Sierra Leone was entrenched in a brutal civil war for much of the '90s and into the early '00s. So as bling was coined and celebrated, blood was let in one of the most diamond-rich countries of the world. Q-Tip memorably pulled Kanye West's couture coattail to the conflict in 2005 resulting in the titular reference on Late Registration's lead single "Diamonds from Sierra Leone," but the same year three filmmakers' documentary chronicle of the travails of some resilient and unimaginably industrious refugee musicians captured the film festival circuit. This film, Sierra Leone's Refugee All-Stars, found musician Reuben Koroma and makeshift band tending to his fellow refugees psychic well being through music. With the help of the filmmakers the All-Stars even recorded an album, Living Like a Refugee (2006), in the civil war's wake. The documentary and album has touched a nerve in the west and the All-Stars have toured steadily to broadcast their message of peace and afro-reggae musicianship. Mindful of their own struggles, the All-Stars have played a number of benefits and will headline international charity Save the Children's annual benefit and 75th Anniversary this Thursday in New York City. All-Stars front man Reuben Koroma spoke to VIBE.com via telephone about the whirlwind from refugee camp to world tour:
VIBE: What were your expectations for your life and career during the making of the record?
Koroma: I expected people would really enjoy the documentary film and then people would really admire the story that we tell; I was expecting our music would really make people feel happy.
Before you arrived at the camp, how did you make your living?
I played music for a living. The band I was playing was called the Emperors. To be precise, I started playing music in the early '80s.
What was your inspiration?
My father was a traditional musician. I just feel proud to represent or to try to replace my father's work. That was my first inspiration and then the next inspiration is listening to the songs of the great Bob Marley, Burning Spear, Kool & the Gang, Madonna, Michael Jackson and many, many, many different artists.
That's a wide array of influences. Are there any particular songs from those artists that stood out to you?
For Madonna it's "Celebration," because I like the song and a celebration comes from happiness.
Does it feel strange that something as difficult and traumatic as the civil war and your time at the refugee camp helped to launch your music career internationally?
Yeah, It's like a dream. To be sincere, I was playing music for fun in the refugee camp and I think was doing it to just assist my people, reduce their trouble because I thought that everyone in the camp was highly frustrated. It's like music would help to reduce some of their problems. That was exactly why I formed the band in the refugee situation. But I started seeing a change when I was visited by three filmmakers--two Americans, Zach Niles, Banker White, and one Canadian--who met us in the camp and they said they were gonna make a documentary film about us.
Are all of the musicians in the film touring?
The guys in the camp we were 6 but I'm touring with three: myself, Grace and Black Nature...because of forms (Visas). Whatever proceeds we get on the tour we share equally.
How is Mohammed Bangura doing?
Mohammed is doing well. You know he was a bit reluctant to go back to Sierra Leone. He was in the camp until 2007 when the UN High Commission of Refugees decided to close the camps. He has reunited with his siblings, his sisters and his mother's sisters, his aunties.
Is it sometimes difficult for you to perform your material in that it recounts your times in the refugee camp and the whole issue of war?
Yes, well, it's not that difficult. It has a message that people appreciate for everywhere we play people like the music. After every performance people come around me and they will offer some compliments, 'Thank you for coming. Thank you for the good message.' People will like what were saying, people will like what we are playing, so it's very easy.
The international response to the film and to your CD has been tremendous. What has been has the response in Sierra Leone and throughout Africa?
For Sierra Leoneans, I think they are very proud of us especially when they are hearing that we are touring the world. We are going everywhere. People respect us.
I'm sure you have met a lot of celebrities and dignitaries. Who were you were most excited to meet in your travels?
The most exciting thing was the opportunity to record with Aerosmith. It was very exciting. These guys are really big rock stars in America. We have been reading about them then we saw them in movies and pictures and so we were very much excited to speak with them and be with them in their studio in Boston. It was really exciting. Joe Perry and Steven Tyler: these guys really made us feel very great because we went into their studio and recorded some songs, like the song of the great John Lennon, "Give Peace a Chance." and we recorded another song, songs of the U2 group.
The other thing was meeting with Angelina Jolie - the great actress - was also very, very exciting. Yeah!
Are there any artists right now that you haven't worked with that you'd really like to work with?
Yes! I think that Black Nature, the youngest guy in the group, has been very much eager to meet with Busta Rhymes. Black Nature has the modern flavor of our group. It comes from the hip hop style. The fact that we incorporate hip hop into our music makes our music very wonderful, makes our music to be appreciated by the youth, the young generation. I think we'd like to meet with Busta Rhymes, if there is any chance. But for me, personally, I like working with the Aerosmith guys. If possible, I'd like to meet with Burning Spear.
Do you have any plans to record another album?
Yes. We have plans to go to the studio immediately after this tour. I've been writing music, in fact, sometimes when we're touring we play some of our new music to just see how people are responding to it. We have a few songs that are becoming very much familiar to the people and we saw that the people like it.
What are the songs about?
Sometimes we talk about love. Wonders of Life" talks about life and talks about my first experiences in America. We have one song which has hip hop flavor and talks about inspiration and love and peace. And then I have another song which talks about global warming. It's like, The world, we need more oxygen.
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