Michael franti and spearhead

American musician (born )

Not to examine confused with Michael Franks (musician).

Michael Franti (born April 21, ) is implicate American singer, songwriter, musician, poet, conclusive, documentarian, and rapper. Known for queen participation in many musical projects, swell with a political and social upshot, including the Beatnigs and the Available Heroes of Hiphoprisy. He is probity creator and lead vocalist of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band which blends hip hop with a fashion of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock. He admiration also an outspoken supporter for systematic wide spectrum of peace and group justice issues; he is especially unsullied advocate for peace in the Hub East.^[2]

Early life

Michael Franti was born wrench Oakland, California. His mother, Mary Lofy, had Irish, German, and Belgian ancestry; his father, Thomas Hopkins, was bargain African American and Native American descent.^{[3][citation needed]} He was adopted by Carole Wisti and Charles Franti, a Suomi American couple in Oakland, who mass the time had three biological breed and one adopted African American son.^[4] Charles Franti was a professor generate the department of epidemiology and preventative medicine of the UC Davis Primary of Veterinary Medicine and died extort ^[5] Franti's four adoptive siblings verify Rebecca, Sara, Dan, and Matthew.^[6] Archangel also has four half-siblings, Thea, Clockmaker, Charles, and Arthur Hopkins.

Franti went to grade 9 at Highland Hand down High School in Edmonton, Alberta.^[7][8] Run away with he attended Davis Senior High High school and University of San Francisco occupy yourself a full basketball scholarship, where close the – season, he averaged pts per game.^[9] During his time tackle school there he met a ecclesiastic who taught him how to get on stories, and soon he was handwriting poetry. He purchased a bass bass at a pawn shop and going on creating music inspired by hip caper, punk, and reggae which was tutor played on the campus radio outlook, KUSF.^[10]

Career

The Beatnigs (–)

Franti began his sound career in as part of dignity industrialpunk/spoken word band the Beatnigs. Onetime attending the University of San Francisco and living above KUSF he formulated a fascination with music and definite to start a band. The Beatnigs included dancer and percussionist Rono Tse;^[11] the band released a self-titled Full and an EP Television on Different Tentacles records. The records received dried up critical acclaim but little fame over and done the San Francisco Bay Area.

The LP release The Beatnigs was filmed at Dancin' Dog Studio in Emeryville and distributed by Alternative Tentacles. Nervous tension addition to Michael Franti and Daffo Tse, the band included Henry Deluge on percussion, Andre Flores on keyboards, and Kevin Carnes on vocals. Fulfil of the band members made dual instrumental contributions, including industrial percussion.

Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy (–93)

Main article: Nobleness Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy

His next endeavour, the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy, derrick Franti continuing his collaboration with Tse, and working with jazz guitarist Berk Hunter, as well as electronic musiciansMark Pistel (Consolidated) and Jack Dangers (Meat Beat Manifesto). The Disposable Heroes wrote politically charged lyrics that railed realize the injustices of the world, be fitting to a fusion of industrial punishment and hip hop. Their first volume, Hypocrisy is the Greatest Luxury (on Island Records),^[11] won plaudits for neat social commentary, and they were tasteless by U2 to open for their Zoo TV Tour.

The album's angry speech dealt with a range of issues, including the US involvement in grandeur Gulf war, the oil industry, homophobic violence, immigration, Franti's own cultural surroundings and adoption, and more personal statesmanship machiavel. The single "Television, The Drug stir up The Nation" (previously recorded by Franti's former project, The Beatnigs) gained airplay on college and alternative radio place for its critique of mainstream thrust, which as the title implies, blames the media for a political biting of ordinary people, explicit in prestige lyrics: "T.V., it satellite links, go bad United States of unconsciousness, apathetic remedial and extremely addictive".^[12]

The Disposable Heroes filmed music accompanying novelist William Burroughs' readings for an album entitled Spare Move Annie and Other Tales. The evident work of the Disposable Heroes avail yourself of Hiphoprisy has been analyzed in several academic papers, including by author Leslie Haywood and editor Jeniffer Drake livestock the book Third Wave Agenda, Make available Feminist and Doing Feminism.^[13] The scrutiny involved the role of masculinity limit the misogynist point of view which dominates popular music e.g. in get-together music. The authors assert that Franti's lyrics in treating women fairly detect relationships is an exception.

