Sup my peoples,

I am proud to announce that my song “Trade” feat. Chino XL has been nominated for a WAM 2011 Song of the Year Award in the Urban/Hip Hop category!!!

There is no online public voting for the comp this year, so it’s in the hands of the industry judges, but none-the-less, this is my very first nomination for an Australian music award!

The winner will be announced on October 12th at the Fly By Night Musician’s Club in Freo. For tickets to the award ceremony, please visit www.flybynight.org .

For more information about WAM (The West Australian Music Industry Association), please visit their site at http://wam.asn.au .

Wish me luck!!!

The official “Trade” release party was held on Friday May 22nd 2009 @ The Frequency – 121 W. Main St, Madison, WI 53703 @ 9pm.

What an amazing night it was! I would like to thank absolutely EVERYONE who was involved in the event, and those who came out and showed their support!!!

The event was sponsored by Chantik Soul Entertainment and WORT 89.9 FM.

The line-up consisted of a spoken word poetry session by Urban Spoken Word Slam Team’s Nigel Wade, Evy Gildrie-Voyles, and Caitlin McGahan; music by DJ Pain 1 (producer of “Trade”); special guest speakers Darius Alemzadeh from Trafficking Ends With Action, Marianna Smirnova from Wisconsin Office of Justice Assistance, and Lilada Gee from Women of Worth; and last, but not least, a live set by my band and I!

We managed to raise some funds for CATW (Coalition Against Trafficking In Women), but this is by no means the end of my campaign!

If you missed the event, you can still do something to help combat human trafficking today!

Buy “Trade” by Felicia Alima and Chino XL, and help spread the word and combat this epidemic!

CLICK HERE TO BUY “TRADE”

“Approx. 800,000 people are trafficked across national borders each year (which does not include millions trafficked within their own countries). Approx. 80% are women and girls. Up to 50% are minors…”

US Department of State Trafficking in Persons Report 2008

“Trade” is a song released by Chantik Soul Entertainment artist Felicia Alima, and Machete/Universal Music recording artist Chino XL.

The song was inspired by the movie “Trade”, which is about the human trafficking epidemic that takes place in the world today. Both Felicia and Chino have collaborated on this release in the hopes of spreading awareness that human trafficking does exist, and that you can do something to combat it.

Think about it. Someone’s child…a daughter, a sister, a mother, even a son or a brother can be bought and sold in this world.

The “Trade” maxi-single is available to purchase NOW!

Part proceeds of the sales of the CD will be donated to CATW (Coalition Against Trafficking in Women), which is a non-governmental organization that works to combat human trafficking around the world.

www.catwinternational.org.

“Tradebands” (wristbands) will also be available to purchase from my “Store” page soon.

I have an important question to ask you…

Do you know what human trafficking is? Would you know it if you saw it? Did you know that it happens right here in the US, and all around the world? Would you know who to call, if you came into contact with a victim of human trafficking? Did you know that there are many ways that you can help combat this horrible epidemic?

All of these questions will be answered this Friday, May 22nd at my “Trade” CD release party @ The Frequency, in Madison WI!

“Trade” is a CD release that Chino XL and I have collaborated on, in the hopes of creating awareness of this horrible epidemic.
Part proceeds of the sale of this CD will be donated to CATW (Coalition Against Trafficking In Women), who are a non-governmental anti-human trafficking organization who’s purpose is to combat human trafficking, all around the world.

Everyone who walks through the door receives a free tradeband (care band), that supports the campaign and helps increase awareness.

The night will start off with a poetry session by Urban Spoken Word’s slam team, DJ Pain 1 (producer of “Trade”) will be spinning on the decks throughout the evening, special guest speakers from various anti-human trafficking organizations will speak and answer all of your questions, and of course Felicia Alima and the band will perform a full set on the evening.

Please join us this Friday night at the Frequency – 121 W. Main St, Madison.

Let’s come together and help create an awareness that will ultimately help stop human trafficking!!!

- Felicia Alima.

