FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Cristina Escobar, Tim Rusch at media(at)onebillionrising.org
NEW HIP HOP SINGLE CALLS ON MEN TO “DISMANTLE” PATRIARCHY
AS THE WORLD RISES, DUO CHARITY CROFF AND JACOB DENZEL OF ARCHDUKE, IN PARTNERSHIP WITH ONE BILLION RISING, RELEASE “DISMANTLE” SINGLE (FEATURING TAYLOR IMAN AND JENEE JONES) AS PART OF THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES & V-DAY’S 20TH ANNIVERSARY
14 February 2019: “I broke free thanks to Queens I know / They taught me not to fill no role… I ain’t gotta act hard now / I’m real big, real big like my heart now.” These are some of the provocative lyrics from hip hop duo Charity Croff and Jacob Denzel of ArchDuke’s new song “Dismantle” (featuring Taylor Iman and Jenee Jones), premiering today in celebration of The Vagina Monologues’ and V-Day’s 20th Anniversary and as part of One Billion Rising, the biggest mass action to end violence against all women and girls. “Dismantle” is available for purchase and streaming on all digital platforms. A portion of the proceeds will benefit One Billion Rising. Listen here: https://www.dismantlepatriarchy.org/.
“Dismantle” features a fusion of soulful afrobeats and classic New Orleans bounce, with lyrics that exemplify and raise awareness of the work needed to end sexism. In the video, ArchDuke performs in a mirrored room, brimming with movement and reflecting the energy of these men as they answer and issue a call to action. The song ends with a dance break, featuring a diverse group of women, coming together to rejoice in the music and the message.
“Honestly, patriarchy is a man’s issue,” said Charity Croff. “Generally, society tends to view feminism as this avenue through which women can liberate themselves. However, any liberation must involve the direct accountability and action from the oppressive group. In this case…men. ‘Dismantle’ is a song about men ripping that hypermasculine mask off and thereby exposing the loving, joyous, empathetic human being that lies beneath. It is my deepest hope that the liberation of women will be a natural byproduct of that process.”
“Art has the power to reach, transform and inspire people to act. That fact is at the heart of V-Day and One Billion Rising and has been since our founding. During our V20 year, we issued a call for new art, particularly art that engages men in ending violence against women,” said Susan Celia Swan, Executive Director of V-Day/OBR. “Charity and Jacob are passionate about doing the work of calling in men as men. Abuse doesn’t just happen, someone perpetrates it and the majority of the time, that someone is a man. ‘Dismantle’ is a powerful artistic tool for our community of activists, and it calls men into the work of ending violence against all women.”
“Dismantle” launches today in conjunction with One Billion Rising global mass actions, and the celebration of the 20th anniversary of The Vagina Monologues and V-Day. As such, the song will be featured in international artistic uprisings, challenging the systems that cause violence, including imperialism, fascism, racism, capitalism, and neo-liberalism. ArchDuke and One Billion Rising invite everyone committed to ending gender-based violence to take part in the “Dismantle” Dance Challenge by moving in whatever way makes them feel alive, ecstatic, and powerful in their bodies. Activists worldwide will video themselves dancing to the song in solidarity with the one in three women on the planet who will be raped or beaten in her lifetime.
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About Charity Croff and Jacob Denzel
Also known by their collective moniker, ArchDuke, Charity Croff and Jacob Denzel are quickly building their notoriety as both musical artists and educators. Whether heightening consciousness with educational videos or elevating the aural existence of humanity with depth-centered feel good music, Charity Croff and Jacob Denzel’s popularity is burgeoning among a cult following of artists, thinkers, and humanitarians that embrace a limitless lifestyle of love, empathy, critical thinking, and infinite potential. Learn more at https://www.dismantlepatriarchy.org/.
About ONE BILLION RISING
1 in 3 women across the planet will be beaten or raped during her lifetime. That’s ONE BILLION WOMEN AND GIRLS. Every February, we rise – in countries across the world – to show our local communities and the world what one billion looks like and shine a light on the rampant impunity and injustice that survivors most often face. We rise through dance to express joy and community and celebrate the fact that we have not been defeated by this violence. We rise to show we are determined to create a new kind of consciousness – one where violence will be resisted until it is unthinkable. Each year, the campaign is envisioned collectively by global coordinators around the world. Activists in over 200 countries, stage RISINGS to put the issue of ending violence against all women and girls front and center, to amplify the voices the most marginalized, and to call men to RISE. Get involved, RISE, visit onebillionrising.org #1BillionRising #RiseResistUnite
About V-Day
20 years since Eve Ensler’s play The Vagina Monologues shattered taboos, the stakes could not be higher. The Vagina Monologues gave birth to V-Day, a global activist movement to end violence against all women and girls (cisgender, transgender, and those who hold fluid identities that are subject to gender-based violence). V-Day is a movement that grew out of the untold stories of women. With creativity and determination, V-activists around the world tirelessly work to end harassment, rape, battery, incest, female genital mutilation and sex slavery.
During its V20 year, V-Day released the feature documentary CITY OF JOY, a Netflix original film directed by Madeleine Gavin; produced My Revolution Lives In This Body, a new short film by Eve Ensler, with vocals by V-Day Board member Rosario Dawson, and directed by Deborah Anderson; as well as a V20 series of short films directed by filmmaker Kirthi Nath.
V-Day: Say It, Stage It –Produce a V-Day Benefit as an Artistic Uprising at your college/university, in your community
One Billion RISING: Rise In Solidarity –RISE in your community, for your community
City of Joy: Turn Pain to Power –Screen the Documentary, Support the Women in DR Congo