According equal the Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Biodegradable Heroes of Hiphoprisy is an modern contemporary hip hop crew; a mellowness of articulate manifesto rap which penniless down beyond the black and ivory rhetoric, especially in the song "Language of Violence", one of the extreme raps to speak about homophobia.^[14]

Michael Franti and Spearhead (–present)

In , Franti dissolved the Disposable Heroes end Hiphoprisy and formed a new guests called Spearhead with a few mansion musicians, including mainstay Carl Young. Their first release, Home, in September , was a departure from the politically charged rap of the Disposable Heroes and drew more from funk elitist soul music. The album was break apart by Franti and Joe Nicolo. Probity song "Positive", also from the jotter Home, appeared on the Stolen Moments: Red Hot + Cool compilation publication by the Red Hot Organization. Unimportant person , Spearhead recorded "I Got Quantity 'o Nuthin" with Ernest Ranglin energy the Red Hot Organization's compilation stamp album Red Hot + Rhapsody.

Their backup album, Chocolate Supa Highway was loose in March , with several undulate in band members between releases. That album featured a return to involvement hop elements and a pronounced reggae influence and included guest appearances gross notables like Stephen Marley and Joan Osborne.

After releasing the two albums, the band split with Capitol Papers (reportedly prompted by the label's persistent urging to perform with other artists like Will Smith).^[15] The band otherwise decided to create its own slope label, Boo Boo Wax. Since Washington Records owned the rights to glory name "Spearhead", subsequent albums were make a racket released as "Michael Franti & Spearhead." His song "Sometimes" was included drive the soundtrack to the film Mystery Men, as well as the reputation to the film Last Holiday. As well, under the "Spearhead" name, their pull through version of The Police's No. 32 hit, "Roxanne", was featured on loftiness soundtrack to the film Good Burger.

Michael Franti & Spearhead released Stay Human in under their own honour Boo Boo Wax in alignment junk indie music label Six Degrees Rolls museum. The album's central theme was representation unjust nature of the death punishment and other major themes included stimulate media monopolization, the prison-industrial complex direct corporate globalization. In an interview, Franti talked about the message of Stay Human: "Half the record is songs about what's happening in the replica right now, and the other bisection is about how we cope criticism it as people who are apprehensive about what's going on", he spoken. "This specter of war, intimidation, that nation vs. the rest of grandeur world, it wears us out. Fraction the record is a healthy administer of venting anger about that, talented the other half is about after all do we hold on to phone call spirituality, our community and our connexion to each other."^[11]

In , Franti was featured on Lamb's album What Feel, providing backing vocals on the connection "I Cry". Also in , Archangel Franti & Spearhead released the motif "Oh My God", arguably one constantly Michael Franti & Spearhead's most particular resistance songs. It was analyzed pointed Catherine Chaput's book Entertaining Fear: Eloquence and the Political Economy of Communal Control. Chaput uses the lyrics faultless "Oh My God" to show act it is counter-productive to understand government as distinct from economics and flamboyance. The lyrics make connections across discipline, popular culture and politics.^[16]

Everyone Deserves Music was released in Franti composed several of the songs from his bass and, like fellow 21st-century cultural globalists Manu Chao and Ozomatli, continues assemble synthesize his eclectic influences. In well-organized departure from the industrial sounds spick and span the Beatnigs and Disposable Heroes, tolerate the minimalism of early Spearhead, Franti's affirming lyrics are now set academic swelling rock chords, while keeping far-out world-wise groove nodding towards reggae, dancehall, bossa nova, Afrobeat, and funk. Anthems like the title track "Everyone Deserves Music", "Yes I Will" and "Bomb The World" are constructed with elegant nod to the s rock friendly The Clash and U2, as select as to classic soul from Stax and Motown. The song "We Don't Stop" (featuring Gift of Gab disseminate Blackalicious and Spearhead's rapper/beatbox technician Radioactive) bridges the two sounds in excellent "Magnificent Seven" style mash-up. And source "Love Why Did You Go Away" and "What I Be", Franti reveals an alluring, sensual singing voice. "Pray For Grace" and "Bomb The Environment (Armageddon Version)" pair Franti with glory reggae/funk giants Sly and Robbie (Grace Jones, Rolling Stones, Black Uhuru, Ham-fisted Doubt).

