6.19.2009

Jay Haze Congo Benefit

Jay Haze plans benefit for the Democratic Republic of the Congo and invites other DJs to get on board for the cause.

Just after we announced Jay Haze’s entry into our mix CD series (as ‘fabric 47’), Jay Haze is revealing his plans for an extensive DJ tour around the world, with proceeds going toward relief efforts in the war-torn Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Jay Haze, the DJ/producer behind the house and techno labels TuningSpork and Contexterrior, has had a lasting relationship with fabric, playing here on a regular basis. When we asked him to provide the next installment of our compilation series, he was eager to take part, but even more so to use the exposure to generate awareness for a bigger cause: confronting the ongoing political and social turmoil in the Democratic Republic of the Congo.

Continuing the country’s history of instability and wars, and despite a peace agreement in 2006, the DRC’s east remains overwhelmed by rebel fighting, sexual violence, starvation and disease. Jay will donate 100% of his profits from the fabric CD sales to Merlin, an organization providing relief in the DRC and in other conflicted countries. Not only that – Jay will also donate 50% of all his DJ fees from September through the end of 2009 toward other groups who provide health care, medicine, treatment for rape victims and access to clean water for the country’s citizens.

Furthermore, Jay has recruited his DJ buddies to join the cause, asking them to donate half their DJ fee from any one of their gigs this year toward the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Loco Dice, DJ Sneak and Tiga have already agreed, and Jay’s goal is to increase the list exponentially. Jay believes that DJs are blessed to be able to travel the world playing the music they love, and they can make a small sacrifice like this to make a collective difference in the world. While Jay would be very glad if you pick up the mix CD, his main point in this project is raising awareness of the conflict in the DRC. He urges everyone to educate themselves on this important matter – as well as other issues underrepresented by the mainstream media – and to get involved. Jay wants to bring consciousness into the global electronic music scene, to prove that the nightlife industry can be about social justice as much as artistic expression and hedonism.

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