MIA opens New York gig with Skype message from WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange

November 2, 2013 10:37

Assange was beamed in from London's Ecuadorian embassy, where he is living under political asylum

MIA's New York show last night (November 1) opened with a Skype message from controversial WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange, according to gig-goers on Twitter and Instagram.

Several attendees shared pictures of Assange as he spoke from a giant video screen on stage, and MIA later posted her own slightly out-of-focus shot on Instagram.

The opening act for #MIA is Julian Assange. pic.twitter.com/71IzS2XdMH

— Jayne Glick (@TripsJ) November 2, 2013

Assange was beamed in from London's Ecuadorian embassy, where he has been living under political asylum for over a year. If Assange steps out of the embassy, he will immediately be extradited to Sweden, where he faces allegations of sexual assault.

During a recent interview with the BBC, MIA revealed that Assange helped her to write the track 'aTENTion' from her new album 'Matangi'. "I was struggling with this song, trying to write lyrics that contained the word 'tent'. There were only so many on my list - I had about 30," MIA recalled.

"Julian Assange came into the studio and took my computer and basically decrypted the whole of the internet, and downloaded every word in the whole of the language that contained the word 'tent' within it. He gave me, like, 4,000. And I finished the song. He doesn't get a writing credit, but he gets a thank you."

'Matangi' is released officially on Monday (November 4) and is streaming now on YouTube. The album includes the singles 'Bad Girls', 'Come Walk With Me' and 'Bring The Noize' and is the follow-up to MIA's 2010 effort 'Maya'.

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Jennifer Hudson opens Chicago weight loss center (AP)

CHICAGO – Jennifer Hudson's name has graced an Oscar and Grammy, but the Chicago native said she never imagined her name would be on a weight loss center that she could use to inspire others.

The singer and actress stopped in her home town Tuesday for the opening of "The Weight Watchers Jennifer Hudson Center." Hudson, who lost about 80 pounds, is a spokeswoman for the company.

The new center, where walls are covered with posters of the svelte star, is in a strip mall on Chicago's South Side, not far from President Barack Obama's home.

"I never thought I would make it to have my own center," said Hudson, who wore a fitted, ruffled black dress and high-heeled studded black boots. "I'm so honored to be here and see this day."

Weight Watchers had pledged to donate a portion of the center's revenue to a foundation that Hudson co-founded in honor of her late nephew, Julian King.

The body of the 7-year-old was found in a vehicle a few days after Hudson's mother, Darnell Hudson Donerson, and brother, Jason Hudson, were found dead in the family's Chicago home in October 2008. All three had been shot. The estranged husband of Hudson's sister is charged in the killings and is awaiting trial.

Hudson, who started the foundation in Julian's honor with her sister, Julia, said she was inspired as a child by seeing the success of others.

"I love to target children, because that's the thing that makes a difference," Hudson said. "We hope to do the same thing and start here at home in Chicago with health, with education, with dreams."

Hudson, who first earned fame as an "American Idol" finalist, won a Grammy for her self-titled album and an Oscar for her role in "Dreamgirls." Her album "I Remember Me," came out this year.

Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel, who attended the ribbon-cutting, called Hudson "Chicago's ambassador to the world at large."

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Sophia Tareen can be reached at http://twitter.com/sophiatareen

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Top Europe reggae festival opens, Marley family stars (Reuters)

MADRID (Reuters) – Europe's largest reggae festival Rototom Sunsplash opens its gates on Thursday in the Spanish resort of Benicassim, where over 200,000 fans are expected over 10 days of Jamaican-inspired music headlined by leading members of the Bob Marley dynasty.

This year's 18th Sunsplash pays homage to the legendary reggae musician on the 30th anniversary of his death with concerts by his wife Rita, backing singer in Bob Marley & The Wailers, and the most famous of his children including Ziggy and Stephen.

Stephen Marley will open the festival on the main stage, where Ska pioneers Toots and the Maytals and Jamaican dancehall star Mr. Vegas are also expected to play on the first night.

