The MojaMoja Pre-Grammy Brunch & Concert Serves Up Good Music in the Name of a Good Cause
The Grammys are a great way to celebrate the musical elite, but one of the best things about being in Los Angeles during the infamous Grammy Weekend is attending all the pre & post Grammy parties, which often times rival the Grammy presentation itself.
The 5th Annual MojaMoja Awards Brunch and Benefit Concert was one such event. Held at the W Hotel in Hollywood, the brunch included intimate performances by emerging aritsts hand-picked by KCRW DJ Garth Trinidad, along with appearances by a couple of living musical legends.
The brunch was set up to raise awareness and funds for Oxfam America and partner The Darfur Stoves Project. 2 million people die every year from cooking over an open fire indoors in Darfur. That is 3 times the number of people who die annually from malaria.
The money raised by the Darfur Stoves Project will go to supplying stoves to households in Darfur. Just a single cookstove equates to 50% fewer harmful emissions and 50% less time spent collecting firewood, which is a safer alternative to women, since many women in Darfur walk up to 7 hours, 3-5 times a week, just to find a single tree with usable wood to burn for fire, risking violence along the way.
Every dollar donated at the brunch became almost $20 in the hands of a stove user.
With this in mind, different artists took the stage to perform their music and often times say a few words about the cause.
Classical pianist Chloe Flower spoke about human trafficking after her set. Also performing were Fink, Chicano Batman, Yuna & Adrian Younge, who brought on stage William Hart of the legendary Delfonics.
Oxfam America awarded the Vanguard Award to The Godfather of Funk, George Clinton, who was scheduled to appear but got snowed in on the East Coast due to ongoing blizzards.
“Oxfam America is honored to present Dr. George Clinton with the 2013 Vanguard Award at the MojaMoja Brunch and Benefit Concert. George’s musical genius has inspired artists around the world and helped to break creative boundaries in all kinds of art for nearly half a century,” said Bob Ferguson, Oxfam America’s Manager of Creative Alliances & Music Outreach.
Accepting the award on Clinton’s behalf was his friend and fellow legend Sly Stone, who strutted up to stage in a sharp white suit and actually bowed down to Clinton’s award before walking off stage with it.
Also in attendance were Parliament Funkadelic‘s Sa’D “The Hourchild” Ali & Clinton’s grandson, Trafael.
words/photos by: Ani Yapundzhyan
