Sea Box, Inc., an ISO-certified shipping containermanufacturing and modificationcompany (www.seabox.com) is sending a container filled with relief supplies – including their ShelterPak for converting the container box into habitable housing – to Haiti. The aid was prompted by a company engineer, Werner Guerrier, a Haitian native with a large extended family in Carrefour, Port au Prince, Haiti who lost his sister and nephew in the earthquake. 

 In an effort to support their co-worker and other survivors of the earthquake, Sea Box employees have donated food, water and clothing and the owners of Sea Box have donated a 20 foot shipping container (and shipping) – complete with a ShelterPAK module already installed. 

 

Sea Box created the “ShelterPAK” six years ago in response to demand for easily installed basic housing units for disaster areas.  Designed to fit into a standard 20 foot shipping container, when installed, it turns a basic shipping container into a livable shelter.  

 

The Sea Box container with ShelterPAK is destined for Carrefour, Mr. Guerrier’s hometown where the food, water and clothing will be distributed to JEBCA D’HAITI, an organization of the church M.E.B.S.H. de Cote-Plage, directed by Pastor Rev. Samson Dorilas.  Sadly, 39 members of this church lost their lives, and many more lost their houses. JEBCA D’HAITI will be in charge of the distribution of all the items donated and intend to use the shelter as a medical treatment center.

 

“Sea Box has the ability to deliver 5,000 ShelterPAKs per week to Haiti where these kits can be easily inserted into the empty shipping containers currently sitting at the Port in Haiti. In the next six months aid to Haiti will be sent in an estimated 100,000 of the standard 20-foot cargo containers. Once unloaded, these same containers could serve as life-saving shelters with the installation of a ShelterPAK,” said Jim Brennan, Jr., President of Sea Box, Inc. “We at Sea Box thought the best way we could help Haiti – and our colleague – is to provide both supplies and the product and services we are best at – the efficient and economical use of containers. Our ShelterPAK makes the container itself useful once the supplies are distributed.”

 

Cargo containers have been used in other countries for emergency shelters. ShelterPAKs meet earthquake zone specifications and exceed the structural codes.  They are sturdy, safe and economical (estimated $4,000 per ShelterPAK, installed) on a permanent site.  They allow families to be back on their own land quickly and these families can also reconstruct their houses around the container making it a permanent emergency shelter at the core of their homes.

 

About Sea Box, Inc. (www.seabox.com)

Headquartered in suburban Philadelphia (East Riverton NJ), with offices in Charleston, SC, Qingdao, China and Fyshwick, Australia, Sea Box was established in 1983 by current President Jim Brennan Jr. The company specializes in new design, modification and manufacture of ISO quality-certified containers for commercial and military applications such as personnel shelters, power generating stations, large computer data centers, interim housing units, mobile latrine-toilet-shower shelters, Coast Guard approved berthing vans and portable laboratories. 

 

 

CONTACT: Jim Brennan, President,   +1-856-303-1101, or Media,  Stephanie Seacord, +1-603-772-1835, sseacord@lemd.com, or On-Site Contact,  Bill Begley, +1-215-712-9013, williamb@seabox.com

The devastating earthquake in Haiti has shattered millions of lives, but the relief efforts and outpouring of support by organizations and individuals worldwide offer hope. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has been working diligently since the disaster to provide aid to the people of Haiti through its humanitarian aid program. Hundreds of thousands of pounds of relief supplies have arrived already, and more are being shipped.

 

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the fastest growing Christian faiths in the world, with over 13 million members world-wide. As committed Christians with strong traditional values, the Church actively participates in humanitarian efforts, from small-scale local projects in hospitals, schools and communities, to large-scale emergency relief efforts such as the recent Haiti earthquake.

 

In the Caribbean islands, there are more than 150,000 members of the LDS Church, in 369 congregations. Over 15,000 of these members live in Haiti, half of these calling Port-au-Prince home.

“Our hearts ache for the people of Haiti and our prayers are with them as we witness the unimaginable suffering they are experiencing,” said Bishop H. David Burton, presiding bishop of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, who oversees the Church’s humanitarian program. “We are grateful for the many generous donations that enable the Church to provide extensive relief in Haiti, as well as other parts of the world.”

 

Relief Supplies Provided by the Church

Five air shipments of aid provided by the Church have arrived and are being used in Haiti. They include food, medical supplies, communications equipment, tents, tarps, water filtration bottles, blankets, newborn kits, wheelchairs, first aid kits, portable toilets and other items. Those five flights include a total of nearly 375,000 pounds of relief supplies. Partners United Airlines, Islamic Relief USA, Airline Ambassadors and UPS have worked with the Church to provide transport for these shipments.

 

Additionally, four truckloads of relief supplies have arrived in Haiti with supplies the Church procured in the Dominican Republic. On the ground in Haiti, the Church is working with partners Food for the Poor and CARE to distribute supplies.

 

Local Church leaders closest to the situation provide the direction for what supplies are most needed for people in their areas. Future shipments will continue to bring those relief supplies.

 

“Normal daily activity has come to a stop in Haiti. Helping to restore normalcy in the midst of devastation will be our greatest goal. Our focus will be on helping people become self-reliant again,” said Elder Francisco J. Viñas, the LDS Church area president who oversees the Church in Haiti.

