If you’re born into a favela, you don’t have much to hope for. Crime, violence, and extreme poverty practically abut the posh neighborhoods in Rio de Janeiro, Salvador da Bahia, and other major cities of Brazil. This type of juxtaposition of extreme poverty vs. obscene wealth makes it painstakingly easy for those living in squalor to realize the more fortunate “don’t really care about us.”
Fortunately, Michael Jackson does care. In his 1995 music video, MJ chooses the slums of Rio de Janiero as his backdrop and the rhythmic beats of Brazilian drum corp, Olodum as his back-up. Olodum is an internationally acclaimed cultural group from Salvador da Bahia, Brazil that has been working hard to steer kids away from a life of gang violence and crime since 1979. They focus on the struggle against racial discrimination and socioeconomic inequality. Olodum is a brand of drumming that was formed when mixing reggae and samba drums to create a new sound that has inspired the likes Paul Simon, Spike Lee, MJ, and more importantly – hundreds of underprivileged kids. Not only is Olodum used as a form of African cultural activism, it helps keeps kids out of gangs and off the streets. Olodum’s music is also much-anticipated feature of Brazil’s annual Carnaval season.
Olodum is much more than just a touring drum corp. The organizations sponsor seminars, guest speakers, conferences, and run their own news journal all in relation to the fight for civil rights among marginalized groups. In Salvador da Bahia, Olodum also runs an inner city school for underprivileged children. The school delivers instruction in academics and the arts, fosters a strong self-esteem and leadership skills, and provides a positive, safe community for the children of the favelas. And “They Don’t Really Care About Us” is just one of quite a few Michael Jackson videos that carry a strong socially conscious theme. Say what you want about the man, but sometimes, his head actually was in the right place.
*A special cheers to all those who have been emailing or leaving comments with further socially conscious music video suggestions. I am happy to know that music is viewed as a social enterprise by more than just me…Keep them coming – I am eager to grow our list!
- Organization Type: For-Profit/Non-Profit
- Website: http://olodum.uol.com.br/
- Founded: 1979
- Location: Salvador da Bahia, Brazil
- See complete company list here
Olodum
Olodum is a Brazilian music group dedicated to the struggle against racial and socioeconomic inequality.
Contributor Profile: Ashley
Ashley is a friend of anyone who is fighting the good fight for social change. She currently resides in Bilbao, Spain where she is teaching English and researching the history of the Basque conflict. Personal blog
Twitter: @socialearth
You might also like
|
|
|
|
|
