Cov Records community center in Oakland, California, has CLOSED!
However we will continue to run Cov Records at the youth shelter in Jack London Square. Cov Records will continue to put out compilation CD's, create new music videos and documentary films, and continue to put on community music events that promote unity and peace in the Bay Area! Cov Records artists are still open to collaboration with other organizations and businesses, and in this tragic time when our community center has closed our youth artists need support more then ever...
HISTORY OF COV RECORDS:
Cov Records has served Hundreds of youth artists over the last 6 years that came to the center to produce their solo-artist CD's, create music videos, and organize community arts shows. The Cov Records program was a place where youth gathered to build community through their collective expression of the pain of their struggles and the shared visions of hope for their communities. Over the years the youth and staff of Cov Records created a family that brought joy and happiness to hundreds of people. We are proud of the Cov House (uhhhhh!) family that we created and excited to see how the seeds we plant begin to flourish in the Bay Area community. Cov Records youth leaders helped create the Silence the Violence campaign with the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights. Cov Records founded the Turf Unity music project which has united rappers from rival neighborhoods throughout the Bay Area. Cov Records was a part of the Grind for the Green music industry training program in the Bay Area that promotes the use of eco-friendly technologies in the industry, and Cov Records presented at both Bioneers conference and GreenFestival for many years. Cov Records performed hundreds of shows at social justice rallies and protests, community events, BBQ's, block parties, clubs, schools, parks, community centers, and pretty much any place we could perform. Cov Records put out 10 music videos, 10 documentary films, pressed up 4 best-selling CD's, released hundreds of CD's, and has been on television, radio and newspapers. All these products were created by youth for their own youth-run independent businesses and music companies. Of the 30,000 Cov Records CD's sold all profits (100% of money from CD sales) went directly to the youth rappers of Cov Records to compensate them for their service to the community. People from all-walks of life know of Cov Records from our amazing youth street team that sold CD's daily on street corners for may years. The message Cov Records has always stood for is unity through music, and that the rapper is the storyteller of truth and the visionary that leads people to a future of justice. Thanks to the founding youth of Cov Records, a youth-led collective of artists that has impacted the entire Bay Area community. Cov Records represented the power of the youth to lead their own projects, and the organic collaboration between organizations and community programs that created a network of support for the entire Bay Area. We must continue to trust our youth and allow our organizations to collaborations in order to succeed in our community projects.
THE MOVEMENT CONTINUES - NEW GREEN MEDIA ARTS CENTER BEING BUILT!
Cov Records partners: Art in Action organization, Grind for the Green organization, Turf Unity music project of the Silence the Violence campaign, Weapons of Mass Expression, and others will be creating a new Green Media Arts Healing Center to house youth-run cooperative businesses that use green technologies and continue the training of young leaders in the Bay Area (go to www.artinactionworld.org for more info about the project). This new project will continue to support the artists trained by Cov Records, and take the next steps that the community needs. At a time when violence continues to flourish, unemployment is on the rise, the environment is being ravaged and justice is greatly needed this new center will ensure these needs are met. The center will house the Turf Unity movement promoting peace on the streets of Oakland, offer support to youth artists to create their own "green" media arts businesses and business partnerships, be a healing center for youth that have experience trauma, and a space for youth leaders to organize for social justice. The center will be mutilicultural and intergenerational space open to all community organizations and programs. The center will house a cooperative business for-the-people by the-people. The center will promote healthy living in collaboration with groups that offer locally grown organic food and food justice. This center will be one of many centers that will be part of a network that meets the needs of our communities. Please support the creation of this new center that will continue to support Cov Records youth leaders and artists.
COV RECORDS HOMELESS YOUTH SHELTER PROGRAM:
Cov Records will continue to offer Media arts training to youth ages 18-24, and support performance opportunities to Cov Records alumni ages 13-17. Cov Records will continue to be housed by Covenant House at the homeless youth shelter (transitional living program) and youth career center in Jack London Square. The Cov Records project will continue to train youth staying at the shelter and Cov Records artist alumni utilizing the career center in music production, sound engineering, video production, graphic design, and promotional marketing skills. Cov Records still has a group of youth artist leaders and interns that will be organizing community music events, and will continue to do presentations at schools, community centers, and organizations. If you are interested in collaborating with these amazing youth leaders and musical artists please contact Galen Peterson at 510-379-1010 or GPeterson@covoakland.org Cov Records is committed to collaborating with other organizations doing youth arts activism in the Bay Area!
Many of the youth artists survive off CD sales and shows, and are now using their hustling skills to start cooperative music businesses. Cov Records joined the Turf Unity project of Silence the Violence and Art in Action and has been part of a project unifying rappers from rival neighborhoods through music, and organizing a Turf Unity shows that bring together rappers from different turfs for non-violent hyphy hip-hop shows (with 2232 MLK community venue in Oakland, California).
Some of the rappers at Cov Records have been shot and they are using their music to tell their stories about growing up homeless and on the streets, and they are now promoting unity and social justice. Cov Records also uses music to help people grieve after shootings, and to intervene before retaliation occurs. The turf unity project has worked with many youth music organizations, such as BUMP Records, Weapons of Mass Expression Collective, OneFam Radio, and many more. Cov Records is available for hire, and open to collaborations with other youth organizations and music/video production companies. Refer to this website for more updates on upcoming shows and projects.
A SHORT FILM ABOUT COV RECORDS ARTIST O-ZONE FROM THE OAKLAND TRIBUNE:
A SHORT FILM ABOUT THE TURF UNITY MUSIC PROJECT:
A FILM FRANCEYEZ MADE ABOUT OSCAR GRANT EVENTS IN OAKLAND:
A SLIDESHOW OF IMAGES FROM OUR LAST TURF UNITY GATHERING:
THIS A FILM ABOUT THE TURF UNITY SHOW WE PUT ON:
WEAPONS OF MASS EXPRESSION is a partner of Cov Records, check out some of our past events and go to www.weekendwakeup.com to find out when our monthly events are happening:
COV RECORDS ALSO MAKES MUSIC VIDEOS:
Cov Records: Check Out The New Layout's Friend Space (Top 10)
Cov Records: Check Out The New Layout has 758 friends.
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