GreenJade

GreenJade are the UK’s premier “Tru-Skool” Hip-Hop group! Consisting of 4 members born and breed in South London, the Jade - Judah, Wizdom, Wei and 3rd Son - have been ripping up stages all over the world for over a decade, for the sole purpose of bringing positive music into the lives of the young and the young at heart! Now with their 3rd studio album “LIFE As We Know It” on the horizon GreenJade are looking to take their music of life and hope to an even wider audience. With their lively, energetically charged, humorous performances likened to that of Saian Super Crew and The Roots, GreenJade are fast becoming one of the most sought after Hip-Hop groups in Europe. The group also includes DJ Secret Weapon, spinning the beats at the back. Co-founders of the Gunz Down Schools tour working with 11-14 year olds to help them stand up against the threat of knife, gun and gang crime, GreenJade are committed to not just taking about change but actually making a difference. Describing their music as being “Tru Skool”. Neither Old nor New school, Tru-Skool identifies those who live what they rhyme and are true through their art form in relation to their belief’s and school their listeners with their truth. Following in steps of Tabil Kweli, Ty, Common and Ms Dynamite, Tru-Skool represents the generation that chooses openness and honesty in the face of materialism and lies. GreenJade originally began as a dance troop under the name “Poetic Justice” in the early 90’s and became the “Green Jade Sect” in 1992, the name suggested by Wei, inspired by a Kung Fu movie. Within 2 years the crew grew to over 25 members but personal issues with members in the group was beginning to lead them towards violence until one of the members involved became a Christian. This began a dialogue that affected the whole crew and ended with 15 members also becoming Christians, preferring to use their talents to promote the positive. In 1996, GreenJade was reborn and refocused; dropping the Sect, the definition of their name had also changed. Green- meaning healing, recycling, rejuvenation, rebirth. Jade (Jaded)- to be worn out, knackered, wasteful, disreputable. GreenJade- the rejuvenation of the disreputable. Since 1996 the Jade have been performing in schools, hospitals, colleges, clubs and prisons to get their “Tru-Skool” message across, supported by their debut album, “Chronicles: The Story So Far…”. The launch event for the album was held at the Brixton Fridge, which was filled to capacity with expectant fans coming to see the Jade unveil their debut album. The Fridge event is still considered as one of the best Urban Gospel events to be held by a British artist, in London in recent memory. Since the full release of their “Chronicles: The Story So Far” album in November 2003, GreenJade have gone to a new level and have been exposed to a far wider audience becoming one of the biggest Hip-Hop groups in the UK’s Christian music scene. In 2004 the guys were invited to perform as part of the opening celebration of the Olympics in Omonia Sq, Athens. In early 2005 the group were invited to be the main MC’s on a Christian Tsunami relief recording “One Voice, One Heart” raising money for a village in India devastated by the disaster, featured on the Nu Jerusalem album. As a positive, youth centered group, the Jade regularly work with organisations around the country like, the Eden project in Manchester, the Edge in Liverpool, XLP Schools Outreach and the Prison Outreach Network in London. All of these organisations work in their respective communities to combat drugs and youth crime in disadvantaged areas, schools and prisons themselves. GreenJade recently performed to over 2500 young people at the Manchester Apollo at “Space”, an Eden project supported event. In August 2005 they released a compilation album of tracks recorded with other artists called “The Nu Jerusalem Project Vol.1”. The Jade are also part of a wider collective called, ZioNNoiz who have been making a splash on the underground, performing at the first Urban Music Festival, releasing the “& What!” video on Channel U that was also included in their Channel U compilation album and tearing up performances wherever they go. In mid 2006 GreenJade released Gunz Down, a single which has been launched to support their national anti gun & knife crime tour. The CD includes the stunning animated video which is currently being aired on MTV Base and also includes a documentary about the tour. The Jade have teamed up with youth charity XLP to embark on this tour which aims to educate children about the dangers of carrying knives and firearms. GreenJade will be re-releasing a remixed version of Gunz Down in the run up to the release of their 3rd album, “LIFE As We Know It”, which is due for release in March 2008. Gunz Down is already doing well, winning the playlisting panel as record of the week, 3 weeks in a row on Choice FM. After 14 years GreenJade came to an end on December 10th 2010 with the release of their final album "Movement To Progress". Pioneers to the end, GreenJade helped to establish the foundations for all the modern UK Christian Rap artists