Jason Chu and Alan Z ‘s “Face Value," with its over 15 tracks of hard-hitting rap music, is a way for audiences to access the passion and stories that can transform and heal the community.
Asian-American rappers Jason Chu and Alan Z of Rapper Duo, through Wish USA Music, led the launch of music and multimedia project dubbed "Face Value - Asian American History on Record" which includes diverse collaborators from the Asian diaspora, and beyond.
Coinciding with the celebration of Asian Pacific American Month in a year when racial and social issues have become the front and the center in the national discourse, "Face Value," with its over 15 tracks of hard-hitting rap music, is a way for audiences to access the passion and stories that can transform and heal the community.
Face Value was described as a “way for audiences to access the passion and stories that can transform and heal the community” at a time where racial and social issues are at the forefront and center of the national discourse in the United States.
The music collection tackles pressing topics: racism, immigration and gender, that affected and continue to affect the Asian-American community.
Included in the group are Filipino artists Dante Basco and Aj Rafael, actor Ronny Chieng, rappers Chow Mane and Ruby Ibarra, WWE star Zeda Zhang, actor Bee Vang, singer-rapper Sirena Yang, and other artists like Htet, Neela, Jamel "MC Tingbudong" Mims and comedian Wise Bexley.
“Face Value" initially released the single "Model Minority," performed by Basco, with Chu, Alan Z, and Neela. Its lyrics refer to the hate crime experienced by Filipino-American Noel Quintana in New York's subway system last February; and Thai-American Vicha Ratanapakdee, a victim of an assault in San Francisco in the early parts of the year.
Alan Z, the half Rapper Duo, is a rapper who has not only distinguished himself in the music world with song placements in properties such a Wu Assasin, iZombie, Candy, Bubbly Brown Sugar and others, but also as an actor.
Z is often called “The Fresh Prince of Atlanta”– he attributes the moniker to the fact that after always moving constantly when he was young, from places such as China, England, Singapore, Maryland and Seattle.
“I was bullied half my life and I had to leave Seattle because of that ’cause it got so bad in terms of feeling out of place, in being treated like an outcast and for a long time I didn’t have any fun memories of Seattle but now that I’m older, you know I don’t mind it but it still doesn’t give me that home feeling because of the childhood trauma I experienced.”
(NP)
Tags: #rapmusic, #JasonChu, #AllanZ, #FaceValue, #StopAsianHate