Emmanuel Jal has won worldwide acclaim for his unique style of hip hop with its message of peace and reconciliation born out of his experiences as a child soldier in Sudan. His music can be heard alongside Coldplay, Gorillaz, and Radiohead on the fundraising ‘Warchild - Help a Day in the Life’ album, as well as in three ER episodes, the National Geographic documentary God Grew Tired of Us, and more recently in the feature film Blood Diamond starring Leonardo DiCaprio. He also featured on John Lennons ‘Instant Karma: The Amnesty International Campaign to Save Darfur’ amongst the likes of U2, REM and Lenny Kravitz.
Emmanuel Jal was born in war-torn Sudan, and while he doesn’t know exactly when, he believes it was in the early 1980s. He was taken from his family home in 1987 when he was six or seven years old, and sent to fight with the rebel army in Sudan’s bloody civil war. For nearly five years, he was a “child warrior,” put into battle carrying an AK-47 that was taller than he was.
By the time he was 13, he was a veteran of two civil wars and had seen hundreds of his fellow child soldiers reduced to taking unspeakable measures as they struggled to survive on the killing fields of Southern Sudan. After a series of harrowing events, he was rescued by a British aid worker (Emma McCune) who smuggled him into Nairobi to raise him as her own.
To help ease the pain of what he had experienced, Emmanuel started singing. In 2005, he released his first album, Gua (”peace” in his native Nuer tongue), with the title track broadcast across Africa over the BBC and becoming a number one hit in Kenya. Gua also earned him a spot on Bob Geldof’s “Live 8? concert in the UK.
Jal performed at Nelson Mandela’s 90th birthday celebrations in Hyde Park, London, June 08, he shared a stage with Alicia Keys, Annie Lennox, Damien Marley and Stephen Marley at the Black Ball in London in July 08 and also addressed delegates at the UN in New York in the same month. Jal has also performed with Razorlight, Supergrass, and Faithless in Europe.
Last October Emmanuel toured the United States as part of the National Geographic All Roads Film Festival, in which he performed in New York, Washington D.C., Los Angeles and New Orleans. Jal also performed with Moby and Five for Fighting in the 2007 live concert film, The Concert To End Slavery (www.concerttoendslavery.com/trailer).
Jal has a full-length documentary on his life and times which has been touring the film festival circuit. It premiered at the Berlinale festival this year, and won the Cadillac audience choice award at the Tribeca film festival. His autobiography has been sold to St. Martin’s Press with anticipated release of spring 2009.
His new album ‘Warchild’ was released on 12th May 2008 on the Sonic360 label (distribution by ADA Global/Fontana) with additional production and mix by Neal Pogue, (Outkast, Talib Kweli, Pharoahe Monch).
Hey! Come back to the UK soon, they really need to hear you here! You have such a powerful gift - thank you for sharing it and being such a big blessing. Peace :-)
you really inspire me to do something with myself and for my country when i saw you speak in mankato it just made me cry because im over here not even thinkig about my family in africa. so i just thought i would tell you. and i hope everything of yours works out gereatly.
I hope all is well and good and I just wanted to let you know I've just put up a new track called ECHO so I thought you might want to have a listen. :o) It's just the instrumental version I did not long ago but I do have a full section of vocal to arrange into this track so I'll keep you posted on the outcome! :o)
I appreciate your time and support and any comments posted.
THE MINORITY REPORT MIXTAPE IS FINALLY HERE!!! 17 SONGS, 23 TRACKS IN ALL INCLUDING NEW ORIGINAL MATERIAL. THE MINORITY REPORT INCLUDES THE SONGS “INDUSTRY THUGZ,” “ENEMY OF THE STATE,” “EBONY DIAMOND” & “PAIN & TEARS.” GET YOUR COPY TODAY!!!
hey! i didnt know youd written a book and i just saw it at the store yesterday. cant wait to read it. God bless you emmanuel. i know your book will bring light and life to many people.
MAKE EVERYDAY COUNT! Appreciate every moment and take from it everything that you possibly can, for you may never be able to experience it again. Talk to people who you have never talked to before, and actually listen. Let yourself fall in love, even if it doesn't seem right because you are too young or too far, just follow your heart. Surround yourself with those who make you smile, laugh, and make you happy. Break free and set your sights high. Hold your head up because you have every right to. Tell yourself you are a great individual and believe in yourself, for if you don't believe in yourself, no one else will believe in you. Create your own life then LET GO and LIVE IT!
