Puerto Rican Freedom Project CD Release Party

Internationally Acclaimed Artists Set to Perform in El Barrio for Freedom CD Release Party

Yomo Toro, Roy Brown, Zon del Barrio, Siete Nueve & The Welfare Poets take a musical stand for the Puerto Rican Political Prisoners

In an effort to raise funds for the remaining Puerto Rican political prisoners, The Puerto Rican Freedom Project celebrates the release of “The Freedom Album,” a musical compilation featuring Boricua artists from the Island to the Diaspora. One of the Island’s foremost political folk singer, Roy Brown will be on hand alongside the Fania music legend, Yomo Toro who will be joining East Harlem’s own Zon del Barrio. Further, the concert will bring old and new school performers together with the strength of the politically conscious Hip Hop artists from P.R., Siete Nueve and New York’s own The Welfare Poets, the socio-political hip hop fusion band spearheading this project.

Scheduled for Thursday, October 1, 2009 at the Julia de Burgos Cultural Center located at 1680 Lexington Avenue (between 105 & 106 Sts), the event takes place at the Taller Boricua’s Multi Arts Space on the first floor. Doors open @ 8 pm with a $20 admission. The Freedom Album will be on sale that evening.

The Puerto Rican Freedom Project is a coalition of artists, activists and organizations that have come together to put out this project. It is co-sponsored by Aurora Communications and Taller Boricua, with additional support from the Prolibertad Freedom Campaign, Cemi Underground and The Zol Lab. To find out more information about the overall project and to purchase advanced tickets log onto www.prfreedomproject.org and www.myspace.com/thewelfarepoets
or for advanced tickets, link directly below:

https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_s-xclick&hosted_button_id=8215829

The Freedom Album is a musical CD/compilation dedicated to the welfare of the Puerto Rican political prisoners and their families. The struggle for Puerto Rico's independence stems back to the late15th century when Christopher Columbus under the auspices of the Spanish Crown, first invaded the Caribbean island. The modern struggle for Puerto Rican sovereignty, clutched in the grasp of the United States, has also been waged by Puerto Ricans from the island to the states who yearn freedom. Since July 25th 1898, Puerto Ricans have moved against America's hegemonic wishes to liberate their island. This fight has lead to various generations of Puerto Rican political prisoners.

In September of 1999, then US president, Bill Clinton, granted clemency to twelve Puerto Rican patriots, who had up to that point, been incarcerated for close to twenty years. A few of the Puerto Rican political prisoners who were not granted clemency,Oscar Lopez Rivera, Carlos Alberto Torres and Haydee Beltran Torres, remain confined, in addition to Avelino Gonzalez Claudio, the fourth of the current Puerto Rican Political Prisoners, who was most recently incarcerated in February of 2008. To learn more about the Puerto Rican political prisoners, go to www.myspace.com/freeourpoliticalprisoners and www.prfreedomproject.org

Artists appearing on the album:
The Welfare Poets with Alkebulan (Hip Hop - NYC), Roy Brown (Folk – Puerto Rico), Siete Nueve (Hip Hop – Puerto Rico), Aurora & Zon Del Barrio with Yomo Toro y Sammy Ayala (Bomba, Plena and Salsa - NYC), Division X (Hip Hop - NYC), Intifada (Hip Hop – Puerto Rico), Ilu Aye (Orisha/Afro-Caribbean tradition -NYC), X-Vandals (Hip Hop - NYC), Rebel Diaz with Divino of The D.E.Y. (Hip Hop Chicago/NYC), Alma Moyo (Bomba y Plena – NYC), Ricanstruction (Hardcore/Punk/Hip Hop - NYC), Quique Cruz (Hip Hop - California), Foundation Movement (Boston – Hip Hop), Lourdez Perez (Decima – Puerto Rico), Homeboy Sandman (Hip Hop – NYC), Babalu Machete (Hip Hop – Puerto Rico), Segundo Quimbamba (Bomba – NJ), El David (Hip Hop - NJ), Dr. Loco (Hip Hop NYC), Fernando Ferrer (Salsa/Acoustic), Maria-Isa (Hip Hop -Minnesota/Twin Cities), Velcro y Ikol Santiago (Hip Hop – Puerto Rico), Ray Concepcion y Cafe Con Leche (Salsa – the Bronx), M-Team (Hip Hop – Pittsburgh/ Brooklyn), Bryan Vargas Y Ya Esta (Latin, Nu-Jazz and Afro-beat – NYC), La Bruja (Hip Hop/Reggaeton NYC), MC Natra Y Lady M (Hip Hop – Vieques), Carlos Jimenez (Latin Jazz – NYC), Fallen Angelz (Hip Hop – NY and Florida), Nino Blanco (Hip Hop – NYC) and Angel Rodriguez (Guaguanco - NYC).


For more information about the artists performing at the release event:
About Siete Nueve, go to:
http://www.myspace.com/sietenueve
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g4Lf5OPw-FU

About the Welfare Poets, go to:
www.myspace.com/thewelfarepoets
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4uoozbuDogA

About Zon del Barrio (with Sammy Ayala and Yomo Toro), go to:
http://www.zondelbarrio.com/
http://www.youtube.com/aurorazdb

About Roy Brown, go to:
http://www.roybrown.com
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vo8jOxLrURo&feature=related