. Since the Sudanese war broke out 20 years ago, over 2 million Sudanese civilians have been killed, and 5 million people in both Darfur and South Sudan have been displaced.
"My people continue to be killed every day," pleads Jal. "The Sudanese Government in Northern Sudan are murderers, and they must be stopped once and for all. How long can the bloodshed continue?"
Sonic360, the record label behind 'Warchild', was struck by the power of Emmanuel's message and the relevance of his lyrics to the present day. "It was something we had to get behind, his message has the rawness and conviction of early hip-hop mixed with the charisma of a young Bob Marley," says Sonic360 founder Chris Allison.
Jal's forthcoming "Warchild" album (released by Sonic360 Record on 12th May), is a personal diary of his extraordinary experiences that combines hip hop with world music rhythms. Jal tells his harrowing life story throughout songs like "Forced to Sin," "Many Rivers to Cross," "Baaki Wara," and the title track 'Warchild' where he proclaims, "I believe I've survived for a reason to tell my story to touch lives."
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EMMANUEL JAL – Biography
Emmanuel Jal has won worldwide acclaim for his unique style of hip hop with its message of peace and reconciliation born out of his experiences as a child soldier in Sudan. Emmanuel was taken from his family home in 1987, when he was just seven years old, and sent to fight with the rebel army in Sudan's bloody civil war. For nearly five years Emmanuel was put into battle carrying an AK-47 that was taller than himself. He was sent to war in Ethiopia and southern Sudan; one of thousands of children taken from their homes to fight.
His music can be heard alongside Coldplay, Gorillaz, and Radiohead on the fundraising 'Warchild - Help a Day in the Life' album, as well as in three ER episodes, the National Geographic documentary God Grew Tired of Us, and more recently in the feature film Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio. As well as on John Lennons 'Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur' amongst the likes of U2, REM and Lenny Kravitz.
Jal recently performed at an exclusive gig for Oxfam with Fat Boy Slim as part of Oxjam 07; he also took part in his charity, Gua Africa's, Mixed Jam event with Blak Twang amongst others in London. (all footage can be found on www.youtube.com/emmanueljal) Jal has also performed with Razorlight, Supergrass, and Faithless in Europe. Last October Emmanuel toured the United States as part of the National Geographic All Roads Film Festival, in which he performed in New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and New Orleans. Jal also performed with Moby and Five for Fighting in the 2007 live concert film, The Concert To End Slavery (www.concerttoendslavery.com/trailer).
Jeff Frasco from C.A.A. has just taken on Jal for global representation for concerts, and Jal has a full-length documentary on his life and times due for spring 2008 release. His autobiography has been sold to St. Martin's Press with anticipated release of late summer 2008. His new album 'Warchild' is due for release in the UK 12th May 2008 on the Sonic360 label (distribution by ADA Global) with additional production and mix by Neal Pogue, (Outkast, Talib Kweli, Pharohae Monch). |
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Peter Noble • Tracy Gosling @ Peter Noble PR Consultancy Ltd.
Central Ignition,
1 Mercers Mews
London, N19 4PL
Tel: +44 (0) 207 272 7772
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E-mail: peter@noblepr.co.uk | tracy@noblepr.co.uk
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