The Movement

Music:

Member Since: 11/8/2006
Band Members: Marcy S. DePina is a Ph.D. candidate in ethnomusicology at the City University of New York, Graduate Center in New York City where her focus is on the music of Cape Verde and the African diaspora. She is also a vocalist and freelance music journalist for Afropop Worldwide and Creme Magazine. In addition, she manages several artists and is a mentor to two Cape Verdean-American students in Newark, New Jersey. A native of New Bedford, Marcy currently resides in Montclair, New Jersey with her son Bowen. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Tem Blessed is a socially conscious hip-hop artist who has been making music for over ten years. In addition to his solo career, he is also part of the groups Busted Fro and Strela Negra. An activist and dedicated youth worker, Tem works with Youth Build and 3rd Eye Unlimited, and hopes to inspire positive social change in the New Bedford area. He is also the designer of the official Movement symbol which combines the African inspired colors of the old Cape Verdean flag, with the current design. Born in Guinea-Bissau to Cape Verdean parents, Tem Blessed is a long time New Bedford resident and father to two young sons, IanI and Soul-jah. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx D. Lopes is the CEO of Street Smarts Entertainment, a full-service entertainment company based in Brockton, Massachusetts. A lyricist and community activist, D. Lopes was the first Cape Verdean hip-hop artist to perform on 106th & Park, a rap show on the national television channel Black Entertainment Television (BET) in 2006. Wildly popular, he is known throughout the Cape Verdean community and beyond and was recently named “Best Cape Verdean Artist for 2006” by FORCV.com. A successful businessman and emcee, D. Lopes hosts a weekly event at Aria in Boston. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Chachi Carvalho is an entrepreneur and hip-hop artist who has been rocking the mic for ten years. Based in Pawtucket, Rhode Island, Chachi is the CEO of Big East Music Entertainment, LLC and Beat Box Studios, where he has created an internship program to benefit area youth who have an interest in working in the music business. Father to young Kyla, Chachi is also a youth advocate, educator, and football coach in the Pawtucket School system. Host of a weekly open-mic and poetry event at the Black Repretory Theater in Providence, Rhode Island, Chachi is a household name in Rhode Island. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx DJ Lefty has been spinning the hits for over 15 years. Based in the Providence area, Lefty is a beloved deejay that combines traditional Cape Verdean music with American styles such as hip-hop and reggae. A member of the ground-breaking deejay team of the Lights Out DJs, DJ Lefty is breaking barriers and establishing a new precedent for deejays in the global market. A producer of hit singles and mix CDs, DJ Lefty has showed his talents all around the world and is a favorite in Cape Verde and the United States. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Afrika Rainbow is a prolific roots reggae band whose members all originated in Santiago island, Cape Verde. Formed in Brockton, Massachusetts, the band uses their music to spread a message of unity and peace while promoting Cape Verdean and West African culture. Active members of the Associação dos Tarrafalenses dos Estados Unidos, Afrika Rainbow lends their support to help both Cape Verdeans in America and in Cape Verde. Together for seven years, the group recently was invited to perform in Tarrafal in their native Santiago, and they were featured on national television. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx Shokanti is a talented musician and actor. He is the Director of the Community Cultural Development for the Arts Council of Greater New Haven. Since 2003, he has partnered with the Capitol Region Education Council (CREC) to bring 5 Cape Verdean youth to USA to attend Center for Creative youth summer arts program at Wesleyan University. This year, a sister program of CCY called CulturArte will be opened in Santiago, Cape Verde (www.crec.org/capeverde). He is the recipient of various awards for his youth and arts advocacy work and has been featured in many publications. A native of Fogo, Cape Verde, Shokanti currently lives in New Haven, Connecticut. xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
Influences: Cesaria Evora - Africa NossaRAIZ DI POLON DANCE TROUPEPutos Qui a ta CriaLA MC MALCRIADO w/ MAYRA ANDRADEProject Salt - Cabo Verde
Sounds Like: All-African Champion Fredson GomesThe Movement Newark, NJ - December 20, 2006
Record Label: The Movement
Type of Label: Indie