 

Medical Relief

A team of five medical personnel coordinated by the Church arrived on Friday, 15 January, from the Dominican Republic to assist the injured. Another team of 16 medical professionals from the United States arrived on 18 January and provided emergency care for those needing medical attention. A revolving core team of doctors from the Church remains in Haiti providing general health care, follow-up care for injuries, as well as for sickness and communicable disease common after disasters.

 

Church Meetinghouses as Shelters

All of the Church’s meetinghouses in Haiti have been left largely undamaged. Local Church leaders report that nine chapels in Haiti have been used to shelter as many as 5,000 people in local communities where the chapels are located. Several truckloads of food and other relief supplies have been shipped to the chapels, and doctors sent by the Church have provided treatment to injured and sick individuals who are taking shelter there.

 

Generosity of Members and Friends of the Church

In the first few days after the earthquake the LDS Church received donations in the millions of US dollars from concerned members of the community, specifically for aid in Haiti. Church members in the Caribbean Area have been invited to dedicate their February monthly fast offering to the Haiti relief effort. When fasting, members traditionally donate the money they save by not eating two meals to the church for providing financial help to those in need; those who can donate more are encouraged to do so.

 

An official statement from the Church on January 22, 2010 also addressed the emotional trauma the Haitian people are experiencing in the wake of the devastating earthquake.

 

“Money is not the only need in Haiti,” the statement explains. “People are frightened, bewildered, and wholly uncertain about their future. In addition to what people can do in helping with food, water and shelter, there needs to be a calming influence over that troubled nation. We invite people everywhere to supplicate God for a spirit of calm and peace among the people.”

 

Donations for relief efforts can be made at http://give.lds.org/emergencyresponse.

 

 

CONTACT:  Rafael G. Gutierrez, Director of Public Affairs, Caribbean Area, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Office: +1-809-487-0120, ext. 233, Mobile: +1-809-756-5856, GutierrezRG@ldschurch.org

Major League baseball players today pledged their long-term support of relief and recovery efforts in Haiti by committing up to one million dollars from the Major League Baseball Players Trust.  Beginning with immediate $100,000 contributions each to Esperanza International and Medicines for Humanity, over the next five years the Players Trust will provide grants totaling up to one million dollars to support the efforts of non-profit organizations working to help Haiti recover from the devastating effects of the earthquake.

“On behalf of all Major League baseball players, it’s an honor to pledge our long-term support to the people of Haiti,” said MLBPA Association Representative and Players Trust Trustee, Curtis Granderson of the New York Yankees. “Haiti faces a long road to recovery and we want to do our part to support the humanitarian efforts of those non-profits committed to this cause.”

“For many years I have seen firsthand the commitment of the Players Trust to make a difference in the lives of the poor. Esperanza is honored to serve alongside Major League baseball players in this Herculean effort of assisting those in great need in Haiti,” stated David Valle, President, Esperanza International.

“For almost a decade, the Players Trust has been at our side helping to save the lives of vulnerable children,” said Tim Bilodeau, MFH Executive Director.  “This gift, for the relief and restoration of Haiti, demonstrates the on-going commitment of Major League baseball players to reach out where help is needed most.”

Esperanza has been working in Haiti since 2005 and is leading a coordinated rapid response effort of over 150 local organizations, providing food packs, water, bedding and hygiene kits to thousands of families.  They have established two medical clinics with two more online with over 80 doctors and nurses.  In keeping with its mission to free children and their families from poverty through initiatives that generate income, education and health, Esperanza plans to help Haiti’s economic development efforts by growing their established microfinance program and providing housing and educational opportunities to the children.  The Players Trust has collaborated with Esperanza since 2006, growing a microfinance program serving 35,000 women and families in the Dominican Republic.  For more information, please visit http://esperanza.org/us/

Medicines for Humanity (MFH) has worked to improve maternal and child health in Haiti for over eight years.  MFH is currently supplying its Haitian healthcare partners with medicines and medical supplies so critically needed in the aftermath of this disaster. MFH is also supporting the work of a volunteer medical team that is seeing almost 300 patients each day.  MFH will be actively involved in the efforts to rebuild maternal and child health services in Haiti.  MFH has been a partner of the Players Trust since 2002 in providing lifesaving medicines and health services to people in the Dominican Republic. For more information, please visit http://www.medicinesforhumanity.org/

On Friday, January 22, the MLBPA announced that it was joining the NFL Players Association, National Basketball Players Association and National Hockey League Players’ Association in the creation of the “ONE TEAM 4 HAITI” campaign to support the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund’s focus on the country’s earthquake relief and recovery efforts.  The campaign launched with a text message fund-raising effort supporting the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund. In the U.S., supporters can text the word “TEAM” to 20222 to donate $10. Canadian supporters can text the word “TEAM” to 20222 to donate $5. One hundred percent of the proceeds raised by the texting campaign will go directly to relief efforts.

The “ONE TEAM 4 HAITI” campaign will also promote relief efforts in Haiti by airing public service announcements featuring professional athletes from all four major sports.  St. Louis Cardinals’ first baseman, Albert Pujols, 2009 National League MVP, and San Francisco Giants pitcher, Tim Lincecum, 2009 National League Cy Young Award winner, have recorded the PSA on behalf of the MLBPA.

Today’s pledge matches the largest financial contribution ever made by the Players Trust, the charitable foundation of all Major League baseball players.  In 2005, in a demonstration of their commitment to rebuilding the Gulf region following Hurricanes Katrina and Rita, the Major League Baseball Players Trust presented a gift of one million dollars to launch the Volunteers of America Rental Housing Development Fund.  That contribution, along with contributions from other organizations, was used to develop affordable rental housing in the Gulf Coast region.

