 |
|
|
|
Biographies The
RootsRolling Stone called The Roots the best band in America. They describe their sound as “organic hip hop jazz” and are loved by listeners and critics alike. Gaining widespread acclaim with their album Things Fall Apart, these creative, progressive musicians couldn’t have things more together. Band members Black Thought, Kamal, Hub, and Ben Kenney know that if you want to eliminate an assault on your own health by the likes of cholesterol, pesticides, and antibiotics and avoid killers like heart disease, hypertension, and some cancers—as well as violence in the slaughterhouse—the obvious place to begin is your own plate. “How can we hope for peace on Earth if we have violence staring us in the face every time we sit down to eat,” says guitarist Ben Kenney. “Animals on factory farms are caged, beaten, tortured, and killed. It’s cruel and violent. Eating a vegetarian diet is something we can all do to take a stand against injustice and promote healthful living.” Why did he become vegetarian? According to Kenny, “I was watching an HBO special on eating habits and different cultures, and they showed in China how people eat cats. … I’m really fond of cats, and I happened to be sitting on the couch with my cat, and once I saw that, it just put everything in perspective. If I wouldn’t eat my cat—what’s the difference [between] eating a cat or a cow? If certain animals are considered lesser … so are certain people—and that’s not really fair. And the root of that is to consider life on equal terms across the board.” For a band on the road or people on the go, finding great vegetarian food is becoming easier than ever as the restaurant industry realizes the growth potential of this rapidly expanding market. Recently, Burger King introduced its new veggie burger nationwide to rave reviews. Click here to see Ben Kenny talk about how his love of cats turned him vegetarian.  RUSSELL SIMMONSRussell Simmons founded Def Jam records and is credited for bringing hip-hop to the mainstream in America. He is also trying to mainstream the animal rights movement by signing on to do PETA’s anti-fur ad in Women’s Wear Daily, recording a radio public service announcement promoting vegetarianism, and contributing to The PETA Celebrity Cookbook. More recently, Simmons, who is vegan, wrote a letter to David Novak, CEO of Yum! Brands, KFC’s parent company, urging the corporation to eliminate the worst abuses suffered by the hundreds of millions of chickens it raises and kills every year. In his letter, Simmons writes, “Cruelty is cruelty, whether it’s cruelty to children, to the elderly, to dogs and cats, or to chickens, animals who are at least as intelligent as dogs or cats and are interesting individuals in their own right.”  |
