AfroReggae

Music has the power to move, to express, and to change. In the critically acclaimed documentary “Favela Rising” the power of music is channeled and celebrated as a medium for hope. Brazil has become one of the world’s number one breeding grounds for drug trafficking and child criminalization. The prevalence of riots, homelessness, and hostility in the favelas often leads children orphaned and abandoned on the streets, resorting to drug-lords as their source of employment and protection.

            Anderson, a victim and survivor of drug-related crime and violence decided to change the future of the children of Brazil by founding AfroReggae, a music group for children.

 Implementing an instrument of change through music, Anderson was able to use his music to evoke change and hope in the struggling world of the favelas. He altered the sounds of violence into sounds of harmony and peace that still resonate throughout the war-ridden walls.

 Anderson documents that, “For every one child that joins Afro Reggae, five are waiting to join the drug armies…but we are glad that at least the one can be off the streets.” He stressed the fact that although AfroReggae “worked” in his favela, there may be other forms of change waiting to be discovered in other places. It’s a matter of who wants to search and find out what that change will be.

        

As seen on the AfroReggae UK partnership website found at- AfroReggaeUk (the primary website is entire in Spanish- AfroReggae) the history, goals, and progress is documented on a daily basis. With interactive pictures, links to related groups, special events, contacts to help get people involved, the website serves as a platform to project the issues into world culture. The slogan at the top of each page reads, “Culture is our Weapon. Empower. Leadership. Music. Inspire. Transform. Connect. Future. Belong. Rio. Favela To the World” provides a thought-provoking and inspiring look at the organization and it’s major objectives. Over 10 specified group links, listed partnerships and sponsors, ways to purchase the documentary “Favela Rising,” the website has an abundance of information and associated content that makes it extremely easy to navigate and understand. The use of green, yellow, orange, and red as their primary colors makes the website aesthetically pleasing and easily noticeable. It’s extremely knowledgeable and thorough content solidifies the authority behind the creator of the website. AfroReggae succeeds in drawing in interest, emotion, and information into their website and fills an important role as the medium to change and hope in the struggling favelas.                                                                 

What About The Music?

Music: an art of sound in time that expresses ideas and emotions in significant forms through the elements of rhythm, melody, harmony, and color. A media form that has spanned across oceans, borders, every type of human being under the sun, and is impossible to hide from; music is everywhere. What I hope to explore in this blog is the phenomena behind music. How it can bring the most different of people together in one common space. How it evokes emotions through timing of chords and lyrics. How it triggers memory, such as me remembering all the words to an N’Sync track I loved in fifth grade. The realm of music is so incredibly vast it’s nearly impossible to wrap my brain around, but the thought of something so powerful and yet so enjoyable leaves me with one question; what is it about music?

In comes Spin Magazine: Music for Life. A media outlet filled with reviews of new albums, interviews with artists, exposes on where the industry is headed, highlights of concerts and upcoming tours, the list has no end. I was first introduced to Spin nearly a year ago and immediately became enthralled with the culture and lifestyle surrounding the music industry. The information as well as opinions found in Spin offers new, innovative ways of interpreting and listening to music. For the niche of it’s devoted subscribers, music never has and never will be “background” noise. It is an expression, a mood, a feeling that can have an extreme impact on people’s lives and aspects on life. Whether it is the new Kings of Leon track to Jay-Z’s collaboration with Kanye West, the magazine touches on each genre in breadth and depth of exploration into each respective world. Spin, however, is just the tip of the iceberg in the vast outlets of music discussion and representation. From online forums to the classics of Rolling Stone Magazine, to Filter Magazine, the music industry appears to have that “it” quality that has not only myself pondering the magic that lies in music.