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  The first compilation made from the first ever recording sessions at WAYout's new recording studio, supported by the Strummerville Foundation, set up in memory of Joe Strummer.
  
  Featuring sessions from street youth from the Black Street Family, Osman, the iEARN crew, the band Super Combo, and the youth theatre group Africa Youth Circle.
  
  For more photos of the sessions, and news of new music and WAYout projects, head to and like WAYout's Facebook page - www.facebook.com/WAYoutArts.
  
  All money raised from downloads of this album go back to WAYout, the work we do in Sierra Leone supprting street youth and disadvantaged groups, and the artists that recorded the tracks.
  
  Please download, pay and donate to WAYout, support our work and the new artists in Sierra Leone.
  
  For more information, please visit www.wayoutarts.org
  
  BIOGS OF THE ARTISTS
  
  SUPER COMBO
  Super Combo used to be known Africa Combo, and were founded in 1987. Super Combo consists of eight band players. They play traditional music of their culture, and are keen to get the young people more interested in and familiar with the traditional sounds. Five of the band currently work as prison officers in the national prison.
   
  
  BLACK STREET FAMILY
  Black Street Family is about 800 young people who live on the streets in the centre of Freetown. They age between 5 years old and 35. Black Street Family have 16 main members - the 'pillar members' who head their branches, and each of these pillar members have about 50 'ordinary' members under him.
  Leader Shargwan has himself lived on the streets for about 13 years now - due to issues with his step mother, blaming him all the time of stealing, so he left for the streets, only returning two years later when he heard his father had died. Since then, Shargwan has been on the street.
  One day he decided to formed a group - Black Street Soljas. However, a few years later, they start fighting themselves, so Shargwan changed the name to Black Street Family, and then all the fighting stops. 
  Some of their branches, named after the areas the street kids live, include Friends of the Dead (at a grave yard situated around the stadium); Sand Ground (at a place where they sell sand); and Under The Bridge.
  These are names and biog of the artiste that sang on the black street album.
  Geezy Nel: was about seven years old when he comes down to Freetown, during the war, where he lost both parents. When he came to Freetown there was no place for him to go but the market, there he met with Black Street.
  Two Pound: was about 5 years old when he joined the Family. His mother died when she was giving birth to him. He came to join them because there was no food at the house. He started coming to the street everyday where people felt sorry for him and gave him food to eat - so one day he decided not to go home any more.
  Dialo: because his friends were the Black Street Family, his parent started calling him a thief and pushed him out of the house.
  Milla Deri: came from Conakry with five of his friends - three of them are dead now, two of them had gone mad, Milla is the only one that is left with the Family.
  Budget: is a 'rich kid' that stays with his family and goes to a good school. But at the same time the Black Street Family are his friends, so everyday after school come down so see them.  
  Shikdiboom: is from Conakry from a gang group called Black Muslim. He came to Freetown for a resettlement program, which subsequently failed, so he deiced to join the Family.
  Lil Drama: dropped out from school because he failed to progress to the next class - as a result he was kicked out of home. Now he is the head of the Under The Bridge group.   
  X Y Z: he was with his parents going to school, and then he went and join a click called Gun Killers. His parents were not happy and tried to talk to him - he wouldn't listen, so they kicked him out. He ended up with the Family.
  Fal Gee: he is from Kono, about 200km from capital city Freetown. He lost both parents during the war, so he was staying with his aunt, but all off his friends were from the streets, so he formed a group. His family were not happy, so they 'through a spell on him'. Fal Gee was very sick, and when he recovered he fled from his aunts to come to Freetown, where he met the Black Street Family.
  
  
  OSMAN
  Osman, 16 years old, has been in the street for about six years. He was brought down to the city by his uncle for schooling when he was seven. However, his uncle past away, and no-one could afford his school fees. His uncle's wife started sending him to sell water, but one day after his earnings were stolen, he decided not to go home fearing the beating from his aunt. Osman sings and raps, but at the moment he sleeps at the park or on market tables.
  
  
  iEARN
  IEARN is a charitable organisation that WAYout has been partnered with since its inception in 2006. iEARN support street and disadvantanged youth into education and positive activities. ... more
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