Sri Lankan Hip Hop Artist G-VO Raises Funds for International Medical Health Organization

The beauty of a youthful individual taking action in the name of God, it is both refreshing and breath-taking. It is both powerful and filling. Christian-hip hop artist G-VO fits this build in such a compelling way, and on August 22, he put this all on display at the Ambassador Auditorium in Pasadena, taking a stance on the strife and issues present in his native country Sri Lanka, leading an eclectic performance that invigorated the audience and raised keen awareness regarding the more than 180,000 displaced Sri-Lankans direly effected by war and conflict.

It was historic in nature, as G-VO, who released his second LP Zero & One on this night, stood on the same stage on which musical giants like Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and Ella Fitzgerald performed. The event was sponsored in part by the International Medical Health Organization, or IMHO, and was apart of the Ambassador Auditorium’s outreach and mission to support community-enlightening and significant endeavors. G-VO’s voice, a Sri-Lankan born voice, definitely is in line with this, and the people-packed Ambassador Auditorium was elevated in understanding, filled with the spirit of service through art.

G-VO stood tall on Saturday evening, representing his people with honor, but also with genuine, candid thoughts. The performance parts included: a DJ, a string quartet, a drummer, two guitarists, background singers, special guest performances, and as well, a poet. The voice of God even played a role, with G-VO conversing with God throughout the performance, likening it to the conversation Moses had with God prior to his following of God’s will in him being the one to lead the Lord’s children out of Egypt. G-VO’s music and performance showed that he is doing everything in his power to be a leader for God, to utilize his given talents to glorify the name of God, and take action in the world to represent a beacon of light and hope for others.

The event raised more than $20,000, all of which will be donated to support the IMHO’s efforts in Sri-Lanka. There were even two IMHO representatives in the audience who came on stage during the performance to provide an informative intermission, one that educated those in attendance about the realities of the conditions in Sri-Lanka. The IMHO has raised millions of dollars for those displaced peoples in Sri Lanka, and have been at the forefront of global issues for many years. The two representatives provided in-depth and gut wrenching accounts of what is currently taking place, including, but not limited to, overpopulated tents, lack of clean water, lack of appropriate rations of food, and even children being disconnected from the rest of their family members. G-VO’s performance was right on time, but in so many ways, overdue.

As told through G-VO’s music and commentary, as well as through the IMHO’s words, the audience (and I) learned about the conflict between the Tamil and Singhalese people as well, the integral reason for the current realities. This is apparently causing dire straits in the country, with wars and conflicts serving as a few of the fruits of this divisiveness, and as well, harsh distressing conditions in the camps that these displaced people live in. So many people in the country find themselves removed from their own homes, but still in their country. To be so close to home, but not be able to go there, is perhaps the most distressing reality of this situation.

His music is controversial, progressive, and clean. His musical tastes are of high quality, and this is no surprise as G-VO displayed multiple talents throughout the performance—singing, rapping, and playing the piano. G-VO is just as relevant to the needs of us here in America as he is to the issues currently happening in his home country. Hip-hop is in need of more leaders like G-VO. Those in Sri Lanka that are direct and indirect proponents of the strife in Sri Lanka could benefit from listening to him. G-VO is a dynamic and talented member of the Millenial generation, one whose ideas and words matter so much more now than ever.  We all would benefit from listening to G-VO, if only for a moment.

But the beauty of the One who directs the actions of G-VO, our Father in Heaven, is that a moment to Him is a lifetime. Let us pray that G-VO’s ideas, words, and efforts are heard, seen, and felt all the way to Sri Lanka. Historic things have happened in the illustrious Ambassador Auditorium, but until now, it had not yet worked to end a war, to assist in getting thousands of people back home. The Ambassador Auditorium, the IMHO, and G-VO all found a common thread on this evening, and hopefully the sounds of the performance reach the ears of the leaders in G-VO’s country, and with resounding power, creates peace.