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Jay Z, To Rap for Water Crisis AwarenessThe UN and MTV joined forces to solve the water problem in the world |
By Elena Gorgan, Entertainment News Editor
10th of August 2006, 08:42 GMT
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On Wednesday, representatives from the United Nations and from the popular music television MTV signed a partnership contract, whose aim is to educate young children in the increasing problem of water shortage.
The president of Def Jam Records, Jay Z is also to participate in the awareness campaign and, even more, is to be its voice and image. The rapper, who a while ago went to war against Cristal champagne for the way members of the producing company talked about black hip-hop artists, first came into contact with the water crisis when on tour in Africa.
'As I started looking around and looking at ways that I could become helpful, it started at the first thing - water, something as simple as water. It took very little, very little to see these numbers.', Jay Z said during the press conference held at the UN headquarters.
And he plans to do something about the situation and not just talk. The rapper will embark on a tour, beginning with September 9. 'The Diary of Jay Z: Water for Life' will later become a documentary, as an MTV crew will permanently follow the artist through the countries currently facing problems of water shortage or water pollution.
With the money raised from the performances, Jay Z plans to build 1,000 'play pumps' in Africa. They are simple mechanisms used for pumping water out of wells and storing it in ecological containers, functioning by means of a rudimentary merry-go-round. Another goal for the concert will be that of helping children and teenagers learn more about those people who live without such a basic necessity being fulfilled, in the hope that they, in their turn, will influence their parents into contributing to the cause.
The 'Water for Life' documentary will premiere on MTV on November 24 in more than 179 countries. Later on, it will become available for teachers, educators and librarians, on a free-access basis, in almost 80,000 schools all over America.
During the same press conference, the UN Secretary-General, Kofi Annan hinted that the rapper's idea might actually get him two Nobel prizes, one for peace and the other one for science. He based his words on the fact that President Kennedy once said that whoever solves the world's water problems would get not one, but two Nobel prizes.
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