Poet Becomes First Muslim Recording Artist to Release an Album That Blooms Into Flowers
Somerset, NJ- Poet Brother Dash has become the first Muslim recording artist specializing in Spoken Word Poetry to release an album that can be planted in soil and bloom into wildflowers. The album, Spoken Soul, launched September 23rd2009 in three formats. One such format is as a “seeded” paper card. This card, which is about the size of a business card, includes a unique code that takes the user to a website to download the album. In a unique twist the card itself is embedded with wildflower seeds which when planted in soil blooms into wildflowers. When asked about the idea Brother Dash responded “For my new album I definitely wanted to have more than one format. I’m also a bit of a closet tree hugger and so I was never thrilled about plastic CDs in bulky jewel cases anyway. When I researched formats for my new album I discovered Dropcards.com which had these cool “seeded” paper cards. I was like whooooooooa…I’m goin’ green…FOR REAL!!!”
In addition to the novel idea of a seeded card the new album Spoken Soul is also available as a standard CD (in 100% recycled cardboard), and via electronic download on iTunes, Amazonmp3 and others. Spoken Soul features eight original spoken word poems written and performed by Brother Dash. Seven of the eight tracks on the album are acapella. The final track which is also the title track contains Brother Dash’s spoken word performed over a smooth jazz background.
Spoken Soul is the follow up to Brother Dash’s well received debut album Poetically Speaking and differs greatly from that album. Dash’s maturity as a poet is evident in what is a markedly more personally vulnerable album. Spoken Soul’s lyrical content is much more personal with topics dealing with the “self”, interpersonal relationships and affirmation. While Brother Dash never hides his Islamic faith his poetry is quite atypical of overt religious fare. “I never liked preachy people so I don’t push my faith on others through my art. I always gravitated towards that which was truthful and genuine so hopefully the album resonates with people on the level of honest, soulful, spiritually infused grit” remarks Brother Dash. Poems on the album range in topics from self-determination and expression as on the tracks “Can I Breathe?” and “Scream” to issues of racial and cultural bias amongst Muslims in the poem “Masjid Marauders”. He also includes an ode to Women in the poem “The Most Beautifullest”.
All three formats have purchase links on www.brotherdash.com. CD fulfillment is handled by the number one independent CD distributor in the world www.cdbaby.com and the electronic downloads can be purchased via iTunes and Amazonmp3.com. The seeded “flower” card is shipped by www.brotherdash.com.
Brother Dash is a Spoken Word poet. He has been the subject of a BBC radio documentary on Muslim poets, has been broadcasted in over 2 million television households and heard by over 4 million radio listeners on four continents, and seen by over 100,000 people in live performances. He has 2 full albums, an EP, and has contributed to 3 albums by other artists.
Contact:
Brother Dash
brotherdash@gmail.com
www.brotherdash.com
