‘Ubadkaa Mudnaanta Leh’ Album Launch

The Cedar Cultural Center, 416 Cedar Avenue, Minneapolis United States.

Ubadkaa Mudnaanta Leh (“Children Have Priority”) is a new bilingual Somali-English children’s album created by London-based Somali artist Aar Maanta and youth from Minneapolis, Minnesota’s Cedar Riverside neighborhood. The album flows between generations and genres, mixing traditional Somali music with hip-hop influenced beats, spoken word and poetry, Islamic greetings, educational children’s songs, and much more. Ubadkaa Mudnaanta Leh was produced by Greg Grease of astralblak, engineered by Medium Zach, and collaboratively written by Aar Maanta, Somali playwright, poet, educator and filmmaker Said Salah, and 20+ youth and teenagers from the Cedar Riverside neighborhood. Ubadkaa Mudnaanta Leh was funded by a 2018 Joyce Award from The Joyce Foundation, the only regional program dedicated to supporting artists of color in major Great Lakes cities with the goal of elevating their visibility and recognition in their craft.

For the album release at The Cedar on 3/22, Aar Maanta & Friends will be joined by storytellers from The Children’s Theatre Company and a fashion show curated by Sisterhood Boutique, creating a free, family friendly evening of entertainment that’s welcome to all.

Order of Evening:
6:00pm – Doors open. Food and snacks will be provided starting at 6pm.
6:30pm – Children’s Theatre Company short story readings
7:00pm – Sisterhood Boutique Fashion Show
7:45pm – Aar Maanta & Friends performance
9:00pm – Q&A with Professor Said Salah