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Kehlani revealed to fans on Thursday (June 13) that sales of shirts promoting their “Next 2 U” single raised more than $555,000 for the Palestinian people, as well as the people of war-torn Sudan and the Democratic Republic of Congo. “This song is about protection, something that institutions have failed to do for the people of Palestine, Congo, and Sudan,” she wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday.
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“No one got us the way we got each other,” they added. “Me & my team feel overwhelmed with gratitude for yall showing out for this fundraiser. We’re blessed to say we supported artists in the West Bank while raising money for families in Gaza, Sudan and Congo. We’re blessed to say that we are supported by a community standing on business together. We’re blessed to play a small part in a growing tide towards the truth about Palestine.”
The singer concluded the note by saying, “we’re invincible together and I feel ever so inspired by y’all. THANK you for showing out on the streets of DC, with your dollars, with your labor and organizing, with your bodies blocking business as usual.” The note also featured the phrase “I believe that we will win” and a watermelon emoji, which has become a symbol showing support for the Palestinian people.
The $65 T-shirts for the singer’s latest single were made in Bethlehem and printed in Ramallah, cities that are both in the West Bank. The fundraiser comes as the war between Israel and the militant group Hamas drags into its ninth month following Hamas’ surprise Oct. 7 attack on Israel in which officials said more than 1,200 women, children and men were killed and 250 citizens were taken hostage. Israel’s retaliatory strikes have killed more than 36,000 Palestinians to date according to authorities, while displacing more than one million people and causing what aid groups have called the worst famine in recent history.
In the video for “Next 2 U,” Kehlani placed her solidarity with the Palestinian people front-and-center, with an opening message featuring a poem from Palestinian-American writer Hala Alyan and the message “Long Live the Intifada” — a reference to the two violent uprisings in the West Bank and Gaza Strip aimed at ending Israel’s occupation of those territories. The clip also features the singer and their background dancers waving Palestinian flags and wearing suits accented with keffiyeh scarves. It ends with a message saying that her team included a link to the list of the names of the “thousands of deceased children” killed in Israel’s attack on Gaza provided by Al Jazeera in the video’s description because it was too long to include in the clip.
Over the past few months, Kehlani is among the artists who’ve been speaking out in support of the Palestinian people, posting an Insta video in May — which has since been removed — in which she called out her “highly f–king platformed” peers for not commenting on the war, saying “You can’t speak? Disgusting… It’s f–k Israel. It’s f–k Zionism. And it’s f–k a lot of ya’ll too.” Her comments have been supported by rapper Macklemore, who recently released his pro-Palestinian protest song “Hind’s Hall,” named for the Hamilton Hall building at Columbia University that students occupied in April and renamed in honor of a six-year-old Palestinian girl, Hind Rajab, who was killed by Israeli forces in Gaza.
Check out Kehlani’s post below.
Fat Joe, a long-time advocate for humanitarian causes, on Thursday (May 2) announced a new partnership with international charity Food for the Poor to create a new relief fund to uplift Haiti, which is currently undergoing political and economic strife due to the surge in violence within the country.
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“My heart goes out to all the Haitians that are suffering because of this humanitarian crisis. Many of my close friends are Haitian, so we’ve been watching this tragedy unfold and exploring the most efficient and effective ways to provide meaningful support,” Fat Joe tells Billboard. “All relief items and financial contributions will go directly to Food for the Poor so they can safely distribute the donations directly to the families in need.”
Titled Fat Joe & Friends Relief for Haiti, relief items needed include new and unused portable mattresses, pillows, blankets, diapers, underwear, soap/body wash, shampoo, toothbrushes, toothpaste, deodorant, combs/brushes, solar-powered lanterns, fuel-efficient cooking stoves, mosquito nets, reusable water containers and more.
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Since early March, armed gangs have taken over the country, burning down police stations and closing down the airport and the capital, Port-au-Prince. Both the airport and port remain closed during this time. In addition, the armed gangs raided two of the country’s biggest prisons, freeing more than 4,000 inmates. Through late March, 1,500 people were killed and 800 injured during these vicious attacks. In addition, according to the United Nations, more than 50,000 people have fled the country because of the rampant attacks.
Those looking to donate to the fund can go here.
Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce were featured together for only a split-second in 15 and The Mahomies Foundation’s new Instagram reel, but of course, they still stole the show. Posted Sunday (April 28), the video compiles clips from the organization’s Las Vegas charity gala, which the “Anti-Hero” singer attended alongside the Kansas City Chief tight […]
The Weeknd has pledged another $2 million from his XOP Humanitarian Fund to the World Food Programme’s humanitarian response efforts in war-torn Gaza. According to a statement released on Monday morning (April 29), the money from the artist who now goes by his real name, Abel Tesfaye, will be used to provide more than 1,500 […]
Pop and contemporary Christian artist Ryan Ellis, who was nominated for a Grammy for best contemporary Christian music performance/song this year for “God Problems,” has been named a celebrity ambassador for Teen Cancer America.
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The charity, funded by The Who’s Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend, is dedicating to getting specialized and appropriate care for teen cancer patients, who often fall in a gap between pediatric and adult oncology treatment.
