Recently, Shepard Fairey and I threw some fundraisers for the Obama campaign. We called them “The Party for Change”. (If you don’t know who Shepard is—among many other things—he is the one responsible for the image on the right).

I’ve been wanting to put the mix I’ve been doing at these shows online, in hopes of spreading the word to people who need to hear it most. So, here it is: (zipped vbr mp3 / 84.7 MB)

I encourage you to download it and pass it along to anyone you think should hear it. Feel free to burn copies, share it with friends, family, co-workers, strangers, and especially anyone you know is on the fence about this election. I’m also putting out a radio friendly version, in case anyone wants to broadcast it.

Please share the message. Educate those who may not know what is really going on. There is still time.

If you, or anyone you know, isn’t registered to vote, I encourage you to make it a priority and fix that before it’s too late. This election is WAY too important for anyone to not get involved. If you need more information on how and where to register, vote, or participate, please check the links below.

I honestly feel if we make our voices heard, this time WILL be different.

Peace,

Z-TRIP

http://www.hiddenbeach.com/yeswecan

For Immediate Release

Monday, September 22, 2008

HIDDEN BEACH TO RELEASE HISTORIC COMPILATION INSPIRED BY BARACK OBAMA’S GROUNDBREAKING PRESIDENTIAL CAMPAIGN
 

18-SONG DISC CONTAINS MATERIAL FROM A DIVERSE RANGE OF ARTISTS INCLUDING STEVIE WONDER, SHERYL CROW, JOHN MAYER, KANYE WEST, JILL SCOTT, JACKSON BROWNE, BEBE WINANS, LIONEL RICHIE, OZOMATLI, DAVE STEWART, KEB’ MO’, ADAM LEVINE, BUDDY MILLER, LOS LONELY BOYS AND JOHN LEGEND

MUSIC COMPILATION AVAILABLE SEPTEMBER 19th EXCLUSIVELY VIA THE OBAMA CAMPAIGN WEBSITE; AVAILABLE EVERYWHERE FOLLOWING NOVEMBER 4 th ELECTION

Santa Monica, CA – Inspired by the grassroots movement created by Barack Obama’s historic presidential run, and his call for “Change: We Can Believe In” Hidden Beach Recordings (HBR) has assembled a first-of-its-kind music compilation featuring an array of artists and material that reflects America’s diversity and taps into the creative community’s overwhelming response to the campaign’s universal themes of hope, unity and change.

The 18-song disc, titled Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement, borrows its name from one of the campaign’s central messages and boasts a stellar collection of artists from across genres, including such renowned, multi-platinum performers as Stevie Wonder, Sheryl Crow, John Mayer, Kanye West, Jill Scott, Los Lonely Boys, Jackson Browne, BeBe Winans, Lionel Richie, Adam Levine, Keb’ Mo’ and John Legend. The project features current and classic material as well as new music heard here for the first time and speech excerpts from the Democratic nominee, which are embedded throughout the project, all elements highlight, Yes We Can.

Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement will be available starting September 19th via both digital download and hardcopy CD exclusively on the Obama campaign’s official website (www.BarackObama.com), with all proceeds benefiting the campaign’s fundraising efforts ($24.99 for digital download; $30.00 for physical CD). Following the November 4th election, the disc will be made available to the general marketplace by way of Hidden Beach’s website as well as retail outlets worldwide.

Spearheaded by Hidden Beach CEO and Founder Steve McKeever, Yes We Can came about as a result of a broad-based and increasingly urgent desire by artists and other conscious individuals to join in the grassroots efforts to bring about positive change. Hidden Beach, widely respected for innovation, quality and a commitment to social empowerment, was considered the logical place to harness this energy and bring this project to light.

The call for material and participation inspired more than 150 submissions from some of the industry’s most respected, talented and accomplished artists hailing from all music forms and backgrounds. Whether current hits, new tunes or classic tracks, central to the material chosen for Yes We Can are the songs paralleling the Obama campaign’s core ideas of patriotism, perseverance and a sense of shared responsibility, among other concepts defining this historic movement.

