Proceeds of Marvin Gaye Remake to be Split Between AIDS Initiatives, Terrorist Attack Relief Fund
The proceeds from a new all-star rerecording of Marvin Gaye's 1971 single "What's Going On?" will now benefit both anti-AIDS efforts in Africa and a fund established to help the victims of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon, according to a U2 release. Musical artists such as Bono, Michael Stipe, Jennifer Lopez, Britney Spears and Mary J. Blige gathered on Sept. 5 and Sept. 7 to record five different mixes of the song. The recording is being produced by Artists Against AIDS Worldwide, and the sales of the CD were initially intended to "raise awareness and funds to fight the scourge of AIDS in Africa." However, following the attacks of Sept. 11, Artists Against AIDS decided that "the recording's powerful healing message extended beyond the scope of the project's original aim [and] decided to donate 50% of its proceeds to the United Way's Sept. 11 Fund and 50% to the AIDS relief effort." The press release concludes, "While America works to heal the wounds on its shores, the horror of AIDS and the war against it continues in Africa and the rest of the world." The recordings are scheduled for release in the United States on Oct. 23 (U2 release, 9/24).
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