Mustafa Ahmed announces benefit concert for Gaza, Sudan with Omar Apollo, Ramy Youssef, more
The underground indie music and arts world, with an international flare, is coming out to support humanitarian efforts in Gaza and Sudan.
Omar Apollo, comedian Ramy Youssef, 6LACK, Clairo, Faye Webster, Charlotte Day Wilson, Daniel Caesar and more are set to perform at the Artists for Aid: Gaza & Sudan benefit concert, which is scheduled to take place at Newark Symphony Hall in New Jersey on Jan. 4.
Singer-songwriter Mustafa Ahmed is the organizer of the event, which will benefit the Canada-based Human Concern International.
Tickets, $150, are on sale on Eventbrite. Stormzy, Mohammed El Kurd, Nick Hakim, 070 Shake and Mustafa are also among those slated to perform.
“We worked tirelessly to bring this to you, but our fatigue is not even a splinter of what we’ll be singing for,” Mustafa wrote on Instagram. “In the last few years I visited both my homeland, Sudan (and) Palestine. My visit to both had a principal intention, to connect with artist communities, with young organizers — for parallels of sorrow and hope and faith.
“The violence in both nations seized the dream," his caption continues. “Here it is revived for me in (some way). The intention remains, on this evening we give our voices to make room for theirs.”
Human Concern International shared on Instagram that the organization is "excited to be the charity partner for this event and will make sure your support is delivered to the people of Gaza and Sudan." "We will split the donations 50/50," according to its graphic. "Half for Gaza, half for Sudan."
HCI is a registered charity that is "the oldest Muslim relief organization in Canada, fighting poverty for over 40 years," according to its website.
Sudan is gripped by a war between two fractions of its military government, the Sudanese Armed Forces and Rapid Support Forces. Hamas forces attacked Israel on Oct. 7 and Israeli forces subsequently invaded the Gaza Strip. Hamas, designated a terrorist organization by United States and European Union, won power in Gaza after elections in 2006.
Contributing: KiMi Robinson, USA TODAY
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This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Mustafa Ahmed announces benefit concert with Omar Apollo, Ramy Youssef