Pete "Afro DZ ak" Shungu: rhymes, spoken word, trumpet, keys, beats
The Afro DZ ak All Starz, Afro D's backing band, is a rotating collective of postive musicians which has included:
Dave Beauchesne: drums
Calvin Brown: keys
Tim Burden: guitar, drums
Dan Burke: keys, vocals
Ben Davenny: bass
Adam Friedman: flute
Matt Graber: drums
Lindsey Grey: vocals
Chris Huang: violin
Noni Kai: vocals
Charles Kim: bass, keys
Lori Kirk, vocals
John Mason: sax
Steve Mossberg: keys
Rob Oswald: sax
Adam Payne: guitar, vocals
B Reese: MC
Influences
Common, J-Live, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, The Roots, A Tribe Called Quest, De La Soul, The Perceptionists, Little Brother, Unspoken Heard, Binary Star, Pharcyde, Hieroglyphics, Blue Scholars, Cunninlynguists, Lupe Fiasco, Immortal Technique, Omekongo Dibinga, Sarah Jones, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, Pete Rock, Musiq Soulchild, John Legend, Erykah Badu, Dwele, traveling the world, and natural beauty
Afro DZ ak (aka Pete Shungu) is Multi. Multiracial and multilingual, he also possesses multiple artistic talents. As an MC, spoken word poet, and trumpet and piano player, he tackles societal issues through words and music in a unique style blending hip hop, jazz, and more.
Afro DZ ak has been playing trumpet and piano for over 15 years and writing and performing rhymes & poetry for about 8. He has performed at numerous venues in Boston including The Middle East, Harpers Ferry, The Roxy, The Paradise Lounge, Lizard Lounge, many area colleges, and at out of state venues such as Nuyorican Café and The Knitting Factory in NYC, and Black Lily and Grape Street in Philly.
Afro D is currently promoting his debut solo hip hop album "Elevation" which was released in September 2008 through Gnawledge Records and features his talents through rhymes, poetry, trumpet, and beats as well. He makes beats under the alias 'DJ Wembi.' Wembi is his Congolese name given at birth and means 'musician' in Otetela.
Afro DZ ak is not just an MC, but a self-described part-time musician, full-time advocate for positive social change. He has done presentations on hip hop, creative expression, social justice, and making good choices at many area schools and youth organizations, has been a frequent performer at the monthly socially-conscious open mic Critical Breakdown in Boston, was selected to perform at the event 'Hip Hop & Politics' at The Blue Wave Cafe in July '04, and has performed at many other social-justice related events. He has also been a Big Brother in the Big Brothers of Mass. Bay
program for over 8 years and is the SwirlArts co-chair for the Multiracial organization SwirlBoston
Afro DZ ak, like Barack Obama, was born to an African immigrant father (from the Democratic Republic of Congo/formerly Zaire), and a white mother from Kansas. A Jersey boy born & raised, he attended Lawrence Township Public Schools through high school, then left the friendly confines of the Dirty Jerz for the frigid winters of New England to attend college at Tufts University in Medford, MA. After graduation, he served as an Americorps*VISTA for a year at a college in Worcester, MA, Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences (MCPHS), through the Americorps program Massachusetts Campus Compact aka MACC. Upon completion of his year of service, he continued living and working in Worcester as MCPHS's first Community Outreach Coordinator. In fall 2006, he left this position to move to Somerville, MA and work with high school seniors in the Boston Public Schools as a Financial Aid Advisor with the Boston-based non-profit organization ACCESS, while continuing to make music in most of his free time.
Afro DZ ak is featured on The Eclectic Collective's debut release, "Time Flies", EC's sophomore album, "The Flux", Soul Movement's debut CD, "Get Away," producer Willie Green's mixtape "The Proof", Project: Think Different's 'Empowerment' CD (see blog entry), and an instrumental CD entitled "Inthrumental" produced/released by good friend/former roommate Gnotes. Afro D is/will be featured on trumpet on albums with numerous other artists/groups, including Gnawledge Records labelmates Gnotes and Elemental Zazen, as well as Adam Payne, Reel Carter, Iyeoka, Blitz, The Orange Ocean, Benedict Arnold, DelHill, Savin iLL, Sucka Brown, The Pandas and more.
While in college, Afro D recorded his first hip hop tracks, collaborations with his younger brother and best friend Nick aka "Mooks". The two have collaborated on numerous tracks, despite geographical limitations (Nick was all the way down in North Carolina, going to school at Duke, then in Ethiopia working for the non-profit organization Save Lives, and is currently in Med School at UPenn in Philly). Two of these fraternal collaborations were featured on the CDs "Jumbo Audio Project" vols. 1 & 2, compilations of music by recording artists at Tufts University. You can catch Mooks on "Elevation", the title track on Afro D's current album, as well.
"...We have the power to make the world we seek, but only if we have the courage to make a new beginning, keeping in mind what has been written.
The Holy Quran tells us, Mankind, we have created you male and a female. And we have made you into nations and tribes so that you may know one another.
The Talmud tells us, The whole of the Torah is for the purpose of promoting peace.
The Holy Bible tells us, Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
The people of the world can live together in peace. We know that is God's vision. Now that must be our work here on Earth."
- President Barack Obama June 3rd 2009 speech at Cairo University
Salutations Afro D! Whats good my brother? Hows everything moving? Its the one and only F1RST PERSON coming through to show love. I had to swing by and bless you with the world premier video for my self produced track "Seeing is Believing". Check it out. 1.
whats up man?? hows life my dude. its been a minute. glad to see you doing good. music is def whats up man. feeling them tracks. keep up the good work. we def gotta link up and build one of these days. get at me.
also peep the new documentary style video for my self produced banger "now you know me".
We love you dearly, Pete! The SHINE single is off tha hook - thanks for helping Barack rock it in yer video OneLove from the Rockies of Colorado Amatul & NateBox
yooooo FAM. whats goood man?? been a minute. just wanted to stop by and hit you up. we def gotta build man. its been to long. Hows the music? i just released my first mixtape man. Make sure you check out my self produced single "Seeing is Believing" and my new banger "Hip Hop". Love/Hate Welcome.
