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YouthTube Trends: What a Star Studded Week!

March 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Since yesterday, three to four out of the top ten videos among 13-17 year olds directly pertain to Justin Bieber’s newest single, “Boyfriend,” released on March 26. These include a 15-second preview, a teaser (#3 yesterday among 13-17 year olds), a behind the scenes video (currently #6 among 13-17 year olds), and an audio clip (currently #1 among all 13-17 year olds, both male and female) against an album jacket cover. The audio clip has already accumulated 2,044,651 views in just two days. Their marketing strategy of releasing different kinds of previews has successfully captivated the teen demographic, particularly the girls. His newest single deviates from the bubblegum pop days of “One Less Lonely Girl,” “One Time,” and even his most recent hit, “Mistletoe,” integrating a steady hip-hop beat, rap, singing and acoustic guitar.

Both the teaser and behind the scenes portray Bieber as a mature musician who actively participates in producing his own work. His voice has stabilized significantly since his voice change. In some ways, he sounds a lot like a young Justin Timberlake. Through these promotional clips, Bieber and his publicists seek to demonstrate that he has considerable range and isn’t just a good-looking teen idol–he’s here to make music for the long run.

After initially receiving acclaim for his talents on YouTube, Bieber enjoyed a meteoric rise to fame and stardom. His PR people are ingeniously engaging his YouTube fanbase in this Youtube campaign to generate buzz and support for his newest album.  As you can see, it’s working!

Other users have piggybacked on Bieber’s immense popularity and fanbase to promote their own videos. Litombe & Tex embedded a link to their rap song, Crew Love Remix, in the audio clip mentioned above. One of the top comments for the “Crew Love Remix” states, “Thumbs up if Justin Bieber–Boyfriend brought you here.”

While the video previously enjoyed a gradual increase in viewership, it enjoyed exponential exposure starting yesterday night, according to the statistics for the video. This intertextuality makes some sense, as this referral introduces a more adult strain of hip-hop to Bieber’s young fanbase.

After receiving significant support from her pop star friends Justin Bieber and Selena Gomez, Carly Rae Jepsen is receiving a lot of buzz and interest from the teen population. Her official music video and performance on the Ellen Show were two of the top 10 most popular videos among 13-17 year olds two days ago. Jepsen’s increased popularity demonstrates the enormous influence that Bieber and Selena Gomez wield over youth’s choice in music. YouTube has become the site of germinating new trends that often overtake mainstream platforms like the Ellen Degeneres Show. Call Me Maybe currently ranks as the seventh most viewed video among all 13-17 year olds and #6 trending video among females.

Out of all these top 10 videos, Katy Perry’s video has the most views – over 17 million. At times, her music videos are often so melodramatic and over-the-top that it’s hard to take them seriously. This time, she plays the part of a spurned woman who joins the army in order to affirm her strength. Although this music video was intended to be empowering, I found it slightly problematic and embarrassing because it implicitly associates overcoming a breakup with military service. It is currently the #6 trending video among 13-17 year olds.

Nigahiga’s released a humorous musical video titled Bromance, in which Ryan Higa and his crew teach their stuffy, homophobic friend that close heterosexual relationships can flourish among guys. This campy and over-the-top video features strong vocals from singer-songwriter Chester See and Higa’s priceless rap performance. The song playfully satirizes the homoerotic connotations associated with one of the most memorable concepts of this decade. With his witty and humorous parodies and blogs on societal fads, Higa has become one of the most subscribed creators on YouTube with 5,181,966 subscribers. This video has accumulated 4,583,838 views, and was the #1 trending video among 13-17 year olds before Bieber’s Boyfriend came along. It is now the #8 trending video among 13-17 year olds.

Although the Super Bowl season has already passed, viewers like nothing more than to laugh at quirky commercials. Liar, Liar promotes Skittles. A boy must endure skittles popping out of his ears whenever he lies. Taking advantage of this fact, his friends and even his mom force him to tell lies. With 432,233 views, it’s the #3 trending video among 13-17 year old boys and girls.

Aside from the mainstream and YouTube stars, the story of a beautiful rescue has touched the hearts of many viewers. A generous woman rescued a blind dog who was living in a trash pile. After helping to overcome its flea infestation, she took the dog to a veterinarian, who performed the necessary surgical procedure to help the dog see once again. This beautiful story also serves as a promotional video Hope for Paws, a non-profit animal rescue organization. With 389,589 views, it was the #5 trending video among 13-17 year old males and females yesterday evening.

