URGENT ALERT: VOTE FOR GARNIKA - My Handsome Son's group to battle for AFROPUNK -

By Gloria Dulan-Wilson

GARNIKA - VOTE FOR THEM ON FACEBOOK TO BATTLE FOR AFROPUNK!!!

GARNIKA needs your vote to battle for AFROPUNK!
Deadline for voting is  MAY 28th vote now plz! Spread the word!!

http://bit.ly/1Hvx2jj

Hello All:

Most of you know that I'm one of the world's most bragging Mom (okay, I know it's not grammatically correct - but you get my point).   

And those of you who have been close to me through the eons know that my handsome son - Rais Wilson - a/k/a One Son Lion Ra - followed closely in his dad, Lou Wilson of Mandrill's footsteps in terms of being an entertainer.  He toured with his dad's group, Mandrill for a few years, after graduating from North Carolina A&T,  adding a contemporary flavor (i.e. Spoken Word/Rap) to many of their traditional, time honored songs.

It was a great match for them to meld their considerable talents together, and and wonderful for Lou to see that his DNA had manifested a magnificent manchild as talented and creative as he was. 

Lou's sudden passing left us all totally numb.  But "Ra" (his dad's favorite name for him), being the man of the family, tried to tough it out and be brave for us females - his two sisters and myself...and I admit that I was a total basket case (none of my metaphysical sayings or affirmations worked for me at that time).

It's been a little more than two years since Lou's sudden demise, and I'm proud to say that our  handsome son has not been idle, but has taken his considerable talents and formulated a group GARNIKA - which is now performing in some of the more underground clubs of Philadelphia and surround communities - in much the same way that Mandrill started 45 years ago.  Of course Ra's blazing his own path, and charting his own course in the process.

I caught their act at a club called Kung Fu Necktie on Front and Girard about a month ago - and was totally blown away!!  Did I mention that I'm a bragging Mom?  

For those of you not totally familiar with Afro Punk, here is a paraphrased translation from Paris, where the first great Afro Punk Festival is set to kick off:

 AFROPUNK is the celebration of the essential contribution of the African-American community of the global contemporary culture long before hip-hop. Without Nat King Cole and Big Joe Turner, there never would have been an Elvis...Without  Black American music, there never would have been the Beatles who laid in the 60 bases of pop culture for the following decades; and has not Amais hidden that they had drawn their inspiration from the rhythm 'n' blues and soul -- especially among many artists from the prestigious Motown.   AFROPUNK, it is not a genre, it is rather the quintessential punk word literally: the rebellious spirit of the counterculture in all its forms, surpassing artistic or musical lines.   From one metropolis to another, it was natural that the first edition of AFROPUNK outside North American territory is set in Paris. The City of Lights full of Black history; it is a multicultural capital, fertile ground for artistic and everlasting scenes in all their forms.


Like his dad, our son is going for the new, different, cutting edge of the musical and expressive realms - I'm so proud (oh, I said that already, didn't I?)  

I just received this email from him, and I'm sharing it with you -

"AND NOW!! THIS IS HAPPENING!!! LET'S GEAUX!!!

GARNIKA needs your vote to battle for AFROPUNK!
Deadline for voting is MAY 28th vote now plz! Spread the word!!

http://bit.ly/1Hvx2jj

So this is where you come in  - Friends, Family, Fans, Relatives, Neighbors, Fellow Musicians and Artists: 
GARNIKA needs your votes to battle for AFROPUNK - there is only 1 vote per person and the deadline is May 28th - so I need you to both vote and spread the word to get others to vote and support these talented young men!  Vote for them on FACEBOOK - show some love and support - they'll make it with your backing.  Thanks for your help!!

Now that you know - what are you going to do?  
 Please go on FACEBOOK and cast your votes for GARNIKA

Thanks for your support

Stay Blessed &
ECLECTICALLY BLACK
Gloria

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