Sudanese hip-hop star Emmanuel Jal has been through much in his relatively short life. Drafted by the Sudan People's Liberation Army at age 7, Jal spent the next five years fighting in the country's bloody civil war until he and hundreds of other miserable child soldiers collectively deserted the rebel line. He was living in a refugee camp when he met a British aid worker who changed his life forever — though she died shortly after bringing him to live with her in Kenya, he found support from her friends and later, while singing in church, he found an outlet for his emotional pain: music. Today, he has three albums under his belt and uses his songs to spread a message of peace, hope and change. Eckerd College stages a screening of the award-winning documentary about Jal, War Child, on Friday. The following Wednesday, Jal visits the campus to share his experiences in a lecture titled, "War Child: A Story of Survival." Fri., Oct. 3, 7 p.m., Miller Auditorium and Wed., Oct. 8, 7 p.m., Fox Hall, Eckerd College, 4200 54th Ave. S., St. Petersburg, free admission to both events, 727-864-7979.
This article appears in Oct 1-7, 2008.