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Emerging Kid Rapper Jake Zeldin Joins Pacha’s Pajamas

March 12, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Twelve year old Jake Zeldin, an up and coming artist from Toronto, Canada, is working though a lifelong challenge in expressing himself. Jake has been in speech therapy since his preschool years for stuttering. Stuttering also known as stammering is a speech disorder in which sounds, syllables, or words are repeated or last longer than normal. The disorder is characterized by disruptions in the production of speech sounds.

Two years ago, Jake found a super hero inside of himself. Jake discovered that when he raps, his words flow flawlessly from the top of his head.  Jake’s story demonstrates that disorders and disabilities need not stop us, and that obstacles such as his speech disorder can be a launching point for discovering our true genius.

Like many 12 year olds, Jake Zeldin is a huge fan of Drake. Late last year, Jake had a chance to jam and freestyle for Drake backstage at a concert he went to with his brother. It was indeed a special moment for Zeldin, reaffirming for him that anything is possible and that we can shine no matter what we go through in life.

On the Pacha’s Pajamas album and Nature Superhero App, Jake – whose stage name is Lil JZ – will be featured in the theme song Nature Superhero with Miles McAilely, as well as on the Just-In Time Beaver love anthem “Just In Time” with fellow Canadian Ta’Kaiya Blaney.

Just last week, Lil JZ’s first music video Thomas Edison dropped which already has over 173k views, bringing his channels total views to over 1.2M.  Check out Lil JZ’s website.

 

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Talib Kweli in the Pacha’s Pajamas Recording Studio

February 24, 2012 By 1 Comment

The other day world-famous rapper Talib Kweli recorded an amazing song for Pacha’s Pajamas called “Butterfly Life.” It’s about a caterpillar transforming into a butterfly, and once you hear it you’re gonna want to share it with everyone you know.

Kweli arrived at the studio, listened to the beat, pulled up the Wikipedia entry for ‘butterfly,’ and crafted his brilliant lyrics in only 45 minutes (see them below). Then he spent the next hour or two recording the vocals.

He also read the lines for Pebble, a character in the story who helps make the decision to throw the nature festival.

Kweli is truly one of the greatest lyricists of our day. Check to these videos to witness his amazing contributions to Pacha’s Pajamas.

 

BUTTERFLY LIFE LYRICS:

Let me break it down, make it plain
tell you cut and dry
How I get by
living the life of a butterfly
Nature’s OG
I’m a pollen transporter
They call me OT
Original transformer
Cuz I used to be a caterpillar
Till I metamorphized
Used to have 16 legs, 6 pair of eyes
I spent my free time
Dreaming about the sky
I was stuck on the ground wishing I could fly
My only job was to grub
I wipe my plate clean
Living the life of a vegan eating them leafy greens
The flowers bloom I’m breaking out of cocoons
Artists are inspired by I’m making them swoon
But now I put my larvae days behind me
Flying through the air is where you’ll find me
When I was a caterpillar yeah I got grime
Now I take flight and it’s way more exciting

CHORUS:

Fly fly away, stand up for your flights
Fly fly away, stand up for your flights
Fly fly away, stand up for your flights
Fly fly away, stand up for your flights

SECOND VERSE:

It’s that butterfly life
The moth is my cousin
And sometimes we fly alike
As I fly flutter by like a thought running through your mind
I’m proud of my species we got many different kinds
We got moth-butterflies true butterflies and skippers
Watch you plant flowers in your garden and I kiss em
If nature is a painter and our canvas is blank
Then we callin’ it the forest and my colors is the paint
My caterpillars days are still a part of me
Whole kingdoms are named after me, they callin’ it a monarchy
I’m a great subject for photography
In the park little kids follow me
Like the pied piper, except it ain’t the music it’s the colors
Butterfly life you gotta love it
It’s except it ain’t the music it’s the colors
The butterfly life you gotta love it

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Giving Thanks this Holiday Season: New Music Available feat. Mos Def (Yasiin Bey), Talib Kweli and Talented Youth Selected from National Auditions (Photos)

November 17, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Aaron Ableman, author of new children’s book and music, Pacha’s Pajamas: A Story Written by Nature, and Dave Room, co-founder of BALANCE Edutainment have been hard at work in the studio with Grammy, Emmy and Golden Globe nominated artist and actor, Mos Def (also known as Yasiin Bey), popular lyricist and artist, Talib Kweli and talented youth from around the United States. New songs are now available from the upcoming Pacha’s Pajamas album!