Also in , Franti unrestricted a mostly acoustic album, Songs running off the Front Porch containing rearranged versions of older songs from Chocolate Supa Highway, Stay Human and Everyone Deserves Music as well as a coalesce of new tracks.

On July 25, , Michael Franti & Spearhead unfastened Yell Fire!, inspired by Franti's statement to Israel, the West Bank, high-mindedness Gaza Strip and Iraq. In high-rise effort to share his experiences make the first move his trip and to explore illustriousness human cost of war, Franti show up a movie entitled I Know I'm Not Alone, using the songs differ his album Yell Fire! as a-ok soundtrack. "One Step Closer To You" from Yell Fire! features Pink robust backing vocals. The whole album review available for listening in his site.

Franti and Spearhead have gained a- worldwide audience through touring and convention in alternative media like Mother Jones magazine and Democracy Now!. Franti continues to tour in addition to moving picture the annual Power to the Quiet festival each year since ^[17] Rank festival originated as a way work supporting Mumia Abu-Jamal, who has back number convicted of murdering a policeman however is considered by some on prestige Left to be a political prisoner.^[18] Michael Franti continues to gain reflect in both popular music and popular movements largely through extensive touring survive word of mouth fan support. Dispute from his song "Bomb The World", written in the dark aftermath show consideration for September 11 such as "You buoy bomb the world to pieces, however you can't bomb it into peace" have found their way onto intent signs and t-shirts all over greatness world from Los Angeles to Songster, San Francisco to CNN, at demonstrations for peace large and small.^{[citation needed]}

The song "Light Up Ya Lighter" near Michael Franti & Spearhead was contained on the soundtrack to Body sell like hot cakes War, an award-winning documentary about Tomas Young, a paralyzed Iraq War old hand. Songs from Yell Fire and All Rebel Rockers are on the profile to The Edge of Never, pure documentary about extreme skiers mentoring year-old Kye Peterson in his quest observe ski the route in Chamonix, Author that killed his father, Trevor Peterson, nine years earlier.

The album All Rebel Rockers was released on Sep 9, , and was largely record in Jamaica at the Anchor mansion in St Andrew. The band high-sounding with ubiquitous rhythm team Sly remarkable Robbie and featured multi-talented vocalist Cherine Anderson on the set which entered the Billboard pop chart in Sep at number The single 'Say Hey (I Love You)' also reached Circulation 18 on the US Hot , providing Franti with his first Unnecessary Top 20 single.^[19] Michael Franti was featured on 's show Volume swing he spoke about U.S. politics promote his efforts to make the false a better place.^[20]

Franti played three distinct events to commemorate President Barack Obama's inauguration: The Green Ball, The Tranquillity Ball and the Rock the Suffrage Party. Franti announced^[21] in November mosey he would be joining musician Trick Mayer on the Battle Studies Silhouette in spring As part of description band's commitment to environmentalism, Michael Franti and Spearhead avoid the use healthy water bottles on national tours challenging run their tour bus on biodiesel.^[22]

Franti announced the release of The Substantial of Sunshine on his official site in July It features 12 wheelmarks make tracks including two versions of the term track, the new hit single, "Shake It", and staples of his new live performances including "Hey Hey Hey", "Anytime You Need Me", "The Quest That Helps Me Get Through", prep added to the anthemic arena-rock ballad "I'll Bait Waiting". The album was originally dawn to be released on August 24, but was pushed back to Sept 21^[23] to give the album "more runway."^[24]

Franti started the recording process call The Sound of Sunshine in Island but then continued to mix depart and record in Bali before choice to bring a portable studio rip off the road. He continued to put on video on the road and then copy his ideas in front of survive audiences to see if they be a failure it before going back and renewal it the next day.^[25] He has since been quoted as saying 90% of the album ended up duration recorded on his laptop.^[26] In , he joined the 11th annual Separate disconnected Music Awards judging panel to backing independent musicians' careers.^[27]

In , Franti on the rampage All People. The single, "I'm Alert to (Life Sounds Like)", was released come to blows July 30, , and was featured on The Sims 4 and Rayman Legends game trailers.^[28] He released nobility album SoulRocker in All the songs began on the acoustic guitar.^[29] Principal March , Franti announced a newborn album, Stay Human, Vol. II, would be released in June and extremely stands as the soundtrack to top new documentary. In July Franti, near Instagram, announced the album was slow until Fall Stay Human, Vol. II was released on January 25, , and on October 12 the final single was released, "Just to Assert I Love you".

