The rapper and advocate of eastern
philosophy known as Sha Dra Elav8 has released his latest single,
“Peace Up.” The track has been concurrently released with an
instrumental version showcasing Sha Dra Elav8's copious talents as a
producer and digital composer. Taking cues from both his Asian
heritage and the culture of the southern United States, Sha Dra
Elav8's “Peace Up” is a message from the world's greatest
teachers speaking through Sha Dra, and also a booming American rap
track from one of today's most intriguing urban poets.
Sha Dra Elav8 (Shah-Drah Elevate;
Shaman Dragon 玄武) cites
as main artistic influences Tupac Shakur, John Lennon, Jim Morrison,
Yelawolf, and Tech N9ne. Of these, his sound, style and themes take
some from all. He has the razor-sharp skill of Tech N9ne, the
philosophical bents of Tupac and Lennon, and southern nuances much
less obvious than Yelawolf's which form an important part of Sha's
overall character.
Speaking of the meaning of his latest
single – about which themes he is always keenly emphatic – Sha
writes that it is about “Peace. Right now in the media and in the
world, there are many tragic situations happening. Disease, war, and
oppression are just a few of the things plaguing humanity. There is a
lot of fear and confusion. There is also a lot of anger and
resentment. I just want to put something else out there for people to
focus their energy on, such as the feeling of peace.”
As is usual with music from Shaman
Dragon, however, distinct undercurrents of Buddhist thought run
parallel to the overall message of his single.
“'Peace up' is not a noun,” he
writes, “it is a verb. It means to emit a strong peaceful vibration
of total calm.”
An official music video for his newest
single is also in post-production for “Peace Up” after having
been shot at two important locations in Taiwan, Ba Gua Mountain in
Tai Zhong city, and Fo Guang Monastery in Kaoshiong City. The rapper
describes the latter of these locations as being “36 meters high
and the highest standing Buddha in Southeast Asia. It is also
surrounded by 480 smaller Buddhas.”
Sha Dra Elav8 does not identify as a
Buddhist in the strictest sense of the word, but rather, “respects
it as a philosophy and spiritual practice.” He writes that he chose
to shoot his video at Fo Guang Monastery “because of its beauty and
the possibility of Enlightenment that it represents.”
He has written elsewhere that he
believes that our feelings and emotions strongly affect and even
create our reality.
“If this is true,” he writes, “then
there is nothing that is stopping humanity from achieving peace on
Earth. Nothing, save ourselves.”
“Peace Up” by Sha Dra Elav8 is
available online worldwide. Watch for the release of his upcoming
music video in coming weeks.
-S. McCauley
Lead Press Release Writer
www.MondoTunes.com
“Peace Up” by Sha Dra Elav8 –
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