MEDIA ADVISORY: Premier Filipino American emcees, Kiwi (formerly of Native Guns) and Geologic (aka Prometheus Brown of Seattle’s Blue Scholars) launch social justice benefit, People Power Tour.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

April 18, 2007

Premier Filipino American emcees, Kiwi (formerly of Native Guns) and Geologic (aka Prometheus Brown of Seattle's Blue Scholars) launch social justice benefit, People Power Tour.

Media Contact:

Bernadette Ellorin – Secretary General of BAYAN USA – secgen@bayanusa.org
Brian Myers – People Power Tour – National Coordinator - brian.jl.myers@gmail.com

Two of the West Coast's premier Filipino American emcees, Geologic aka Prometheus Brown of Seattle's Blue Scholars and San Francisco's Kiwi, formerly of Native Guns, are teaming up again to rally youth and students to raise awareness with a nationwide People Power Tour. Geologic elaborated, "We are volunteering to do this concert because we have a responsibility, beyond music, to raise awareness and hopefully incite action that addresses the human rights crisis and government corruption in our homeland."

Over the next 3 weeks, this dynamic duo will criss-cross the West Coast and Midwest, collaborating with local groups and emcees for 13 shows in 11 cities. Proceeds from the tour will be donated to Bayan-USA, an alliance of progressive Filipino American organizations advocating for social justice and democracy in the Philippines.

Both Kiwi and Geo are active Filipino community organizers, drawing connections between the struggles of Filipinos in the US and their compatriots back home. They share the view that art is not only a reflection of the world, but a tool which can shape a more just future society. Kiwi shares, "For me personally, I found my identity and was eventually politicized through hip hop, and I feel like I owe it to this culture to make music and do shows that will hopefully have the same impact on this generation of youth and hip hop fans."

From the rapidly gentrifying street-corner to the Ivory Tower of academia, Kiwi and Geo bring forth a message of resistance and self-determination in the tradition of pro-people hip-hop music by such artists as Dead Prez, Public Enemy and KRS-One.

Kiwi adds, "The name of the tour was inspired by the "People Power" movement that drove out two corrupt Presidential regimes in the Philippines. Because part of the focus of this tour is the corruption of the current GMA regime, we felt like the name made a lot of sense." A rapidly growing movement comprising of all sectors of the Filipino community are mobilizing to oust the corrupt administration. In the two previous non-violent People Power movements, the Filipino people ousted dictator Ferdinand Marcos (1986) and the corruption-ridden Joseph Estrada (2001).

While 2007 has seen a decline in politically-motivated killings (a decline, not a stop), in 2008 political and economic conditions in the Philippines have worsened. The GMA administration is wrought in corruption scandals, including the rice crisis, election fraud, corporate nepotism and kickbacks. Increased US military presence threatens Philippine civilians' lives and livelihood. The February, 4, 2008, Sulu Massacre and numerous military rape cases are just some of the most recent violence.

Proceeds from the tour will be donated to support Bayan-USA's local and international campaigns advocating for social justice and democracy in the Philippines. People Power Tour, Part 1 includes shows on International Workers Day - May 1^st, and through Asian Pacific Islander Heritage Month. Contact Brian Meyers (brian.jl.myers@gmail.com) to book People Power Tour, Part 2, during Filipino heritage month (October 2008).

LIST OF SHOWS:

MIDWEST:

SATURDAY - APRIL 19, 2008
UWM Fireside Lounge
2200 E Kenwood Blvd
Milwaukee, WI - FREE | 8PM

SUNDAY - APRIL 20, 2008
Adobo Express
5343 N Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL
w/ Bagwis
All-ages | 7PM | $10 donation | BYOB

WEST COAST

FRIDAY - APRIL 25, 2008
RAW Sushi
523 W 1st Ave.
Spokane, WA
8PM | $7 | 21+ event
w/ Dj Daps1

MONDAY - APRIL 28, 2008
Berbati's Pan
213 SW Ankeny St.
Portland, OR
w/ 1st Quarter Storm, Chev, and DJ Daps1
8pm / all ages

TUESDAY - APRIL 29, 2008 (Daytime Show)
Portland CC
Portland, OR
w/ 1st Quarter Storm

TUESDAY - APRIL 29, 2008 (Evening Show)
Chop Suey
Seattle, WA
w/ 1st Quarter Storm, Chev, Language Arts?
8pm/ all ages / $TBA

WEDNESDAY - April 30, 2008

The Callaloo Caribbean Kitchen
1212 N State Street
Bellingham, WA 98225
w/ Yogoman Burning Band
1st Quarter Storm, Chev, Language Arts and Dj Daps1
$10 / Doors 9:00PM Show at 10:00PM / 21+

THURSDAY - MAY 1, 2008
Geologic performing w/ Blue Scholars
at IMMGRANTS RIGHTS/WORKERS DAY MARCH
Seattle, WA 4PM
more information: www.elcomite.org

FRIDAY - MAY 2, 2008

Sacramento State University Sacramento, CA w/ Manifest One and Caprice
$12 adv / $15 at the door / all ages / 8pm

SATURDAY - MAY 3, 2008
Hip-hop in The Park -Berkeley, CA - 12PM | Free!

MONDAY - MAY 5, 2008
Cafe Du Nord
2170 Market St.
San Francisco, CA
$15 | 21+
w/ Kasamas & Nomi of Power Struggle

WEDNESDAY -MAY 7, 2008

La Pena
3105 Shattuck Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94705 USA 510-849-2568 / lapena.org
$15 / all ages / 9pm

SUNDAY - MAY 11, 2008
Knitting Factory
Los Angeles, CA
Details TBD

Kiwi's website: www.myspace.com/kiwi
Geologic's website: www.myspace.com/probrown
Bayan-USA website: www.bayanusa.org

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