“This year’s election has inspired unprecedented enthusiasm and activism. Obama supporters from Nevada to New Hampshire are finding their own way to get involved– volunteering to knock on doors, registering new voters, and artists have created new works, including posters, sculptures, and music,” said Obama campaign spokeswoman Moira Mack. “With the stakes so high and November right around the corner, we are thankful to all the Obama supporters who are communicating the importance of voting in this election.”

“Thanks to the hard working staff at the entire Obama campaign along with the help of some of the world’s top artists and industry professionals, we’ve created what we believe to be the first-ever presidential campaign compilation,” said McKeever. “The incredible response by the creative community to this project underscores how deeply inspiring this campaign has been across boundaries. The artists involved here truly reflect America’s diversity, and speak to a real grassroots approach to affecting change.”

Included on Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement are such songs as John Mayer’s “Waiting On The World To Change,” BeBe Winans’ “I Have A Dream,” Jill Scott’s “One Is The Magic #,” Jackson Browne’s “Looking East,” Sheryl Crow’s “Out Of Our Heads,” Los Lonely Boys’ “Make It Better,” Keb’ Mo’s “America The Beautiful,” Yolanda Adams’ “Hold On,” Ozomatli’s “Love & Hope” and Stevie Wonder’s legendary tune and official Obama-Biden Campaign anthem “Sign, Sealed, Delivered.” Several of these songs are now worked into unique “Obama” versions featuring some inspiring speech excerpts from the campaign trail.

New music featured on the music compilation include Lionel Richie’s “Eternity,” Dave Stewart’s “American Prayer,” John Legend’s “Pride In The Name Of Love,” Suai’s “Am I All Alone?” Ken Stacey’s “America,” Malik Yusef’s “Promised Land,” featuring Kanye West and Maroon 5’s Adam Levine, and Shontelle’s “Battle Cry.”

Again, starting September 19th through November 4th, the music compilation will be available exclusively at www.BarackObama.com, with all proceeds benefiting the campaign. It will be available via normal retail channels following the November 4th election.

Samples of the material and additional background on Yes We Can: Voices of a Grassroots Movement can be found at www.hiddenbeach.com.

About Hidden Beach

Hidden Beach Recordings is distributed worldwide by Universal Music Group Distribution (UMGD), a division of Universal Music Group. Visit www.hiddenbeach.com for more information on Hidden Beach Recordings.

Founded by music veteran Steve McKeever, Hidden Beach Recordings is an independent record label based in Santa Monica, CA. that is focused on “Real Music” and “Real Artists” with “something to say.” Along with introducing multi-platinum and Grammy Award winning music sensation Jill Scott, Grammy award winning Producer/artist/songwriter Tony Rich and saxophonist Mike Phillips, Hidden Beach is also home to trombonist Jeff Bradshaw, husband and wife-led group Kindred the Family Soul, the acclaimed Unwrapped series, author/intellectual/spoken word artist Dr. Cornel West, among many others.

Hidden Beach Recordings is distributed worldwide by Universal Music Group Distribution (UMGD), a division of Universal Music Group. Visit www.hiddenbeach.com for more information on Hidden Beach Recordings.

***This music compilation gives the Obama supporter an important keepsake from the campaign while providing the movement capital it needs to continue to spread its message.

Press Contact

Chris Cathcart
323/934-5551
Chris@OneDG.com

In what hopefully will become more of a regular occasion as the fall draws near, a recording artist has taken the effort to put together a uplifting music video in support of candidacy of Senator Barack Obama. It is difficult to know to what extent these sorts of projects will impact the electorate.

The DipDive.com project of will.i.am, never really received the kind of national press it deserved, especially considering the fact that The YES WE CAN SONG video was honored with the first ever Emmy in the “New Approaches in Daytime Entertainment” category that recognizes innovative production techniques and the use of media enhancement to support content. Part of the issue lies in the ability of these online phenomena to reach a larger group of likely voters, especially those non-tech savvy members of the electorate whom are often very active voters.

On the website, www.myamericanprayer.com, those interested can learn more about the project, watch the video, buy the song and ringtone, as well as, enter into a user submitted video contest via a youtube.com group. The competition is similar to the www.hopeactchange.com submission site from will.i.am.