About the Major League Baseball Players Trust

The members of the Major League Baseball Players Association created the Players Trust, a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation,  to provide resources of caring to those in need by volunteering in causes close to their hearts and encouraging others to do the same. The foundation became the first of its kind in professional sports established and administered by the players.  For additional information, please visit www.MLBPLAYERS.com and visit the Players Trust channel on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/user/MLBPlayersTrust

CONTACT: Greg Bouris, MLBPA Director of Communications, +1-212-826-0808, gbouris@mlbpa.org

Patrons heading to western Jamaica for this weekend’s Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival, will get a bonus entertainment experience in the form of Jazz Beach J’ouvert in Montego Bay on January 30.

According to Dollis Campbell of Image Productions, organisers of Jazz Beach J’ouvert, the event was conceptualised to meet the demands of jazz and blues patrons from Kingston and overseas, for additional daytime activities during the annual festival.

“We wanted to appeal to the audience attending the jazz festival and several persons from Kingston, who come yearly for the festival, have complained that there is nothing to do during the days while they are at the hotels,” said Campbell.

“So we decided this year that we would change that and give patrons a real jazz party with an infusion of carnival and Jamaican food.”

Renaissance Disco will be in charge of the musical juggling at Jazz Beach J’ouvert, which will unfold at the picturesque Aquasol Beach Park in Montego Bay from 11:30 am to 5:00pm.

The all-inclusive price tag will include food and drinks, a move that Campbell said was deliberate.

“We wanted persons to have an authentic Jamaican experience, which is characterised through our food, music and vibe. Persons can expect to have manish water, jerk chicken, jerk pork, coconut jelly and Jamaican rum right by the beach.”

Interestingly, the organisers have also included a friendly musical showdown between the cities of Kingston and Montego Bay with two female selectors. ‘The Sexy Seductress’ Millicent Lynch, will represent the East while Janet ‘The Fabulous’ Silvera will represent the West.

With the growing popularity of both females at the turntables, Image Productions are enthusiastic about the ‘competition’.

“We are gearing up for a great vibe and I am sure that they will deliver themselves musically on the turntables and be engaged in a playoff to amuse our entertainment-hungry crowd,” said Campbell.

Image Productions are envisaging Jazz Beach J’ouvert to grow into an annual activity in line with Jamaica Jazz and Blues Festival.

They were selected in the semifinal round of the competition which took place last Saturday at the St James Amphitheatre.

Adana Mitchell, Megan Waldron and Shaquille Selkridge (Izac King) are among the most improved throughout the season and were given the nod by judges Paul Richards, Carol Jacobs and Carl “Beaver Henderson”.

The remaining Soca Stars will know their fate tomorrrow during the Friday Night Live show on Synergy TV. In all, six successful competitors will move forward to the finals scheduled for February 4 at the Jean Pierre Complex.

Source:newsday.co.tt

“Hope for Haiti Now” today announced that it has raised more than $66 million to date for Haiti relief and recovery efforts.  The figure includes proceeds from sales of the “Hope for Haiti Now” album, a collection of live performances from last week’s global telethon that today became the first-ever digital-only album to debut at no. 1 on the Billboard 200.

According to Nielsen SoundScan, “Hope for Haiti Now” was purchased for download more than 171,000 times in the United States through Sunday, January 24.  The album sold an additional 60,000 copies outside of the U.S. through Sunday. “Hope for Haiti Now” also sold 300,000 individual audio performances as well as 15,000 downloads of the full two-hour video telecast through Sunday.  The album has hit no. 1 on iTunes in 18 countries, and “Hope for Haiti Now” is the first project to simultaneously reach the No. 1 spot on the U.S. iTunes album, song (“Stranded (Haiti Mon Amour)” by Jay-Z, Bono, The Edge and Rihanna), and television charts.

All retail partners, the record labels, and the artists will donate their share of the proceeds to Haiti relief and recovery funds managed by “Hope for Haiti Now” charities.  Performances are available for purchase on iTunes, AmazonMP3, Rhapsody, and Napster.  All distribution is provided by INgrooves.

“Hope for Haiti Now” Advisory Committee Formed

“Hope for Haiti Now” today also announced the formation of an Advisory Committee to oversee the distribution of funds donated through the global telethon.  The Entertainment Industry Foundation, in concert with the Committee, is advising “Hope for Haiti Now” to ensure that the donated funds are quickly and effectively put to use in Haiti.   The first installment of donated funds is due for distribution next week.  The Committee is comprised of the following recognized and distinguished leaders in philanthropy, nonprofit oversight, and Haiti relief:

•    Diana Aviv, President & CEO, Independent Sector
•    Brian Concannon, Jr., Esq., Director, Institute for Justice and Democracy in Haiti
•    William Foster, Co-Partner, The Bridgespan Group
•    Steven Gunderson, President & CEO, The Council on Foundations
•    Nancy Lindborg, President, Mercy Corps
•    Jacques-Philippe Piverger, PineBridge Investments
•    Judith Rodin, Ph.D., President, The Rockefeller Foundation
•    David Saltzman, Executive Director, Robin Hood Foundation

This week, each beneficiary organization is submitting to “Hope for Haiti Now” its plans for use of funds donated through the telethon, its key partners, and its goals and measurement for success.  The Advisory Committee is meeting this week to review the information from partner charities and help “Hope for Haiti Now” begin to distribute funds next week.  The Committee will also provide recommendations on maintaining the due diligence process and continued oversight as “Hope for Haiti Now” continues to distribute funds to its partner charities.

