From Marvin Gaye to Sam Cooke to Bob Dylan and beyond, Civil Rights struggles have a rich history of connection to music. So it is, in the spirit of that tradition, J.PERIOD and Jesse Williams join forces with artists from The Playlist Retreat to create a new wave of music for a new movement with the release of RISE UP! Music Inspired by the EPIX Original Series America Divided. The first single from “Miranda (RISE UP!)” features an introduction from actor/activist Jesse Williams, with rappers Rhymefest & Xzibit posing provocative questions about the state of our nation over a J.PERIOD-produced beat. “We’re pointing fingers at each other and we’re missing the point…” Rhymefest begins. Unity, not division, is the solution for what ails our country—a fitting message in honor of what would have been Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s 88th birthday earlier this week.
Executive produced by Norman Lear, Shonda Rhimes, and Common, the EPIX Original docu-series America Divided features celebrity hosts including Jessie Williams (Senior Producer), America Ferreira, Rosario Dawson, Amy Poehler, and Zack Galifianakis investigating a wide range of social justice issues including criminal justice, immigration, housing and voting rights, and education. The series also forges the foundation of Jesse’s partnership with J.PERIOD, who composed the original theme song for the show.
RISE UP! pairs hip-hop icons including Black Thought, Pharoahe Monch, Posdnous (De La Soul), Young Guru, and DJ Jazzy Jeff; leading artist/activists including Aloe Blacc and Joss Stone; soulful voices including Raheem DeVaughn and Eric Roberson; and rising music stars from The Playlist Retreat including Mayda del Valle, Maimouna Youssef, Masego, Dayne Jordan, Stro Elliot, Tall Black Guy, POMO, and more.
“In the process of progress,” states Jesse Williams, “We are reclaiming our best practices, heroes, and nomenclature. I am a proud producer of the America Divided docu-series and honored to work alongside producer and mixtape master, J.PERIOD, in creating a soul-sonic experience that is both homage and inspiration to the critical thinking that undergirds liberation movements of past, present, and future.”
J.PERIOD’s most recent production, The Hamilton Mixtape, debuted at #1 on the Billboard Top 200 Albums in December 2016.
For more information about RISE UP! Music Inspired by the EPIX America Divided, follow J.PERIOD on Twitter @jperiodBK or visit http://JPERIOD.com for release details about this powerful collection of new music.
For more information about the original docu-series America Divided, executive produced by Norman Lear, Shonda Rhimes, and Common, visit: http://americadividedseries.com.
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