Jo'burg music pick: September 9 2011

Rapper Emmanuel Jal is known for his humble and difficult beginnings. He was once a Sudanese child soldier and today he is regarded as a foremost proponent of the hip-hop form.

This weekend, he appears on the Jo’burg Arts Alive festival platform as part of the Goethe-Institut’s conference: Art in troubled Times, about the interface between art and trauma. Jal is known as a vociferous peace ambassador, having addressed the United Nations and the United States Congress on issues of conflict resolution. He has also been involved in several peace-based initiatives including the Clinton Global Initiative, the Child Soldiers Initiative and Ericsson’s Refugees Reunited campaign. Jal will perform with the band Tumi and the Volume.

Alex Theatre, 36 Stiemens Street, Braamfontein, on September 10 at 8pm. Tickets cost R80. Book at Computicket. For the Arts Alive programme, visit: www.artsalive.co.za.