Also, a huge THANK YOU to everyone who supported me and voted for me in the MAMAs (Madison Area Music Awards) this year. I won 3 awards, (Urban/R&B Performer of the Year, and Urban/R&B Album of the Year for “Trade“, plus a collaborative effort on the Compilation of the Year Award for “MYPAF 2008 Brat Fest Music“!)

Congrats also to all respective MAMA winners!!!

Obviously, I know that none of this would have been possible without your donations to the MAMAs and your votes, so again THANK YOU, and the MAMAs thanks you too for helping raise money to get musical instruments to Madison-area kids!!!

P.S. Check out my mini-interview with Mollie Shambeau on The Designer Dish from the blog site fashionistaville!!!

Peace, love and all that jazz…
Felicia Alima.

What’s up people?
I just wanted to say a big THANK YOU to everyone who voted for me in the 2009 MAMAs!
Your support is VERY MUCH appreciated. You have not only supported your girl in my musical aspirations, but your donations are helping put instruments in kids hands!!! Thank you!

BTW – If you’re in Madison, and you’re interested in going to the MAMA Awards show, it is TOMORROW (Saturday May 9th) at the Barrymore Theater. Winners will be announced at the show, plus there are loads of wicked shows to watch from artists of different genres!

And after the party is the after-party!!! There are HEAPS of after-parties to go to after the show ends at 10pm, but one that I am hosting with Gary Knowledge is the 2009 MAMAs Urban Artists Celebration at the Africana Lounge. All MAMA nominees get in free, no matter what category they are nominated in, so “stop-by” at the very least, and say what’s up! It’s all love.

I am also releasing my CD “Trade” ft. Chino XL on May 22nd @ The Frequency in Madison! The release is about the human trafficking epidemic, and part proceeds will be donated to the Coalition Against Trafficking In Women! If you want to help support the cause and combat trafficking, please come to the release party!!! 

Lastly, the Fall Guys and I will be playing at Brat Fest on May 24th @ Willow Island/Alliant Energy Center! We will be blessing the stage from 2 – 3pm, and it’s a free show, so please bring all your friends and family to check us out! 

FREE DOWNLOADS

MO THUGS PRESENTS… BIG SLOAN – 16 BAR MASSACRE MIXTAPE

I’m featured on Mo Thugs artist Big Sloan‘s “Life” song. The mixtape, “16 Bar Massacre” is available for free download at the Bone Thug’s official fan site OR CLICK HERE to directly download the mixtape now!

TURN IT UP REGGAETON REMIX

Download my song “Turn It Up” (Reggaeton Remix) ft. Michael Ramirez!
The remix is from my up-coming album, Know Me – The Remixes, and was also recently signed for a publishing deal… to download it for FREE now, CLICK HERE!

IN THE MEDIA

CAPITAL CITY HUES (USA)

May 1st: Pick up a free copy of May’s issue of The Capital City Hues (which features myself on the front cover), and an article about my upcoming “Trade” release!
You can also check out the article online at www.capitalcityhues.com .

WISCONSIN WOMAN MAGAZINE (USA)

May 15th: Pick up a free copy of the June issue of Wisconsin Woman Magazine for an article on my “Trade” release!

MADISON CW’S BUZZED INTO MADISON (USA)

May 18th – 22nd: I will be on Madison CW’s Buzzed into Madison the week of May 18th performing my new single “Trade“. Just go to local channel 57, or Charter Cable channel 2 and watch The Daily Buzz between 6 – 9am, and look out for my interview with Emmy Fink!

77 SQUARE (USA)

May 21st: Pick up a free copy of 77 Square for an article on my “Trade” release!

I really hope you are all doing well!

Before I start rambling off, I would like to share a very beautiful achievement quickly…

As you may know, I am releasing a song with Chino XL on the human trafficking epidemic. It’s called “Trade”, and part proceeds of the CD will be donated to CATW (Coalition Against Trafficking In Women)…

Someone who saw and heard the “Trade” promo video on Chino’s facebook page was SO inspired, that she went to CATW in NYC to visit the director!!!!! Now… that is truly creating awareness through our song!!! I’m geeked!!!

