John Forté // Rising Appalachia // Marti Nikko and DJ Drez Join the Soul Land Music Series

Grammy-nominated recording artist, filmmaker, writer, and activist John Forté was first recognized for his work with multi-platinum hip-hop group The Fugees. Since then, Forté has been involved in a number of creative and advocacy-based projects. As a classically trained hip-hop and pop veteran, Forté blends sleek rhythms and catchy hooks, in the process turning some difficult life experiences into introspective, ultimately uplifting music.

Sisters Leah & Chloe and their beloved band, Rising Appalachia, use vocal harmonies, acoustic instruments, and world folk traditions to build a foundation of soul sounds.

Rising Appalachia is a genre-bending force of sound that uses vocal harmony, lyrical prowess and diverse artistic collaborations to defy cultural clichés and ignite a musical revolution…Listen for sister harmonies, world folks traditions, banjos, fiddles, stand up bass, acoustic guitar, and a host of pan-global percussion

The daughter of a jazz pianist, Marti Nikko spent her childhood in nightclubs, absorbing the art and wisdom of many great musicians. Marti met DJ Drez shortly after high school, when they began performing and recording together. Over two decades, their collaboration has become an intimate musical language that effortlessly translates into and between many styles of music, including hip hop, reggae, kirtan, jazz and soul.

DJ Drez transforms the vibe of any scene his sound is set upon. Rooted in underground L.A. hip-hop, Drez applies precise turn-table skills to a cutting-edge vision for truly universal music, integrating elements of hip-hop, world music, soul, funk, jazz, and reggae into his trademark sound and production.

India is suffering from a devastating Covid crisis, and we encourage our community to help to provide oxygen and other lifesaving supplies to those in urgent need by donating here. Humanity First Foundation, a small organization founded by Mohammed Shujatullah, is determined to help people in the city of Hyderabad get oxygen cylinders and fight the second wave of this deadly virus.