“The outpouring of generosity around “Hope for Haiti Now” is truly remarkable, and I look forward to helping ensure that generosity has a direct and measureable impact on the relief and recovery efforts in Haiti,” said Steven Gunderson, President & CEO of the Council on Foundations.

“Our top priority is ensuring that proceeds from the telethon are distributed as quickly, responsibly and effectively as possible. We are pleased to have individuals with such extraordinary expertise on our Advisory Committee to help facilitate the process,” said Lisa Paulsen, President & CEO of the Entertainment Industry Foundation, the 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization providing philanthropic support to “Hope for Haiti Now.”

“Hope for Haiti Now,” benefits the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, Oxfam America, Partners in Health, the Red Cross, UNICEF, United Nations World Food Programme, and Yele Haiti Foundation.  With the exception of the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund, each organization was selected for its history of operation and collaboration within the nongovernmental organization (NGO) community in Haiti.

“Hope for Haiti Now” will continue accepting donations for six months via the following methods:
•  Online: www.hopeforhaitinow.org
•  Phone: 877-99-HAITI
•  Text: Text “GIVE” to 50555
•  Mail: Hope for Haiti Now, FILE 1372, 1801 West Olympic Blvd. / Pasadena, California 91199-1372
“Hope for Haiti Now” was produced by Joel Gallen and Tenth Planet Productions, in collaboration with Viacom’s MTV Networks and George Clooney.

About MTV Networks
MTV Networks, a division of Viacom (NYSE: VIA, VIA.B), is one of the world’s leading creators of entertainment content, with brands that engage and connect diverse audiences across television, online, mobile, games, virtual worlds and consumer products. The company’s portfolio spans more than 150 television channels and 400 digital media properties worldwide, and includes MTV, VH1, CMT, Logo, Harmonix, Nickelodeon, Nick at Nite, Nick Jr., TeenNick, AddictingGames, Neopets, COMEDY CENTRAL, SPIKE, TV Land, Atom, GameTrailers, and Xfire.

CONTACT: Carole Robinson, +1-212-846-8760, carole.robinson@mtv.com, or Mark Jafar, +1-212-846-8961, mark.jafar@mtvstaff.com

All new Official Music Video to Busy Signal’s Nightshift and One More Night on the upcoming album D.O.B. in stores March 2010 from VP Records.

In response to the devastating earthquake in Haiti which has taken the lives of over 200,000 people, OneWorld Experience and Bluecrash Media will produce “Love For Haiti,” a live 36 hour fundraiser on Thursday, January 28th at Webster Hall, a well-known entertainment venue in NYC.

A huge life-like projection (15 ft. high x 30 ft. wide) will be positioned on Webster Hall’s exterior wall and it will showcase the live video of the fundraiser itself as well as a live Twitter feed. The video will be on USTREAM for all to observe. Anyone passing by the intersection of 3rd Ave. and 11th St. in NYC will also be able to witness this creative projection.

“By utilizing the power of technology and social media, the objective of “Love For Haiti” is to bring together the NYC and global community. Haiti desperately needs support and through this innovative fundraiser, we will bring them aid. We will become one for Haiti,” stated Vanessa Kim, president of OneWorld Experience and co-producer of “Love for Haiti.”

“Love For Haiti” will begin promptly at 5PM, Thursday, January 28th and end at 5AM, Sunday, January 31st EST. It will run live for 12 hours on these 3 consecutive nights from 5PM to 5AM.

The goal is to raise a minimum of $50,000 for Haiti. 100% of the proceeds will go to Doctors Without Borders, which is made possible due to everyone volunteering their services and Webster Hall graciously donating its exterior space and marquee. Exclaims Gerard McNamee, Webster Hall’s event curator, “Like everyone else, we were devastated to hear about the situation in Haiti. Webster Hall has therefore chosen to do this event for love.”

A booth will be arranged in front of Webster Hall so the public can make donations in person. Donations can also be made online at Doctors Without Border’s website www.doctorswithoutborders.org. A candlelight vigil will take place from 7 to 10PM each night.

“In this digital age, technology is the cornerstone of our lives. This is especially true for me considering the work I do. But people in Haiti do not even have the basic necessities like clean water, food and housing that we take for granted. By employing innovative technology as the marketing platform, we aim to bring a great amount of aid to Haiti,” declared Morgan Freeman, co-producer of “Love for Haiti” and founder of Bluecrash Media.

Immensely popular electronic music artists, The Crystal Method, will be on stage at Webster Hall on Friday, January 29th and their performance will be featured in “Love For Haiti’s” video stream. Additionally, a special presentation by one of our ultimate supporters, the Quarterly Art Soiree (www.theqas.com) will be showcased as well. Live conversations with celebrities and business leaders through Twitter and USTREAM is currently being arranged and once confirmed will be announced prior to the benefit.

ABOUT ONEWORLD EXPERIENCE, LLC
OneWorld Experience is a marketing event production firm tailored to answer the fundraising needs of non-profits. With a specialization in donor retention support, corporate sponsorship relations, auction events and successful shopping lounges, OneWorld Experience is the fundraising solution for non-profits around the world. OneWorld Experience is always marketing for a better tomorrow. www.oneworldexp.com.

