New Music: Donnie’s The Daily News

I am getting ready for a trip to Portland, Oregon tomorrow, where I am doing a “Letters From Young Activists” event for the Universalist Unitarian Associations’ General Assembly. I haven’t had time to write the review of Donnie’s new album, The Daily News just yet. But in the meantime, he just posted a letter about the new record on his myspace page, that I think you’ll enjoy. I am posting it below in its entirety…I hope he won’t sue me for copyright infringement.

Also check out the new video “If I Were You” below.

What’s up everybody? I know that it has been a long time since I’ve spoken to the people that support me and my artistry. So it is with great excitement that I would like to say that, June 19th, 2007 will see the release of my second album, “The Daily News”. I’m sure most of you have read a newspaper before, so you probably have a good idea as to what “The Daily News” is about. I just thought it would be wonderful if we could sing along to songs that speak of our daily culture - not only as an American but as a global citizen.

Of course, everything we sing about on this record is not pretty. You all know that is how life is. A little sunshine, a little rain. In the entertainment industry, it seems that, we want to escape into a fantasy world where we deny how bad things are. Well, I believe in the word that KRS-1 coined - “edu-tainment” . We can entertain ourselves and change the world at the same time. Hopefully, this album will be start of a movement whereby “changing this world 4 the betta’” becomes the hip thing to do!

BUT please remember the music business has changed dramatically since I first appeared on the scene. At the end of the day it’s on ME and YOU to do whatever we can do together spread the WORD! As fans, you have to get involved and put pressure on radio, video television, concert promoters, the media and let them know that there is an AUDIENCE for this. If not, you’ll just get another “rapper of the month” interview or “singer of the month” magazine cover. Until the powers that be recognize that there is an actual audience for this music, we will ALL be relegated to the background of popular culture.

My new single, “If I Were You”, is about making change both internally and externally. Why not use the release of this album to help bring about those changes? As a people we can stop a war; forge a new path; break down barriers of prejudice; become more tolerant. I’m not saying “The Daily News” is the tonic you need to become a better person. Instead, I’m saying “The Daily News” represents that struggle within each of us to grow as individuals. Much of today’s music does not represent that struggle. It does promotes neither thought nor substance. We can change that.

If some corporate person in a multibillion dollar company sees that there is a market for “substance”, maybe we’ll get more of it? Or maybe they’ll snuff it out? LOL! Either way, I TRULY believe that this album can be the vehicle for delivering that message! “The Daily News” is about the music. It’s about FREEDOM.

I truly hope that you enjoy it!

DONNIE

THE VIDEO