Over 300 bands and DJs playing reggae genres from roots to rocksteady and ragga to dub will be performing on six stages during a festival which mixes reggae music with social forums as well as African and Caribbean arts and culture.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Iran's Shirin Ebadi will attend Rototom's social forum, which also hosts Tobin Tax campaigner Bernard Cassen and environmental activist Vandana Shiva.

"We've got people participating from over 100 different countries, this makes us a truly global festival with a global philosopy of tolerance behind it," festival director Filippo Giunta told Reuters.

"This year we can do it knowing that the local community approves and knowing that the public are going to come. We had 160,000 last year, we are expecting over 200,000 this year," Giunta said.

Rototom Sunplash decided to move to Spain from northern Italy in 2010, after what Giunta said was a clash between the festival's ideals and the ideas of some politicians in the country.

"They accused us of promoting the use of marijuana just because of the relationship of reggae and the Rastafarian religion, which considers it to be a holy plant," Giunta said.

Rototom is a non-profit collective which donates the income from Sunsplash to charities in Africa, Asia and Latin America, attracting speakers and activists from non-government organisations as well as reggae acts from the famous to the obscure.

"We've been to great reggae festivals in France but this has the biggest line-up," said 28-year-old Mariajo, from Madrid.

"I'm going for classics like Toots and the Maytals and (reggae poet) Linton Kwesi Johnson, but I don't think we'll stay for the full 10 days. That's a lot of reggae!"

(Editing by Mike Collett-White)

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Top Europe reggae festival opens, Marley family stars

Jamaican musician David ''Ziggy'' Marley attends the opening day of the exhibit ''Bob Marley, Messenger'' at the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles May 11, 2011.

Credit: Reuters/Mario Anzuoni

By Jonathan Gleave

MADRID | Thu Aug 18, 2011 8:42am EDT

MADRID (Reuters) - Europe's largest reggae festival Rototom Sunsplash opens its gates on Thursday in the Spanish resort of Benicassim, where over 200,000 fans are expected over 10 days of Jamaican-inspired music headlined by leading members of the Bob Marley dynasty.

This year's 18th Sunsplash pays homage to the legendary reggae musician on the 30th anniversary of his death with concerts by his wife Rita, backing singer in Bob Marley & The Wailers, and the most famous of his children including Ziggy and Stephen.

Stephen Marley will open the festival on the main stage, where Ska pioneers Toots and the Maytals and Jamaican dancehall star Mr. Vegas are also expected to play on the first night.

Over 300 bands and DJs playing reggae genres from roots to rocksteady and ragga to dub will be performing on six stages during a festival which mixes reggae music with social forums as well as African and Caribbean arts and culture.

Nobel Peace Prize Laureate, Iran's Shirin Ebadi will attend Rototom's social forum, which also hosts Tobin Tax campaigner Bernard Cassen and environmental activist Vandana Shiva.

"We've got people participating from over 100 different countries, this makes us a truly global festival with a global philosopy of tolerance behind it," festival director Filippo Giunta told Reuters.

"This year we can do it knowing that the local community approves and knowing that the public are going to come. We had 160,000 last year, we are expecting over 200,000 this year," Giunta said.

Rototom Sunplash decided to move to Spain from northern Italy in 2010, after what Giunta said was a clash between the festival's ideals and the ideas of some politicians in the country.

"They accused us of promoting the use of marijuana just because of the relationship of reggae and the Rastafarian religion, which considers it to be a holy plant," Giunta said.

Rototom is a non-profit collective which donates the income from Sunsplash to charities in Africa, Asia and Latin America, attracting speakers and activists from non-government organisations as well as reggae acts from the famous to the obscure.

"We've been to great reggae festivals in France but this has the biggest line-up," said 28-year-old Mariajo, from Madrid.

"I'm going for classics like Toots and the Maytals and (reggae poet) Linton Kwesi Johnson, but I don't think we'll stay for the full 10 days. That's a lot of reggae!"

(Editing by Mike Collett-White)

View the original article here