ABOUT BLUECRASH MEDIA
Bluecrash Media is a multimedia and interactive design company founded by Morgan Freeman. Known for his innovative digital artistry, especially in regards to interactive art installations, Morgan Freeman is internationally recognized and was thus named as one of the top 10 digital artists in America by the renown Corel and PGA. www.bluecrash.com.

ABOUT WEBSTER HALL
Webster Hall is North America’s premier entertainment venue. Located in NYC’s famous East Village, it is highly regarded as the first modern nightclub of North America. This 40,000 sq. ft. architectural landmark first opened its doors in 1886 and has been a gathering place for the people of NYC and the world since then. Today, the world’s most famous names in music such as Green Day, The Killers, Prince, Nine Inch Nails and Mick Jagger have graced Webster Hall’s internationally recognized stage in recent years. www.websterhall.com.

CONTACT: Vanessa Kim, OneWorld Experience, LLC, +1-646-484-9890, or mobile, +1-646-428-5217, vanessa@oneworldexp.com

Vitals.com, America’s largest physician finder, has received requests from more than 150 doctors trying to lend their medical support in Haiti.

Just weeks ago, Haiti suffered the most devastating earthquake the country has seen in 250 years. To date 111,000 people are known to be dead, and countless others are injured and suffering from displacement.  The entire city of Port-au-Prince turned into a lethal pile of rubble, burying its inhabitants alive.  Despite language barriers, the immense destruction in Haiti has brought people across the world together.

Vitals’ mission is to connect physicians to patients in their time of need. In this dire situation, Vitals extends its mission to connect US physicians to the distressed victims in Haiti. Actively seeking a program to sponsor their efforts are more than 150 physicians from Vitals’ database. They are ready and willing to donate their time and services to help the victims, and any interested organizations are encouraged to contact Vitals.com.

According to Dr. Sanjay Gupta and Dr. Jay Nielsen, who are currently in Haiti now, although the services of all doctors are valuable, neurosurgeons and surgeons possess the most sought-after skills.  This is a crucial time for aid efforts as the Haitian government will be changing from “a search and rescue operation to a search and recovery mission.”

Vitals.com has also created a directory of courageous physicians who are currently helping others in Haiti.  If you know of an honorable doctor who should be added to the list, please contact Vitals.com.
(http://www.vitals.com/haiti-doctor-directory)

About Vitals / MDX Medical Inc.
Vitals (www.vitals.com), an innovative, online doctor evaluation and comparison service from MDX Medical Inc., is a comprehensive source for crucial information, peer evaluations and patient feedback on more than 720,000 doctors nationwide.  Vitals aggregates updated data to create complete profiles for each doctor to help consumers find the doctor that’s right for them.

CONTACT:  Margarita Shefson of Vitals.com, +1-201-459-6261, margarita@vitals.com

Chuck Fenda (born Leshorn Whitehead, Brooklyn New York) first came to attention recording for King Jammy in the late 1990s. He then joined Fifth Element records at the turn of the millennium, dubbing himself “The Poor People Defender” and embracing a conscious Rasta path. His 2004 debut album Better Days was followed by The Living Fire in 2007 (which contained the controversial and hugely popular single Gash Dem which was banned by two radio stations in Jamaica). Angus Taylor spoke to him in Jamaica about his recently released third record Fulfillment (for VP) – which has garnered a very positive response so far…

Tell me about your new album ‘Fulfillment’. Would you say it’s a more spiritual album than ‘The Living Fire’?

This album is a very spiritual album. My albums are always spiritual but this is deep deep spiritual you know what I mean? And it’s about what’s happening right now, the meltdown that’s happening in the world. The war and crime locally in Jamaica and in the US and the sufferation that people are facing all over the world with people losing their jobs so there are a lot of songs that are touching on certain topics that are happening right now. So, yes, it’s a deep spiritual album and I’m always out there speaking for the less fortunate and speaking for the kids, for the undermined and the unnoticed.

With the world economy in crisis many people are suffering due to the greed of the wealthy. Do you think more people are receptive to your message as a result? And what can be done to help them?

Yes. As long as people as facing tribulation my job continues. Because living in Jamaica, in Spanish town where I used to live with my grandparents, I grew up around that. Even though I was born in the US I grew up in Jamaica. I didn’t grow up uptown, I grew up down in the ghetto so I saw a lot of stuff. I saw the shootings, I saw the sufferations and the struggles. I’ve seen everything. So while I’ve just broken out in the music business now and I elevated myself out of the ghetto but I still left a lot of my friends back there. So I have to speak of them and try to shine a light on what’s happening to them and see if they can build up some infrastructure, like opening up some workshops so people could get a skill. A lot of kids leave school and they don’t know where to go. They don’t have a direction and a lot of them can’t afford to go to college and all of that. So I’m lobbying to help get a lot of these kids into college or into these workshops to get a skill.

How are you going to generate the money for this project?