It might just be one person, but hey… that is one person more than before… and for her to travel to NYC out of her own accord… that is truly amazing to me. It means that the song can create a catalyst for action, so I am very excited about that!

MAMA (MADISON AREA MUSIC AWARDS)
We have reached the final round of the MAMAs (Madison Area Music Awards), and I still have 6 nominations in the running! THANK YOU to everyone who had voted in the first round!!!

VOTING FOR ROUND 3 (FINAL ROUND) ENDS TUESDAY APRIL 28TH, so PLEASE, get your final votes in today!

My nominations are in the categories of:

Urban/R&B Performer of the Year Felicia Alima
Vocalist – Female Felicia Alima
Urban/R&B Song Felicia Alima – “Your Love”
World Song Felicia Alima – “Turn It Up”
Urban/R&B Album Felicia Alima - Trade
Compilation Album Mypaf – Bratfest 2008 Music*

*This is not actually MY release, but I am on the compilation, so I count this as a nomination!

Remember, I will not be able to win any of these awards without your votes, so if you could please support me by voting for me, that would be wonderful!

All you have to do is go to www.themamas.org, and sign-up* as a MAMA member!

You might think, “Wow…this is an extremely deep subject!” — well…yes, it really is! To be honest, the movie “Trade” inspired me to write about it (hence the title of the track). It really was an inspiration to watch. Yes, I had a mild awareness that such things were going on in this world, but I didn’t realize how big it was, (especially, here in America)! It just infuriates me to know that people can “buy” and “sell” other people, and use and exploit them in which ever way they choose. That is sick! It’s inhumane and it’s not right!

Why am I releasing such a song you ask? Because it is my duty as a human being to pass this message along, and create an awareness that human trafficking is REAL and it DOES EXIST! As an artist, this is the best way for me to express my concern…through the medium of song.

That’s why I have teamed up with legendary rapper Chino XL (Machete Music/Universal) to present to you “Trade” so that we can help stop the epidemic! If this song educates just one person about the problem, then we have done something positive with our music. It means so much to be able to use our artistry and talent for such an important cause.

Chantik Soul Entertainment is distributing 1000 Maxi-Singles and part proceeds of every disc sale will be donated to CATW (Coalition Against Trafficking in Women). They are a non-government international organization that help combat human trafficking world-wide. Please visit the site at www.catwinternational.org and donate to the cause if you can!

The “Trade” maxi-single contains 5 tracks (main mix and remixes) which contains production by DJ Pain 1 (Young Jeezy), Jake Johnson and Shafi Turner.

The tracks will also be available via iTunes, CDBaby, and many other digital distribution sites in good time.

I will be having a “Trade” release party in Madison, WI in May 2009. Details of the venue, time and line-up are TBA.

Other materials available to purchase at the release party include wristbands, t-shirts and posters.

For now, please visit www.myspace.com/tradesong and add the profile to your friends list. We need all the awareness we can get on this release.

Many thank yous go out to Chino XL, DJ Pain 1, Jake Johnson, Jay Lechler, Memory, Joey Vitale, Cash Sanders, Shafi Turner, Daniel Hastings, Adam Perkins, Dave Newton, Faustina Bohling, Tiffany Harris, Marie Lugo, Marya Olivas, Norma Ramos, Elaine Afanador, 4corners, Chantik Soul Entertainment, Machete Music, Universal, Paradyme Productions, RemedyBornMuzik, Diamond Life Inc., Trio Records, CATW, Atomicus Creative Group, Vellum 5, Topshots and all who were all involved in this release. Special thanks to Chamberlain Research Consultants and Sharon Chamberlain for giving us space to shoot, Dave Newton Photography, and to all the “Trade” wristband models: Matt, Saleem, Pacal, Tina, Miriam, Dieera, Sheba, Dave, Briana, Patricia, Justin, and KJLyn.

Most of all, thank you to everyone out there that gives a care!

Felicia.