KRS-One adds one more Northside tornado benefit

While a lot of the local media seems to have forgotten the devistation caused by the May 22 tornado, musicians from the Twin Cities and points beyond are still working hard to help out citizens caught in the eye of the storm. Organizers of the "Northside: A Twin Cities Community Benefit" concert held June 12 at the State Theatre are holding a press conference tomorrow at noon at the North Community YMCA to trumpet their donation efforts (reportedly an impressive $20,000+ figure). The kids at the Minnesota High School for the Recording Arts raised an equally meaningful $600 via a hip-hop concert over the weekend with help from Rock the Cause. There are now two more big shows on the horizon...

Moja: A Minneapolis Tornado Concert is happening next Tuesday, July 19, at First Avenue with a headlining set by do-gooder rap icon KRS-One along with locally beloved Detroit duo Slum Village, Chicago's Da Black Pearll and hometown ringleaders Toki Wright and Truth Maze. "Moja" is a Swahili word for "One," but the money from the show will go toward two in-the-thick-of-it groups: www.MplsTornado.info and North Minneapolis Post-Tornado Watch. Tickets ($33.50) are on sale at all First Ave outlets.

And then there's the Colon Cancer Awareness Concert with gospel star Marvin Sapp July 23 at O'Shaughnessy Auditorium, which obviously was not intended to be about tornado relief but another good cause. American Cancer Society reps apparently asked that a portion of the proceeds go to Northside efforts. The Dove Award-winning singer behind "Never Would Have Made It," Sapp will perform alongside comedian Shed-G (from Tyler Perry's "Meet the Browns"), plus contemporary gospel troupe James Grear & Co., the Antioch Christian Center's Divine Ministers of Dance and True Apostolic Children of Grace Choir featuring Tonia Hughes. Tickets ($20-$50) are on sale here.