Last year, rapper Hasan Salaam earned the distinction of becoming the first American emcee to perform in the West African country of the Republic of Guinea-Bissau. Now, the New Jersey rapper is taking the chance to give back to the impoverished country by donating all of the profits of his next EP directly to the people of Guinea-Bissau.
Salaam will be using the procees of his forthcoming EP Music is My Weapon to fund the construction of a water well, school and medical facility in the West African country through the charitable organization It Takes A Village. He said that he originally planned to release the project for free on the Internet, but that after visiting Guinea-Bissau, he decided to use the entirety of the profits earned from the EP to give back to the country.
“Originally, this was just planned to be a free EP that was gonna [be a] bridge between Children of God and Life in Black and White,” said Salaam in a preview video. “Last November, were over in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa and I actually had the honor and the privilege to be the first American artist to perform over there. So we decided to put our money, our time and our energy where our mouth is. It’s one thing just to say that music is a weapon, but it’s another thing to prove it…So we decided not to make this a free project; we decided to sell it, and have all the profits and proceeds go directly to building a well, a school and a medical facility in Guinea-Bissau. We’re relying on you to be a part of this, just as much as I’m a part of this…[and] we’re make sure you can see this school being built.”
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Salaam and company have already raised a total of $2,370 out the necessary $3,500 for the water well alone, which is scheduled to be built in April 2012. The total costs of all of the construction and furnishing of the school amounts to $14,500.
Music is My Weapon is scheduled for a December 6 release via FLOW/Hasaan Salaam Music. Fans looking for more information on the project as well as other ways to contribute to the cause can hit up It Takes A Village’s website.
The full preview video with Hasan Salaam can be seen below.
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