“Now is a critical time in Oakland, New York and around the world. If we want to deeply engage youth, and all people, perhaps the most important space to occupy is pop culture, as expressed in music. At BALANCE Edutainment, we believe music, in its various forms including audio, performance and video is the most viral communication platform. In the last century, music played a pivotal role in many of the world’s most important social movements.” says Room.

“It’s important to impart the message not just to children, but to all human beings, that we have a responsibility to our own humanity and to the one who has created all, to treat this creation with care and respect,” says Def.

The idea that you have to be mindful of the environment, or pay attention to the environment, is something people should grow up with. It’s not something that you should have to convince an adult of,” adds Kweli.

Pacha’s Pajamas: A Story Written by Nature, a musical story about a little girl named Pacha who saves the environment with the help of the world’s plants and animals, is both a children’s book and hip-hop / pop musical album, designed to bring music and storytelling together to share important messages about the environment and inspire positive action.

Def narrates the fictional story of Pacha, a girl who dreams of uniting the planet via a music festival. Kweli performs an original song he wrote for the album from the perspective of a butterfly.

Def and Kweli have received acclaim for using their artistry, talents and notoriety to raise public awareness about myriad social issues. They are also currently touring nationally as Black Star, and their forthcoming collaborative album is Prisoner of Consciousness.

In addition to Def and Kweli’s participation with Pacha’s Pajamas, the BALANCE team of musicians and social entrepreneurs are in the studio with other soon-to-be-announced musical artists completing the album. They are also performing the story and songs throughout the United States. You can support their crowd-funding campaign, to help complete the Pacha’s Pajamas album and tour. The full album is due out Earth Day, April 22, 2012.

Occupy Pop Culture this holiday season by supporting media with positive messages. The Pacha’s Pajamas book and free new song downloads are available now at www.pachaspajamas.com.

To book an event performance or reading, find out more information or invest in the project, please contact us at info@pachaspajamas.com. Also, connect on Twitter and Facebook.

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Rap Stars Mos Def And Talib Kweli Bring Their Voices To Environmental Hip Hop Album, EP Released

November 11, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Mos Def and Author Aaron Ableman

Rap stars singing about butterflies and saving the environment isn’t something we hear about everyday.

And that’s precisely what BALANCE Edutainment, LLC had in mind when they approached rap stars Mos Def and Talib Kweli to participate in their upcoming children’s hip hop album about the environment, Pacha’s Pajamas: A Story Written By Nature.  The EP, which features Def, Kweli, and others, is available as a free digital download for a limited period starting today at http://www.pachaspajamas.com/music. The full album is due out Spring 2012.

The Pacha’s Pajamas CD features Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globe nominated hip hop artist and actor, Def (also known as Yasiin Bey), who narrates the fictional story of Pacha, a girl who dreams of uniting the planet via a music festival starring a host of singing plants and break dancing animals.  Kweli, a popular

lyricist and hip-hop artist wrote and performs an original song on the album from the perspective of a butterfly.  The duo, who previously collaborated on the late ‘90s album Mos Def and Talib Kweli Are Black Star, have received acclaim for using their artistry, talents and notoriety to raise public awareness about myriad social issues.

“We’re extremely grateful for Mos and Talib’s involvement and truly believe we can influence social, economic, and environmental change in a compelling way through the telling of powerful stories, by creating music people are inspired to listen to and with the help of the world’s children,” said Aaron Ableman, accomplished musician, social entrepreneur and co-founder of BALANCE Edutainment.

“It’s important to impart the message not just to children but to all human beings, that we have a
responsibility to our own humanity and to the one who has created all, to treat this creation with
care and respect,” said actor and hip hop artist, Mos Def.

“The idea that you have to be mindful of the environment, or pay attention to the environment, is
something people should grow up with.  It’s not something that you should have to convince an
adult of,”  added hip hop artist, Talib Kweli.

“The story of Pacha’s Pajamas is spreading the information early (to kids), so it becomes like a
cornerstone or a foundation.”

In addition to Def and Kweli’s participation, the BALANCE team of musicians and social
entrepreneurs are in the studio with other soon-to-be-announced musical artists completing the
album.  The BALANCE Edutainment team will also be making live appearances to perform the
story and songs from Pacha’s Pajamas: A Story Written By Nature throughout the United States
this Fall and in Spring 2012.

For more information, please visit www.pachaspajamas.com.

