Free Kenneth Foster

THE WELFARE POETS have been in existence since the Spring of 1990, when two Cornell students came together to write poetry/rhymes of protest and upliftment, accompanied by congas (percussions). A band was created from this union with the purpose of using culture
as a tool of resistance, and in the summer of 2000, the group released their first independent album "Project Blues." The group plays Hip Hop with a fusion of various styles from the
Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, Cuba and Jamaica.

Over their 15 plus years of existence, the Welfare Poets have been not only cultural activist, but they have been directly involved in efforts for social justice, most notably against police brutality, political prisoners, the colonial status of Puerto Rico and the U.S. Naval occupation of the island, environmental justice inNew York City and elsewhere and the death penalty. Through teaching residencies and workshops, through activism around community struggles and through sharp-edged performances of music that incorporates Hip Hop, Bomba y Plena, Latin Jazz and other rhythms, the Welfare Poets bring information and inspiration to those facing oppression and those fighting for liberation.

Whether at a rally, a school, a prison or a concert hall, a Welfare Poet performance is truly
an experience that is boldly defiant, musically innovative and urgently necessary in a time where information and the media are being increasingly privatized and civil liberties systematically eroded. Well over 15 years of existence with the understanding that culture is power, the Welfare Poets have reached hundreds of thousands throughout the world.

Project Blues - The album was released in June of 2000. There were only 5 band members at that point, and the album fused various styles of music from a blues/jazz feeling to Caribbean flavors. It is relentless poetry/rhyming coming from the inner city of New York. Project Blues contains 15 powerful tracks, each uniquely painting pictures connecting local struggles and hardships to a global movement towards the liberation of all humanity.

Rhymes For Treason - The album was released in May of 2005. After Project Blues, the Welfare Poets membership and sound grew, giving more diversity to the type of music performed and venues they could be featured at. From Hip Hop to Jazz, to many Afro-Caribbean musical forms, the new album, Rhymes For Treason, will definitely offer
something for all music lovers who want to uplift the oppressed and yearn revolution.

Cruel and Unusual Punishment – The album was released in February of 2007. It was
influenced by the need to dismantle the inhumane death penalty system. The death penalty is both racist and classist in its intention and application. The album was inspired by Hasan Shakur, who was unjustly executed by the state of Texas on August 31st, 2006. For more information about the alum, log on to www.myspace.com/deathpenaltycd

For more information about the Welfare poets or to contact them directly please visit:

www.welfarepoets.com

www.myspace.com/thewelfarepoets