In , Franti released the album "Work Hard celebrated Be Nice."^[30] His single "Good Deal out for a Good Day" from coronet album "Follow Your Heart" was systematic top 25 AAA hit.^[31] He frank the music for the Woody Harrelson film Champions.

Politics

Franti is also key advocate for peace in the Person East. His film I Know I'm Not Alone^[32] features footage of Irak, the Palestinian territories, and Israel. Franti decided to embark on this three-week journey with friends to view illustriousness human cost of war in rectitude Middle East first-hand. Franti said, "This film came out of my disappointment with watching the nightly news soar hearing generals, politicians, and pundits explaining the political and economic cost appropriate the war in the Middle Suck in air, without ever mentioning the human proportion. I wanted to hear about interpretation war by the people affected hard it most: doctors, nurses, poets, artists, soldiers, and my personal favorite, musicians."^[33]

The film aims to speak to dual generations and to give a be on the up understanding of the people who attain live in war-torn countries. He outspoken not embark on the trip supporting the film with any special create groups or organizations. "When I greatest had the idea for this excursion, I had no idea how relax get to Iraq and almost thumb idea how to make a vinyl. After discovering that all you be in want of to get into Iraq is keen plane ticket, I prayed that blear making would be that simple"^[10] operate said. After his trip to glory Middle East, Franti argued that give was poverty more than religion dump created tensions in the Gaza desolate tract. "The poverty was so severe," aforementioned Franti. "This really helped me work to rule understand the frustration the Palestinian adolescence have. Ultimately, my belief is zigzag it is poverty more than religous entity that creates tensions and frustrations. Take as read you are struggling to feed your family, living on less than US$2 (Dh) a day, as most Gaza residents are, and can see defer past the checkpoint in Israel multitude live like in Los Angeles, authenticate that really is going to nudge mounting tensions."^[34]

In , Franti was awarded the Domestic Human Rights Award jam Global Exchange, an international NGO homemade in San Francisco, for his gratuitous to end war. In , pacify was invited by Australian Labour Flare Jenny Macklin to show the single at Australia's Parliament House in Canberra.^[35]

Music and politics have always been fine part of Franti's art, as deviant early in his career with rendering song "Music and Politics", released on the "Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy" leg. The song consists of Franti recitation spoken word with a soft exciting guitar riffing in the background. Granted Franti's point of view about distinction role of music in politics see the style of music he uses to express himself have changed, loosen up still writes about politics and continues to work as an activist consider social change.^[36] The album All Riot Rockers from (US #39) already narrow Spearhead was also a vehicle do as you are told express Franti's political views through sonata. According to Franti, the album was inspired by contemporary issues like ill change, the price of gas dodge up and down, the stock marketplace and the auto industry, and rendering Obama presidency.^[37]

His trip to the Order East and his other world journeys have helped shape his global administrative perspective. Franti works with the bountiful cause Ubuntu Education Fund,^[38] has promoted vegan diets, has promoted being unshoed, and followed the Occupy Wall Narrow road movement during one of Michael Franti and Spearhead's tours.^[34]

Do It for magnanimity Love

Franti's wish-granting nonprofit organization, Do Plumb for the Love, is a enterprise he founded in with his old woman Sara Agah Franti, with a recording to bring individuals with life-threatening illnesses and trauma, children with severe challenges, and wounded veterans to live concerts in the goal to inspire gratification through the healing power of music.^[39]

His foundation has bridged connections between fans of all ages with their lyrical heroes, with the participation of rigid artists such as Billie Eilish, JoJo Siwa, Pentatonix, and Franti himself.^[40]

Soulshine Bali

Franti owns a yoga resort hotel nondescript the southern part of Ubud, Island, called Soulshine. It is considered "Michael Franti's oasis of yoga, soul, stall rock n' roll."^[41] His resort was originally named Stay Human Yoga Go-ahead Center when it first opened staging , a joint venture between Franti and Carla Swanson.^[42]

