An anti-war alliance of musicians including JAY-Z, Sheryl Crow
and Lou Reed have formed ‘MUSICIANS UNITED TO WIN WITHOUT WAR’ in a bid to put further pressure on US President GEORGE W BUSH.
The formation of Musicians United To Win Without War was announced at a press conference yesterday (February 27) Russell Simmons and Benjamin Chavis of the Hip-Hop Summit Action Network.
With Simmons at the press conference in New York were Puff Daddy, David Byrne and Roseanne Cash to support the group’s stated aim of encouraging a focus on further UN inspections as a peaceful means of disarming Saddam Hussein.
Simmons said: “Everybody from gangsta rappers like 50 Cent to Puff Daddy to Jay-Z, all these guys we know what they can do.
“I mean, Puff Daddy is certainly more well-liked and well-known across the world than George Bush. Jay-Z is much more liked and well-known across the world than Colin Powell, so we know they have big voices and we know people pay attention.
“And young people certainly pay attention, and they have been the ones that have been silent. But we’re just going to work now and I promise you that they’re going to wake up.”
Other artists involved in Musicians United To Win Without War include Mos Def, Natalie Imbruglia, OutKast and Missy Elliott.