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About this project

I, Jackson Tynan Whalan (18), AKA The Aposoul, have brought together a team of people to create a conscious Hip Hop album in the name of Peace. I am looking for $8,700 dollars to create the CD and to fund the subsequent release. Thank you for taking the time to read about this project!

“…in this historical and rare context, I am one of the only hip-hop artists to ever shake up the UN (United Nations). The response from the crowd brought so much love into the room that I still can't describe exactly how I felt. But I know this: I can make a difference because I know how to connect to people. I was made to create music that opens up people's hearts. “ Jackson (Tynan) Whalan

My Performance at the UN: http://www.youtube.com/watch...
My Web Site: www.theaposoul.com

I have been writing rhymes/songs, producing instrumentals/beats, recording, and releasing original Hip Hop music, and most importantly, MCing (live performance) for the past 6 years. As The Aposoul I see myself as a Messenger of Soul, someone who speaks from the heart about being a peaceful person in the world. As I have developed as an Artist my lyrics have become more and more "conscious". These efforts have allowed me to perform at the International Day of Peace (IDP) at the UN Headquarters in New York City, in front of lawmakers at Beacon Hill in Boston, as well as numerous summer festivals, youth events and other venues. Now living in New York City, and studying at the New School, the launch of a professionally created CD marks the next step on my musical journey.

Though I am only 18, I am experienced in the realm of hip-hop, and I understand that music can generate great amounts of positive energy. It inspires people to realize their own dreams and opportunities that lie in every moment. I now have the artistic capacity to create this project successfully, to make a strong impact in this world/universe. Your financial help can continue the momentum that is needed for this to flow out into the world. My promise and integrity in relation to you remains my number one task. Please consider my request and become my partner in peace and a sponsor of “NOW.

"NOW" will be a CD containing a collection of conscious Hip Hop tracks destined to do its part to change the world. My friends Skylar (19), Tyler (17) and Marissa (16) are all helping out with beats, saxophone and vocals. My long term Mentor and friend Robby Baier, an award winning songwriter, performer and engineer has joined my crew and we will be recording the CD in his Professional Recording Studio (http://www.soultube.com/studio.html). Jesko Stahl (www.jeskostahl.com) is a music producer/writer and Robby's comrade in music and he will be mixing the tracks in his studio in NYC. We are planning to release it on June 21, 2010, followed by live performances in the U.S. As we are raising money for this project here on kickstarter we will record and release 3 songs before our deadline on March 31. This way you can hear the direction of the cd and hopefully get inspired to support the project. Our first song will go up on January 15 (Goal: $1,000), the second on February 15 (Goal: $4,000) and the third on March 15 (Goal: $7,000). Please stay tuned!

BUDGET AND SPONSORSHIP OPTIONS FOR "NOW"

We expect the session to take about 14 days. Then we will have to duplicate the discs and create promotional material as well as expand web presence. The total estimated budget is $8,700. The following is a budget and suggested amounts for funding. Please help in any way you can:

RECORDING

one hour of recording: $50

one day of recording: $500

1 week of recording: $2,500

entire recording session: $5,000

Mastering (the final step in the recording process) at Sterling Sound in NYC: $1,000

CD DUPLICATION

duplication of 1000 CD's at Disc Makers: $1,200

graphic design - business cards: $30

graphic design - Stickers $100

graphic design - Cover: $500

Posters: $200

PROMOTION:

mailing out 100 packages to radio/venues: $300

one month subscription to www.sonicbids.com: $132

one year web hosting at www.hostbaby.com: $240

EVERYTHING:

$8,700 total

THANK YOU!!!
PEACE
Jackson T. Whalan


Project location: Great Barrington, MA

25
Backers
$1,339
pledged of $8,700 goal
13
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$10.00 MINIMUM PLEDGE

Pledge $10 or more

All sponsors receive: Free PRE-RELEASE CD, signed by the artist.

Backer 5 BACKERs

Pledge $20 or more

Free PRE-RELEASE CD, signed by artist, and free entry to release party.

Backer 8 BACKERs

Pledge $50 or more

all of above, plus a thank-you mention on CD cover and your link on The Aposoul's website.

Backer 6 BACKERs

Pledge $100 or more

all of the above, plus a collection of all The Aposoul's previously released materials.

Backer 1 BACKER

Pledge $250 or more

all of the above, plus you have an invite to come hang out at Substation Studio for a recording session, and even lay down some back up vocals if you would like. Do you play kazoo?

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Pledge $500 or more

same as above, plus The Aposoul will come to any event you may be planning and perform for free.

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Pledge $1,000 or more

all the above, plus the Aposoul will pick you (or a loved one) up and take you out to breakfast before you go to the set to appear with him in The Aposoul's first music video.

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Pledge $2,000 or more

All the above, plus The Aposoul will acknowledge your generosity on the last track of "NOW", and all albums to proceed it, including any positive message, spoken by you (if you want), that you have always wanted to share with the world.

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Project By

Aposoul_new_school

Jackson T. Whalan

Straightpin New York, NY

My name is Jackson Tynan Whalan (The Aposoul). I am looking for your support to fund a music project titled “NOW”. With your help I would like to expand the possibility of world peace and spread the message of empowerment to all people, everywhere.

I want to share my message of peace and empowerment, because I was not always one who lived in accordance with these things. During my time of growing up I struggled to realize that something amazing could be brought into the world from inside of me. Throughout middle school and through parts of high school I was not invested in any way in the idea of peace. Such thoughts were absent in my life. I would act out socially as well as with my parents (who had divorced during this time). Through hip-hop, I was able to express the anger that I felt. By sharing my music with others I was able to relate this struggle to my peers. As I began to experience this new musical world, conflicts began to disappear, and it was amazing how my vision of the world was refreshed.

When I started creating hip-hop, I was releasing from my self all of the negativity that was inside, and when that was complete, a new, sincerely positive view opened up. A strong transformation had occurred with in me. Barriers were brought down to reveal my true voice, the voice that I had been searching for, but was before unaware of. Hip Hop became my way of being, my personal expression.

I opened myself up to a vast array of people who are committed to being positive forces of expression in the world, particularly people at the Railroad Street Youth Project, a local organization in Great Barrington, MA. This organization introduced me to Robby Baier, who has been my mentor and music-companion since 2005. The people at RSYP heard my music and powerful desire to express, and began to guide me on this path that led me to so much more than I thought I could ever achieve. In opening up, I began reading about Nelson Mandela, and so many others who changed the world with their dedication in massive ways. I sought out other Hip Hop artists who communicate in a in a positive way, artists like KRS ONE, Mos Def, De La Soul, Lauryn Hill, Common, A Tribe Called Quest, Public Enemy, and many others. This is conscious hip-hop.

When I spread my message of peace at the IDP (International Day of Peace) at the UN Headquarters in New York City on September 19th, 2009 at an annual national youth conference, I began to really open up and connect with people, to bring “the wave” of positive energy out to crowds, as I had always wished to, and this time I had accomplished this. 750 people in a conference room, smiling with their fists in the air for peace. Live webcams that allowed people from different regions of Africa to feel the music. Jane Goodall, Michael Douglas, and Elie Weisel four feet away, serving as messengers of peace at the conference, and there I was, performing “Peace Vybration” in this historical and rare context, being one of the only hip-hop artists to ever shake up the UN. The response from the crowd brought so much love into the room that I still couldn’t describe exactly how I felt. But I know this: I can make a difference because I know how to connect to people. I was made to create music that opens up people's hearts.

I am experienced now in the realm of hip-hop, and I understand that music can generate great amounts of positive energy. It inspires people to realize their own dreams and opportunities that lie in every moment.