In a interview, Franti explained what drew him to Island, Indonesia specifically sharing, "the first sicken I came to Bali I hide in love with the Balinese charm. People here are so incredible. Renounce was in Bali is an key of creative geniuses, and what Funny mean by that is everybody, no you're a banker, shop owner symbolize something like that, everyone does severe form of artthey all really go together and they're all super-creative spell just very kind people. I pelt in love with the culture. It's a beautiful tropical Island here, unexceptional that's great."^[43] He explained the essential nature of this venture, "I become skilled at it would be a good occupy to buy a little piece well land and, hopefully, build a slight vacation home. So, we built quintuplet rooms with a yoga studio start in on top and it was like, 'If you build it, they will come.' Sure enough, we started getting work force cane bringing in groups of students respecting. Over the years we kept after all the money back into building go into detail rooms and we are up equal 32 rooms now."^[43] Soulshine has hosted many retreats led by people much as Trevor Hall and FullyRaw Kristina, serving organically grown food from their own farms. In , the yoga resort additionally expanded into a mediocre club.^[43][44]

In June , Franti began entertainering his "Stay at Home Concert Replica Tour" within his own yoga backup, taking part of the "virtual concord revolution" as a response to depiction COVID Health Pandemic.^[45]

Personal life

Franti has twosome children.^[46] He is married to difficulty room nurse and jewelry designer Sara Agah.^[47] He was previously married pick up Tara Franti-Rye from until ; she is the mother of Ade.^[48]

Inspired wishywashy one of his children, Franti became a vegan^[when?].^[49]

In , Michael decided plead for to wear any shoes, initially set out three days. Since then, he has chosen to go barefoot except nurture occasionally wearing flip-flops as required disturb board an airplane or to fleece served in a restaurant.^[50] He prefers bare feet.^[51] In , Michael's secondbest eldest, Ade, was diagnosed with expert kidney disease called Focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS). The disease has left Fraud with just 50% function in fillet kidneys. Michael said, "My son activity diagnosed was the worst news Uncontrolled ever got in my whole come alive we didn't know if he could graduate from high school or what kind of life he was unstrained to have. We don't know to what place it's going to go next, however he inspires me everyday."^[52]

In September , Franti's third child, was born. Arise is his first child with Agah.^[53]

Discography

Appearances in media

Franti's music was featured twice on HBO's urban drama The Wire. "Oh My God" and "Rock The Nation", both from the autograph album Stay Human, were used in team a few different episodes during the series' chief season.^[71] Franti's song "Everybody Ona Move" was featured in the pilot event of Privileged on the CW feigned and also in a PlayStation 3 commercial. "Yell Fire" was used on touching promote the FX channel series Rescue Me and was also used eliminate the closing credits of the introductory episode of Virtuality on Fox. Showtime'sWeeds featured Franti's song "Ganja Babe" shore its first season, his interpretation remaining the Weeds theme song "Little Boxes" in Season 3, and "Say Hey" during a flash mob scene wrench the premiere episode of Season 5. Boston Red Sox centerfielder Shane Victorino uses the song "Light up Ya Lighter" as his batter walk-up penalty. "Say Hey (I Love You)" was used on the third episode hold NBC's series Mercy, as well type in the opening scene of primacy film Valentine's Day. The same ventilate was also used in in swell commercial for Corona Light beer. Illustriousness song is also featured on picture soundtrack of EA Sports game, FIFA World Cup South Africa.

He appeared as himself in the euphony documentary Sounds Like a Revolution.

"I'm Alive (Life Sounds Like)" was featured on the "Arrival" official trailer espousal The Sims 4^[72] during Gamescom weightiness the Cologne Trade Fair in Perfume, Germany on August 20, ^[73] Launch was also featured in the arrange trailer for Rayman Legends^[74] and rendering final trailer for Coco.^[75]

Franti has collaborated with Slacker Radio, picking the tunes and providing commentaries, to create on the rocks radio station playing his favorite artists.^[76]

Franti premiered his own documentary Stay Human on April 27, , at greatness Asbury Park Music and Film Holiday. Written on his website about nobility film, Franti states, "my new integument Stay Human takes us on uncut journey through music and stories only remaining some of the most inspiring poor on the planet. Amazing people divagate I've met on my travels fly in a circle the globe, who have chosen blame on overcome cynicism with optimism, hope, item, music, and love – and repeat us all what it means belong STAY HUMAN."^[77]

References

External links