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A few months ago here on Baha’i Blog we featured a YouTube music video and interview of two Canadian Baha’is Blair Cameron and Nadim Merrikh who perform under the moniker the Dapper Rappers. Since that interview Blair and Nadim have released two more songs, the most recent of which has just won both the music and overall categories at the Tony Blair Faith Shorts competition for 2011!
The Dapper Rappers entered their music video “Be the Change You Want to See” which was inspired by the recent London riots.
Faith Shorts is a film competition that is put on by the Tony Blair Faith Foundation, an organization which in former Prime Minister Blair’s words ‘aims to promote respect and understanding between the major religions.’
According to the foundation’s press release, more than 200 guests attended the awards night including Dawn French, June Sarpong, Lord Puttnam, Omid Djalili, His Exellency the Grand Mufti of Bosnia and Tony Blair.
On behalf of the duo, Nadim said in his acceptance speech, “everyone here tonight is working towards promoting faith in our everyday lives. The finalists in my category were all of different faiths but we all want to work towards building a better world. The Founder of the Baha’i faith said, ‘all men have been created to carry forward an ever-advancing civilization’. It is important that we take these words and turn them into deeds and be the change we want to see.”
A big congratulations to Nadim and Blair and everyone involved with the clip!
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Hey Collis!
Thanks so much for the follow-up coverage! If it wasn’t for your initial story on the Esslemont video, this may have never taken shape! Thanks again, and all the best.
Blair
blair (December 12, 2011 at 4:29 AM)
Thanks for stopping by Blair and for the kind words, though I think all the credit for this achievement lies with you guys, keep up the great work!
Collis Ta'eed (December 12, 2011 at 6:08 AM)
Can I just say I love their music?! 🙂 Congrats to them!!! They truly deserve it!
Shamim Bina (December 12, 2011 at 6:28 AM)
A well-deserved win for a very thoughtful and considered video! I’m really very happy for you guys!
Louise (December 12, 2011 at 10:44 PM)
[…] year young Canadian Baha’is Blair Cameron and Nadim Merrikh won the competition with their rap video about the importance of young people being agents of social […]
Faith Shorts 2012: Call for Entries | Baha'i Blog (April 4, 2012 at 12:19 PM)