What I want do is set up a fund, like a trust fund so that when I tour I can tell people, “donate a dollar to this fund” so it could father a couple of kids and send them to school. Because right now there are a lot of kids I see not going to school and their parents can’t afford to buy books for them. This is crazy right now in the world today – a lot kids not going to school. A lot of kids on the street wiping car glass. A lot of kids are on the road right now selling juice – and these kids are seven, eight, nine. So if we can afford for this to happen then a generation is going to go backward and we’re not going to be able to have any lawyers, no doctors, no engineers, no police officers nor soldiers if these kids are not in school. Because education is the key. If you don’t have an education then you are lost in the world right now. The world is getting so modernised with computers, and these kids don’t have access to those things. Because they know me as the Poor People Defender here in Jamaica and a lot of times I have to help out a lot of kids and put money towards things out of my own pocket and help people. So if I could go on tour or on my website and say “donate 50 cents or donate a dollar to this website” and then I could transfer this fund to the schools and try to help out.

Your approach to music has changed a lot since you first started.

I try to eradicate gun violence in my songs. I never sing about the gun. Because I used to when I started out back in the day in 1998 at King Jammys. I used to sing songs like Shut Yuh Mouth When Badman Talking and people react to those songs. Man start firing shot at dance and packing guns and all that. Then as I got older I grew up. Jah gave me the inspiration and I found Rastafari and started praying a lot and Jah said, “OK you have to come and save these people”. Now when I do songs like I Swear, Oh My Lord, Rough Out Deh, All About Da Weed, Better Days, Gash Dem and all those songs, those spiritual songs, people are telling me, “Yo, Fenda man, you helped me stop shooting people, you let me put down my gun, you let me get an education, you let me want to get a skill, you let me look a life differently”. So if my songs can have this type of impact on people and let them do this stuff then I’m saying lives you know what I mean? So that’s the type of stuff I’m really on right now.

At what point did you decide to change direction?

After I left King Jammys and did a song called Bada Bada. I was on the road and had left the US. Because before I was living in the US in Hartford and then I went to New York and was like “I leave everything back in the US”. I mean, I had a good life there. I had a good job and an apartment and a car. I gave up all that stuff and put everything in the music so I went back to Jamaica and said, “I want to pursue my music career”. But after I saw a lot of my friends got shot and a lot of people got killed around me I started praying and saying, “Jah you have to help me this time because I don’t know what direction to go. I can’t go back to America because I spent so much time in Jamaica now”. So then The Almighty started to inspire me saying, “just start doing my work and speaking of me and do conscious music”.
This is just me and The Almighty reasoning when I was by myself. Because I try to stick to nature a lot. I like to go to the mineral, I like to go to the beach – not when it’s crowded but like early morning, five thirty, six o clock – and I pray and I light the fire and I speak with the Almighty. And Jah said, “do my work and I’ll let you be one of the greatest artists in the world” so the inspiration came. So I found Rastafari and Rastafari is the true way of life. Rastafari is all about love. A lot of people have the wrong conception about Rastafari. Rastafari is all about love and upliftment and togetherness. So that’s when the whole concept came.

How did that change manifest itself?

I started doing songs like I Swear That I Will Never Switch, Cyaan Stop Trying We Haffi Win, Oh My Lord, and this inspiration just started coming naturally. So that was when my whole life started changing. I don’t look at things how I used to. Even if I have a nice car I don’t praise it. Even if I have a nice watch on I don’t think I am better than the next person. So I just look at life normally. I’m not all about fashion because all those things are illusion. When you find The Almighty and you find your true self, nothing that would excite another person means much to you any more. Like if a person has a BMW that would excite them but it doesn’t excite me. It’s just a car to me. If I have a watch and it’s valued $3000 it doesn’t mean much to me. People mean more to me, seeing people progress, seeing people come around me and elevate and feel happy in their self you know what I mean? Then that makes me happy.
I took a lot of my friends out of the ghetto in Spanish Town where I used to live and I sent them back to school saying, “go learn about this” “go learn about that”. Now ’nuff of them is my road manager, do a lot of work around my career, ’nuff of them do a lot of stuff in the music in the Living Fire company that I’m running. So I try to help a lot of them. They do the bookings, take care of the website, a lot of them go on the road with me and become background vocalists and things like that. So I try to nurture a lot of them and to see them progress and see them having their own cars and having their own place and see them living which makes me feel proud.

Now when you say people don’t understand what Rastafari is about, would you say the banning of your single Gash Dem in 2006 by Zip FM and Irie FM was an example?

Well they tried to see Gash Dem in a different way. They thought that I’m trying to deal with violence or I’m licking out on another race of people or I’m against certain types of stuff. But when I created this song I was watching the Seven O Clock news in Jamaica and this little girl she was on her way from school and somebody took her and snatched her away and repeatedly raped this little baby. She was only six years old and they found her in some bushes with like 25 stabs. They ripped her clothes off, the little baby was naked, they really deal with her badly. And I was like, “how could somebody in their right mind do stuff like this to a little child?” So I was trying to build a concept around it, “a big man like you rape off a six year old baby”. “Big man” doesn’t mean big people in high authority – I just mean big man overall because if you’re a big man you’re supposed to have sense and have knowledge so you just can’t do stuff like this to a little baby. You’re supposed to be protecting a little baby. If you see her wandering home from school you should try to bring her to the police station or bring her to a certain authority and just try to let this child reach home safely. But for you to rape a baby like that???
So that’s how the song came up and when I did the song it was playing on the radio a lot. And then the first thing I heard was that broadcasting corporations say they wanted to have a meeting with me. And when I went and met with them they were like, “this song got to stop playing because it’s very violent and the word ‘gash’ means a big inflicted wound on a person”. And I was like, “this song is based towards people that are raping little kids”. And I didn’t say ‘me’ I said “when The Almighty hold you, no ifs nor buts, don’t tell The Almighty about maybe, The Almighty will gash them and light them”. I didn’t say “Chuck Fenda says ‘Gash them and light them’ – you know what I mean?” Because when The Almighty says he’s going to return this time he is going to return to return with brimstone and fire, so that’s why I say gash them and light them. Gash them and light them means fire. Spiritual fire. So they took it the wrong way and this song had to stop playing but I’m trying to lobby against this type of stuff – the raping of kids and any raping whatsoever.

