LOS ANGELES, CA. (Top40 Charts/ KG2 Productions) - It's been almost two years to the day since Hurricane Katrina ravaged New Orleans, but KG2 Productions' Freedom United Foundation, the charitable arm for the company that manufactures and distributes premium water, energy drinks, clothing and includes its own record label, hasn't forgotten.
"We love New Orleans," says KG2 principal Greg Carney, whose organization donated 25,000 cases of water with Hilary Duff last year. "What drew us to this event are the kids and the music, which have been so important to the history of this great city. It's exactly what we're trying to do with the Foundation."
The non-profit organization, whose goal is to eliminate world hunger and poverty by providing food, water and medicine to those in need, generated by its group of companies, will donate $50,000 worth of musical instruments to the Jefferson Parish school district in a ceremony at the T.H. Harris Middle School in Metairie, LA, which will take place August 27. The instruments will help establish an elementary school band program at Rudolph Matas School in Metairie, LA, as well as three other schools in the district, including the T. H. Harris Middle School.
Hollywood Records multi-platinum artist Jesse McCartney, KG2 Music's up-and-coming reggae star Cipes of Cipes and the People and the famed Krewe of Little Rascals, the premier Greater New Orleans children's pre-Mardi Gras organization, will help make the presentation with principals of Freedom United Foundation and Eyal Shapira, principal owner of the Raritan Central Railroad of Edison, NJ, whose railway and affiliate companies provide rail service in New Jersey and Pennsylvania.
"We knew we wanted to do something before the start of the school year," comments KG2's Bradley Davidowitz. "When we saw they needed help in building their music programs, it seemed a perfect fit for us. The Freedom United Foundation would like to thank the Raritan Central Railway and the Krewe of Little Rascals for the opportunity to participate in this event."
"We are young, motivated and trying to help out our peers," says KG2 principal Greg Carney, whose company is based in a North Hollywood warehouse. "We feel music is the best way to teach people about what we need to do. Songs bring people together, which shows you how powerful music can be."
"It gives these kids the means and a new way to express themselves creatively," adds the organization's Kate Gordon, who is very much involved in the Freedom United Foundation.
Freedom H2O bottled in Fiji and Freedom energy drinks will also be given away to students after the performances and presentation.
McCartney's debut 2004 Hollywood Records album Beautiful Soul went double-platinum, thanks to its title track, a Top 5 single, while his 2006 sophomore release produced two more hit singles, "Right Where You Want Me" and "Just So You Know." Jesse is also an acclaimed actor with two Emmy nominations under his belt. Other accomplishments for the young star include platinum and gold records in Australia, Italy, Canada, as well as sold-out tours in the U.S. and overseas. He is currently working on his third album. McCartney understands the importance of a music program since he learned how to play the alto sax while attending the New York State public school system.
Cipes and the People's debut album, The Conscious Revolution, will be released Sept. 18 on KG2 Music through leading indie RedEye Distribution. The band was launched on the MTV reality series Twentyfourseven, which led to 250k friends checking out their music on MySpace, where they were the site's No 1 unsigned reggae band earlier this year. The themes of one love, world peace and helping their fellow man fit perfectly with their label's support of the Freedom United Foundation.
The Krewe of Little Rascals, ages 3 to 19, recently celebrated 25 years as the premier children's pre-Mardi Gras Organization, gaining international exposure through a 1997 segment on Japanese TV and a March 1998 article of National Geographic World magazine. Each year, the Krewe stages a full-dress ball at the Pontchartrain Center in Kennier, LA, and a four-mile street parade.
