Rocky Dawuni

Two-time GRAMMY-nominated musician and activist Rocky Dawuni straddles the boundaries between Africa, the Caribbean and the U.S. to create his appealing Afro Roots sound that unites generations and cultures. A galvanizing performer, Dawuni has shared the stage with luminaries including Stevie Wonder, Ozomatli, Sauti Sol, Janelle Monae and John Legend, among many others. Named one of Africa’s Top 10 global stars by CNN, he has showcased his talent at prestigious venues such as The Kennedy Center, Lincoln Center and The Hollywood Bowl. Rocky is a UN Goodwill Ambassador for the Environment for Africa, a UN Foundation Ambassador for the Clean Cooking Alliance and an Ambassador of Born Free USA. Rocky was named the Global Ambassador for the World Day of African and Afrodescendant Culture, which UNESCO globally recognizes. Through these and other designations, he uses his music to highlight crucial issues facing humanity across the globe through live concerts, speaking roles, panels, youth empowerment and more. Influenced by the soulful beats of Fela Kuti and the positive messages of Bob Marley – Rocky Dawuni’s infectious, sixth sing-along album, Branches of the Same Tree (Cumbancha), was nominated for a GRAMMY for “Best Reggae Album” (2016) featuring the Afro Dancehall mashup video “African Thriller.” Branches highlight Dawuni’s ability to communicate a universal, uplifting message that crosses borders and reaches out to the hearts of millions. The influential “Songlines Magazine named the album one of the “Top 10 Most Essential Reggae Albums of All Time!” Rocky released his 7th album entitled “Beats of Zion” in 2019 with its striking accompanying video shot in Jamestown, Accra (Ghana) through Six Degrees Distribution. Rocky also released videos for “Wickedest Sound” featuring Ghanaian dancehall star, Stonebwoy and the gorgeous “Elevation” shot in India. Another track from the album “Let’s Go” is the theme song for Cadbury Canada’s Bicycle Factory Campaign, and the beautiful 360-degree video from the song reached over 1 million views on YouTube. “Burn One” and “Turn It Up” tracks were both licensed by the TNT hit TV surf culture drama “Animal Kingdom.” The last video for the album is the upbeat, positive Reggae track “Champion Arise,” which profoundly resonates across the globe during this difficult time. The song was named “Top Tune of the Day” on the premier National Public Radio station KCRW where he also did a fabulous live recording from Accra with his full band for their “In Residence” series. Rocky released a Ghana-focused EP, “Voice of Bunbon, Vol. 1,” which was nominated for “Best Global Music Album” for the 2022 GRAMMY Awards. Three beautiful videos were released for the EP, including “Ghost Town,” shot in Los Angeles, CA, by photographer Casey Bridges (son of legendary actor Beau Bridges), which is a poignant tribute to 2020, as well as “Beautiful People,” which was shot by rising Ghanaian cinematographer Slinghot in Rocky’s home village of Bunbon, Ghana which explores how “a deep sense of appreciation and gratitude can shift our gaze to recognizing our personal and communal power.” The most recent video for the classic Palmwine Highlife song “Woara,” which means “you or it’s you,” is sung in the local Akan dialect of Twi. It is a love song that uses its call-and-response style to express the beauty and triumph of being in love. In a time when divisive rhetoric is on the rise, and the political climate prefers to build walls over bridges, Rocky’s music is a refreshing message about global unity and a worldview of oneness. http://www.rockydawuni.com