“Pete and I are so fortunate that our charity is represented by such committed ambassadors. It is a privilege to have talented artists like Ryan join us and use their platform to raise awareness and support for the young people with cancer that we serve,” Daltrey said in a statement.
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As part of his role, Ellis will perform at the fifth annual Rockin’ Polo Match, a TCA fundraiser taking place June 15 at Will Rogers State Park in Los Angeles’ Pacific Palisades.
“Roger Daltrey and Pete Townshend are legends. The Who’s music has always been groundbreaking, and their relentless compassion and commitment to Teen Cancer America is deeply inspiring,” said Ellis in a statement. “Horace Mann once said, ‘Be ashamed to die until you’ve won some victory for humanity.’ I believe Roger and Pete have won many such victories. It is my privilege to serve as a Celebrity Ambassador for Teen Cancer America.”
Dove Award-nominated Ellis, who is signed to Provident Label Group/Sony Music, has appeared on Billboard’s Christian charts a number of times, reached No. 1 on the Christian Airplay and Christian AC Airplay chart last November with Housefires and JWLKERS Worship’s “I Thank God,” which featured Blake Wiggins and Ellis. His 2022 hit, “Heart of the Father,” reached No. 3 on the two charts. He co-wrote “God Problems,” which was performed by Maverick City Music with Chandler Moore and Naomi Raine.
News of Ellis’s participation comes shortly after the release of “Going Home (Theme from Local Hero)” from Dire Straits’ Mark Knopfler which will benefit TCA and its U.K. counterpart, Teenage Cancer Trust. The nine-minute recording of the movie theme features Knopfler and a gallery of more than 50 top guitarists, including Eric Clapton, Peter Frampton, Joan Jet, Nile Rodgers, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Orianthi and Pete Townshend. Net proceeds from the BMG release will go to the two charities, as will the sale of eight guitars signed by the contributing artists.
Offset celebrated a group of Baltimore high school students with exemplary attendance this week when he dropped by Paul Laurence Dunbar High School to hand out some special gifts. The moment was captured in a Facebook post from the Baltimore Police Department with pics of the Migos rapper walking the halls of the school and […]
On Tuesday (Mar. 5), Korn announced a 30th anniversary celebration for the fall, commemorating three decades since the beloved hard rock group’s debut. The one-night-only event will be held on Oct. 5 at BMO Stadium in Los Angeles, with special guests Evanescence, Gojira, Daron Malakian and Scars on Broadway, Spiritbox and Vended among the special guests joining the special Korn performance.
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The band has hinted at a rollicking year to toast the 30th anniversary of their 1994 self-titled debut, with a string of European festival performances kicking off in July, as well as a slot at Louder Than Life 2024 in Louisville in September. For Brian “Head” Welch, however, 2024 has also brought the extension of his long-running advocacy for mental health awareness and treatment.
In January, the Korn guitarist announced a partnership with Atlantic Behavioral Health, a newly opened treatment center serving Massachusetts and New Hampshire and focusing on mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression. Atlantic offers medication management, individual therapy and group therapy as part of their outpatient program, and Welch has been active in encouraging patients as part of the new partnership.
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“As I get older, I start to reflect on my life and what I’ve been given, and also my responsibilities,” says the 53-year-old Welch, who has spoken extensively about his addiction issues and struggles with mental health that played a part in him departing Korn in 2005 before rejoining the group in 2012. “People look to us, they hear what we’re sharing. It’s been really cool to give back, and to see other people doing so as well.”
Last month, Welch spoke to Billboard about linking up with Atlantic Behavioral Health, becoming more open about discussing his internal struggles, and challenging himself to give back during a busy year. (Ed. note — this interview has been condensed for clarity.)
How did this partnership come about?
I’m gonna go way back — I started experimenting with alcohol and drugs at 14, just massive drinking through my teenage years, a functioning alcoholic. And I joined a band, and then we got signed, and the drugs and alcohol just went on for a decade. I left the band and got my life together, and I’ve just been trying to help people that were like me back then.
When I rejoined Korn in 2012, a couple years after that, I met this kid Justin, who was a massive heroin addict, crack addict, everything. And I befriended him, got to know his family really well, tried to help him when, honestly, it wasn’t looking good. And then he finally got his life together, and got sober, and I opened sober living homes with him in the Boston, New Hampshire area. We did that for a while, and he’s been able to help so many people, and then we met some more people in the industry. We found that a lot of the addicts, when they get sober, they don’t know who they are, they don’t know how to feel. And that’s why a lot of people relapse, because they’re not comfortable in their own skin. And so that’s where the mental health aspect comes into it.
We met some amazing people in the industry, talked to them about this idea, and they have a couple outpatient and impact patient rehabs in the Boston area, so we partnered with them to [focus on] the mental health aspect. We want to help people that are struggling, with addiction or with mental health.
From what you just described, it sounds like you evolved from your own issues, to helping one other person with their issues, to finding a whole community of support.
