Artists Against Apartheid XIV: Invincible & Obsesión

Saturday, October 23rd, 2010

Marking Montreal’s first international Palestine solidarity conference supporting the global boycott, divestment and sanctions movement against Israeli apartheid, the fourteenth edition of Artists Against Apartheid will feature celebrated Detroit MC Invincible. Artists Against Apartheid is teaming-up with Afro Latin Soul to present iconic Havana-based hip-hop ensemble Obsesión in collaboration with Nomadic Massive.

performances by

Invincible

Detroit based Hip-Hop artist and activist Invincible began penning lyrics at the age of nine, a couple years after moving to the Midwest (Michigan) from the Middle East (Israel Occupied Palestine) and learning English by memorizing her favorite songs. She has performed around the world for over a decade, both as a solo artist, and featured as part of the all female Hip-Hop collective ANOMOLIES. After turning down dozens of record label offers, Invincible started her own label and media company EMERGENCEand released the critically acclaimed debut album ShapeShifters in 2008. Several media projects accompanied ShapeShifters, including two docu-music-videos about resistance to gentrification in Detroit and opposition to colonization in Palestine (”Locusts” and “People Not Places”) which have been featured in many film festivals including Media That Matters and South By Southwest. These films led to the the creation of an online media installation Emergence Travel that also features the anthemic “Emperor’s Clothes“, which raises awareness about the Palestinian call for boycott, divestment, and sanctions of Israeli apartheid. Her lyrics are deeply rooted in social justice work, reflected in a writing process that often involves interviews with community members- a process which she learned through a decade of work with the youth leadership organization Detroit Summer. She and other Detroit Summer members shared this process with Palestinian youth in 2007 through a US-Palestine Youth Solidarity Network delegation, which supported youth from around the West Bank in creating a hip-hop audio documentary entitled “Dreams Between Graves”. She identifies as an anti-Zionist of Polish Jewish ancestry, and focuses on amplifying and re-centering the voices of Palestinians and other communities most impacted by Israel. Her upcoming project will illuminate the connections between complex science, social movements, and Hip-Hop.

Obsesión

Obsesión is a pioneer Cuban Hip Hop group based out of Havana and will perform in Montreal at Artists Against Apartheid alongside with Nomadic Massive. Today Obsesión are key figures in the Cuban hip-hop scene; their lyrics define Cuba as a social being, and their texts range from love-in all its dimentions-to the most polemic of social and political issues. Comprised of Magia (MC), El Tipo Este (mc and producer) and DJ Jigue (DJ and producer), the powerful trio has caught the attention of many across the world. This has allowed Obsesión the privilege of performing in the US, the UK, France, Brazil, Venezuela and Canada alongside such artists Common, Buena Vista Social Club, Talib Kweli and Kanye West. One of those highlights was a historical performance at the infamous Appolo theater in New-York City, where they collaborated with one of their greatest inspirations: The Roots. Obsesión also works on a social level with various community organizations in Cuba with whom they have held workshops in different cultural centers and jails. They are currently working on their third album, which promises to be an undeniable landmark not only in the Cuban music scene but also on an international level.

featuring members of Nomadic Massive

DJ Tashish

DJ Tashish is a Montreal-based DJ and radio host of the popular ‘Future Classic Radio’ program on CKUT 90.3 fm. Tashish mixes a fine blend of hip-hop, obscure boogie, funk, soul & Jazz. For more info @tashish

Artists Against Apartheid concert series takes place as part of the international campaign for boycott, divestment and sanctions against Israeli apartheid.

* Tadamon! Boycott, divestment and sanctions movement

co-presented by
CKUT radio
2110 Centre for Gender Advocacy

Quebec BDS conference 2010
www.bdsquebec.org

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