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BALANCE Edutainment Performs on Main Stage at Los Angeles Green Festival

October 26, 2011 By Leave a Comment

The live storytelling and musical youth workshop and performance led by Pacha’s Pajamas creators BALANCE Edutainment and an up-and-coming local youth star takes place on the Main Stage on Sunday, October 30 at 3:45 pm after “Celebrities for Social Change in Action” with Ed Begley Jr., Rachelle Carson and Esai Morales, and before Reverend Lennox Yearwood Jr. of the Hip Hop Caucus.

Pacha’s Pajamas performance and workshop will also take place in the Green Festival Green Kids’ Zone on Saturday, October 29 at 1:00 pm. Additional Green Kids’ Zone activities include crafts, Halloween adventures, stories, music and much more throughout the weekend.

Pacha’s Pajamas: A Story Written by Nature, a hip-hop musical story abouta little girl named Pacha who saves the environment with the help of the world’s plants and animals is both a children’s book (www.amazon.com and www.pachaspajamas.com) and an upcoming hip-hop musical album, designed to bring music and storytellingtogether to share important messages about the environment and inspire positive action. The new album features well-known, soon-to-be-announced celebrity musical artistsand talented youth.

Joining BALANCE Edutainment on stage at Los Angeles Green Festival is local youth, Miles Ananda McAliley. Miles was born in Los Angeles in May of 1998 to Raye Dowell and Ira McAliley.  Always having a bright personality, Miles started modeling and acting at the age of 3, booking jobs for Tommy Hilfigger, and Disney.  After appearing in the Will Smith Black Suits Comin’ video, for the movie Men in Black II, Miles decide to retire to pursue his life a kid.  For several years, Miles explored soccer, baseball, tap dance, and martial arts, before falling in love with drawing and basketball. During this time he also developed a love for music, with a particular passion for Rap Music.  At the age of 10, Miles wrote his first lyrics for his math class.  The positive response inspired him to spend the next couple years continuing to develop his skills as a writer and performer.  Miles has performed with the Lil’ Big Ups, a free youth arts project and musical variety show, The Pico Youth and Family Center All-Stars, a Santa Monica non-profit that promotes Peace, Unity, and Social Justice, and Gerald C. Rivers, an LA artist with a show that features the works of the late Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  Miles was also recently chosen as a finalist in California State Assemblyman Mike Davis’ 28th district talent search. Miles balances his life by focusing on being a good student at New Los Angeles Charter Middle School, and training for and playing basketball.  His is also a loving older brother and son, who looks forward to going to college and making a positive contribution to society. Watch Mile’s audition video now:

 

“We believe that catalyzing change can happen in a fun way through socially-conscious music, stories about interdependence and by amplifying the voices of children,” says Aaron Ableman, musician, educator and co-founder of BALANCE Edutainment, the creator of Pacha’s Pajamas.

“Human Rights and Nature’s Rights are key issues that Pacha’s Pajamas aims topopularize through the project, a tale of a little girl with big dreams for unity on planet earth. We are thrilled to share Pacha’s message with the GreenFestival, and with all global movements calling for peace, health and justice in the world!”

Green Festival is an eco-friendly marketplace with over 300 exhibitors, live music and spoken word, yoga and movement classes and cutting edge film screenings. Ten stages and pavilions host more than 125 enthusiastic speakers and teachers offering in-depth presentations and short talks on the issues and practices for adults and children of all ages.

Green Festival takes place at the Los Angeles Convention Center, South Hall G.

In addition to the Green Festival performance, the BALANCE Edutainment team will be making live appearances to perform the story and songs from the Pacha’s Pajamas ebook andalbum throughout the United States this fall and through 2012.  For more information, please visit www.pachaspajamas.com.

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Do You Have What it Takes to Be the Next Pop Star?

September 21, 2011 By Leave a Comment

Want to be a pop star?
Audition ONLINE for Pacha’s Pajamas,
a hip-hop musical for planet Earth! Selected talent will get to perform
on the Pacha’s Pajamas musical soundtrack! AGES: 7-14.
Online audition DEADLINE: Sept 30, 2011
For more information, visit Audition Info.

Do you know a talented child between the ages of 7-14? Balance Edutainment is holding free online auditions until September 30th for Pacha’s Pajamas, a hip hop album about a girl who saves the planet with the help of plants and animals. Hip Hop artists Mos Def and Talib Kweli are on the album and your talented child or one you know can be too – it’s simple – check it out at www.pachaspajamas.com or call 415-601-1303. Let’s help them save the environment.

 

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