And I really feel like I didn’t have that back in the day. I’m sure there were some programs, but an all-in-one program, with medication consulting and group therapy and one-on-one therapy, like the whole package — I wish I would have had something like that when I was going through my issues. I’ve sat in on group, and I’m going to continue to do so. I’m going to grab some of my men and women from the music industry to come on Zoom and sit in group and encourage people.
Man, I was so lost, and I had so many mental health issues. And it had nothing to do with being rich and famous or not, because I was successful! I just had a horrible time with my emotions and mental state. But I’m living proof that you can get through it, and you can change. You can get to a new place where you find contentment in life, where you find joy.
How do you think this partnership will play out on a weekly and monthly basis?
I’ve sat in on group, and I’m going to continue to do so. I’m going to grab some of my peers from the music industry to come on Zoom and sit in group and encourage people. I’ll do things in person, I’ll do things on Zoom when I’m on tour and whatnot. It’s amazing to be a part of, and what I love about it the most is that there’s a wide variety of different people that come — male and female, gay and straight, old and young. Everybody has something in common, and they’re all discussing what kind of tools to use when they get into that dark space in their mind.
You’ve been speaking out for years about your battles with addiction and mental health issues. Over the course of that time, have you seen others become increasingly open to discussing these issues in public?
When I was 16 or 17, I went through this phase where I didn’t want to be around my parents, I just wanted to be by myself. Some of that’s normal for teenagers, but I think mine was a little bit deeper, because my dad had alcohol issues and anger issues, and he was a good dad, but some of the unpredictable emotional outbursts — I was getting bitter from some of the experiences.
And so they took me into counseling, and dude, I did not want to go into counseling. I would have rather just run away, I would have rather have gotten beat up, than talk about my feelings. It was like an open wound that someone was trying to touch, so I just lived my life in avoidance — I wanted to avoid any issues that were internal or mental, and I avoided it by just drinking. I did that for years, and then when I started getting sober, I started opening up more as I got older, and got really scared that I didn’t want to live my life. The alcohol and the drugs worked for a while to numb it, and then, as we all know, that starts to turn on you.
I started to open up, and as I reached out more, and I started to find counselors who I’d work with one-on-one — but I didn’t have that [community], that group aspect, any of those options. That’s really changed a lot.
With the Korn 30th anniversary and your Atlantic partnership, it sounds like it’s going to be a busy year for you.
It is, man. I mean, Korn and my family are in California, and then Atlantic’s in Boston. My daughter’s in Indiana, and then there’s touring, so to juggle everything is sometimes a challenge. But I like a challenge — I think it’s good as we get older to keep active, so I’m just gonna do the best I can. And for Atlantic, the doctors and therapists are the rock stars, and I’m just getting the word out. I’m really honored to be a part of it, even in a small way.
Eddie Vedder and Post Malone joined forces — both onstage and off — for a good cause.
The two stars sang a duet of Pearl Jam‘s “Better Man” last week for the second annual Reportin’ for Duty benefit honoring late actor Leslie Jordan, which this year took place at Humble Baron at Nearest Green Distillery in Shelbyville, Tenn., and raised more than $1 million for the EB Research Partnership. And on Thursday (Feb. 22), Posty shared a video of their performance on YouTube, giving fans who didn’t attend a chance to see him take the stage with Vedder.
The clip finds both Vedder and Malone wielding acoustic guitars as they take turns singing lines from the 1994 track, a No. 2 Alternative Airplay hit for Pearl Jam. The event also featured performances from The War and Treaty, Jelly Roll, Ruby Amanfu, Jake Wesley Rogers and Dan Spencer.
“I can’t find words to say how powerful and inspiring it was to be gathered with such incredible musicians under one small roof for a cause that’s so impactful on young people’s lives,” Vedder said in a statement. “I had chills. Had tears. And all the while with a grin of positivity and action.”
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“I love when music connects me to great people like Eddie, and good causes like EB Research Partnership,” added Post. “Eddie is someone I look up to as a dad, a musician, and a person. I’m honored that he’s brought me into the EB community.”
Eddie and Jill Vedder founded EBRP in 2010 alongside a group of parents of children with Epidermolysis Bullosa, a life-threatening genetic skin disorder. According to Mayo Clinic, the condition “causes fragile, blistering skin” in response to “minor injury, even from heat, rubbing or scratching.”
As of now, there is no cure for EB — something the Vedders’ foundation aims to change within the next decade. Eddie continued in his statement, “The generosity of all who were involved is tremendously appreciated and will help us continue to fund research aimed at curing EB by 2030.”
Watch Eddie Vedder and Post Malone perform “Better Man” together below.
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The Weeknd has partnered with the L.A.-based organization School on Wheels to support more than 1,000 students experiencing homelessness. Since 1993, School on Wheels’ mission is to enhance educational opportunities for children who are experiencing homelessness from kindergarten through twelfth grade. And The Weeknd is on board supporting the nonprofit organization’s Literacy Program, which provides […]
The Who‘s Roger Daltrey will close out the nearly quarter-century run of his Teenage Cancer Trust fundraising gigs in March with a week of all-star shows benefitting the British charity dedicating to helping young people needing nursing care and support after diagnosis. The organization announced the line-up for the shows at the Royal Albert Hall […]