It was symbolic rather than real violence.

I’m against violent lyrics. I don’t like gun songs and I never sing those songs. I did a press conference where I asked all the sound selectors all over the world to stop playing my gun songs that I did in the past because I see they have a certain effect on the people. I said, “please, I’m asking you. I’ll give you other songs but please don’t play this gun songs that I did back in the days”. I don’t want to hear them anymore because we’re trying to fix back the crime rate, we’re trying to fix back the country, we’re trying to put good music out there so people can feel happy, people can enjoy themselves, my music can uplift people. So if my songs can take guns out of little kids’ hands then if I was doing the opposite still then a lot of lives would be lost every day. So just flip the positive and see what you get. Because people look up to Chuck Fenda and they listen to Chuck Fenda. They buy my albums so I have to put good music out there. At the end of the day I’m not doing this for me – I’m doing it for The Almighty. I’m bringing positive music out there, I’m doing the work of The Almighty. I’m like a messenger or you could say like a preacher.

Some cultural deejays are happy to still sing their older, slacker material.

I stopped doing it in ’99. When I touched 2000 I did I Swear. I Swear is nine years old. I did I Swear when I just came into the music business. I’d just started developing because when I was at King Jammys I was a little child. I was just growing and learning like I was in primary school and then I went to high school and when I went to Fifth Element it was like I graduated in the business. That was when I started getting the full attention. I cry for my people because it’s what I see that I sing. People don’t have to be suffering like this. People don’t have to be going through this type of trauma every day. People want to live a good life. When I travel in the US I see kids of 23-25 having their own car, having their own place, having a good job, having a good education. I don’t see that in Jamaica.

You hardly see that in Jamaica. If your parents are from uptown and they have a family business they pass it down to their children but in the ghetto kids are most likely to gravitate to the negative things like it being cool to carry a gun or to shoot somebody or not go to school. We want to change that concept and the music is the thing that reaches fast to the people. The fastest thing to reach the people is music so that’s what we have to use to reach the people. Chuck Fenda is all about truths and rights. That’s why a lot of times they don’t really like what I speak. Because when I speak I lobby against this type of stuff. I’m different. I’m not going to come and say “I’m going to give you a little gun, I’m going to give you a little slackness and then I’m going to give you a little righteousness”.

Since I did I Swear in 2000 I never went back and did a gun song or a negative song or something that the media is going to pick up and say “Chuck Fenda said ‘I Swear that I will never switch’ – see what he go back and did?” I never did that stuff. So no matter how the time gets rough on me (because you know you have good days and bad days no matter how powerful you are) I’m still true to my words, I’m still praying hard, I’m still holding on to The Almighty and I’ll never let go.

Do you think, as some artists have claimed, that the powers that be would prefer music to be slack and violent?

Not really. Certain types of people like certain types of music. Certain people want it a certain way and certain people would go slower. When you come with righteousness they maybe think it won’t sell. But look at Bob Marley – Bob Marley is the biggest reggae artist in the world. Bob Marley never sang a gun song or sang a slack song and what I’m doing is carrying on the work of Robert Nesta Marley because he set the foundations for me as a young artist to come and carry on that work that he set. He went through a lot of tribulation when Rastafari couldn’t take a plane or they used to trim Rastafari and all of that. So he’d already been through that sufferation to make my day better for me.

I can go into Europe, England, the US or whatever and people can accept me because they know Bob Marley set the foundation. So I’m just carrying on the works of those great icons: Burning Spear, Bunny Wailer, Peter Tosh. They’ve been through all that sufferation and those guys are great. When you do a certain type of music you are limited unless you take it on an international level like Shaggy and all that but Bob Marley is the real icon in reggae music and we still have to respect him even though he is not here because he set the foundation for all of us.

One other veteran that you collaborated with for this album is the foundation dancehall singer Sammy Dread? How did this come about?

Sammy Dread is a real original rude boy – not a badman – but, you know, a back in the day rude boy singer. He is an elder in the business from Greenwich Farm in Jamaica. So I saw a lot of people are running off wanting the new artists that are coming up, all “I want to do something with this new singer” but they’re leaving the elders out of the business who set the foundation. So I’m saying, I want to this song called Bad Boy – I’m against gun violence and negativity – but Sammy Dread is one of those guys who set things back in the day, so I think I should go back for an elder and bring him back on the forefront. Just like when I was Fifth Element and I did combinations with Richie Spice: because Richie Spice was there for years but when he came to Fifth Element his career resurrect back up you know what I mean? And Cherine Anderson with Coming Over Tonight, all those combinations that I did, I said I didn’t want to go for a new face, because it is a different generation now, so I said, “OK, I’m going to bring back Sammy Dread”. And now he’s happy because that’s one of the biggest songs in Jamaica and in America right now. In Miami it’s on rotation and we just completed a video for it in New York and it looks to be a great song.

OK, let’s talk about the producers you worked with on the album. The majority of the rhythms come from Kemar Flava McGregor. What is Flava like to work with compared to say Jammy?

King Jammy is like the general. He is like the godfather for reggae music. But you know I have to respect Flava as a producer because I’ve never seen him say “Chuck Fenda – have a dancehall riddim”. He’s a young guy and he still carries on the culture vibration like Jammys used to carry and Bobby Digital and all those guys used to carry back in the day. So I said, “OK, I like Flava. I’m going to do some work with Flava” because we did a song called Herbalist Farmer (sings) “I’M A HERBALIST FARMER!!!” and I got a real buzz so then I did another song saying (sings) “GONNA TEK DEM PON A HEIGHTS!!!!” so then I did three songs with him and I just had a vibes with him. In the end I’d voiced like six or sven tracks for him so he said, “why don’t you just do an album?” So I started voicing for him every day, voicing voicing voicing, and he just kept giving me riddims. Then VP stepped in saying, “we heard some tracks you did for Flava. We want to put out an album for you” and I said “OK fine” so that’s how it materialised like that.

Do you prefer working with one producer on most of the tracks for an album than taking a single each from many producers?

It’s good in a sense because he knows my range and he knows much about me. He knows Chuck Fenda and he knows what to put on my voice. He’ll say, “Chuck Fenda has this sound. Chuck Fenda will sit good on this riddim. I could a put a little reverb on his mic”. He knows how to set me up in the studio. He knows how to mix my songs to make me come out sounding good.

Just like Shane Brown, because I’m always good with Shane Brown too. Shane Brown has a track on the album because I didn’t want to leave Shane Brown out because he gave me one of my biggest songs in Gash Dem And Light Dem. And there’s a young guy on it named Marvin who’s just coming up who has a song called Why Should I Be Afraid. He’s a young guy who’s just coming up, twenty something years old and he’s into cultural music too.

I’m not a dancehall artist. I’m a cultural artist so I have to go to cultural producers. If a guy does dancehall he’s not going to know Chuck Fenda – what Chuck Fenda likes or what I’m going to sound good on. This is not about selling. Flava is all about getting the message out there. Marvin is all about getting the message out there. Shane Brown is all about getting the message out there. I don’t want to voice for everybody that don’t understand what I’m really about. I’m all about righteousness, I’m all about getting the message out there, I’m all about doing quality music that’s going to live on. I Swear is nine years old and I’ve seen a lot of songs after I Swear dissolve away and I Swear is still powerful.

These songs cannot die. Just like a Bob Marley – (sings) “ONE LOVE!!!” – those songs were created before I was even born and now those songs are still selling every day. Those songs are still powerful. We want to do music that’s going to live on forever so that when I get older, fifty, sixty years, my kids can live off this music or they could say, “my father left this stuff for me or set up this infrastructure for me and I’m going to carry on the works of my father” – just how I see Julian Marley and Stephen Marley and Junior Gong doing. Bob Marley set an entity for them so they could carry on the work of their father.

Now as you were born in Brooklyn and I asked this question of Morgan Heritage I’m going to ask you the same thing: Which do you prefer – Brooklyn or Jamaica?

(laughs) Well I would say Jamaica (and I’m still not going to leave out Brooklyn neither!) because when I was born my mother brought me back to Jamaica when I was six weeks old so all my life I grew up in Jamaica. I went to basic school, I went to primary school, I went to high school and then, when I was like fifteen-sixteen I moved back to the US to go to school again. So I didn’t grow up from a baby and go right through school in America – I just went over there in my teens. So I still have a real love for Jamaica because my grandparents are the ones who nurtured me and all of that. My grandfather is still alive (my grandmother passed away) so I have a love for my grandfather and a love for Jamaica still. But I was living in New York for a while and I still have friends and family out there still so my passport can’t change.

I was born in the US but my roots are in Jamaica because that’s where I was growing up. I mean, I don’t know much about the US but that’s how it is and that’s how Jah wanted it to set. Because when you sing certain songs or when you stand for certain things, if you slip, they could take away your papers or deport you or whatever. With me, now, I’m a citizen of two countries. I have an unconditional stamp that shows that I’m a citizen of the US and I’m a citizen of Jamaica.

Do you have closing message to your fans?

I just want to let them know – don’t give up on Chuck Fenda because Chuck Fenda is real. This music I’m doing is real. Just stick with me out there through rough times and good times. I never let down my fans. I never try to turn down an interview. I’m always trying to push for consciousness and push for unity. I’m all about love – no matter what race you are or what colour you are – it’s all about love for me and enjoyment and good music. Letting my music make people feel better. I want the people out there to know that they must put The Almighty first and do a lot of praying. Never forget The Almighty in what you are doing. It’s all about love and respect and putting The Almighty first. Pray because we are living in some rough times now.

But it’s going to get better because if the rain is falling for like two or three months there must be some sunny days ahead. So we might be feeling kind of worried right now and frustrated because people are losing their jobs and people can’t make ends meet but it’s only for a matter of time because Jah goes through a lot of tribulation for us. So who is us and who are we that can’t go through certain tribulation? Just hold on tight and have faith because Jah says if we have faith we can move mountains. So just have faith for now and everything will be better man. But it’s all about good music from me and righteousness and love.

Thank you very much for your time.

It was a pleasure. And to all my fans, you can reach me on Facebook and if you want to get in touch with me you can just email me at chuckfenda01@hotmail.com.

Source: UnitedReggae.com