Russian protest art collective Pussy Riot have released the song Hangerz (feat. Vic Mensa and Junglepussy). Listen to it here or watch the video via YouTube below.
They also announced a 19-date headline tour across North America which is on sale now and benefits Planned Parenthood. Fronted by Pussy Riot founder Nadya Tolokonnikova, the group will kick off their month-long trek on March 13th in Los Angeles. Tickets on sale here xxpussyriotxx.com.
Nadya Tolokonnikova about Hangerz and the tour:
“Don’t like abortions? Don’t make it.
Don’t tell me what to do, my body is nobody’s business. It’s a universal basic right of every human – to decide what do we do with our own bodies.
Don’t like abortions? Promote reproductive rights and join Planned Parenthood’s effort in educating people on how to take good care of their reproductive health and to protect themselves from unwanted pregnancies.
Abortion bans never work, throughout the history we see that abortion bans cause only a growth of illegal procedures that often lead to severe pain and serious damage to health women’s health, including death.
Stop banning and punishing me. Treat me as truly equal. Talk to me. Listen to me. Help me when I need it. Planned Parenthood and their affiliates are places where women can receive real support, and we, the women of Pussy Riot, cherish these unique safe places dearly. And we’re seriously dedicated to continuously support them.”
Vic Mensa says: “When I saw Pussy Riot protesting inside of that church in russia, I was immediately entranced. Its revolutionary, its radical, its explosive, it’s what music should be in times like these.”
Junglepussy says: “THIS PUSSY DON’T POP FOR YOU”
The song was written even before staging a sold-out live benefit show in Birmingham Alabama on July 11th to protest the anti-abortion legislation. All proceeds from the show were donated to non-profits Yellowhammer Fund and Planned Parenthood, in support of access to safe and legal abortion. While the group are pleased to see the legislation temporarily blocked by a federal judge, the fight for protecting women’s rights is far from over, which is why they are proud to partner with PLUS1 to continue supporting Planned Parenthood on this tour. $1 from each ticket sold will go toward a local PP affiliate representing each tour market. Alongside, all proceeds from the release of Hangerz will go directly to Planned Parenthood.
This national tour kicks off amidst one of the most consequential US presidential election years of our lifetime. Fighting for access to safe and legal abortion and the fight for basic human rights, are once again on the ballot come November. Pussy Riot calls upon their supporters to gather and rally at each performance. Leading up to this, the group has fought tirelessly in their native Russia, releasing songs that have represented their various actions including the law enforcement action tracks: Track About Good Cop soundtracking the action at the FIFA World Cup Final in Moscow, right in front of Vladimir Putin. Chaika was written to demand the Russian government immediately fire corrupt prosecutor general Yury Chaika. Make America Great Again (dir. Jonas Akerlund, written Ricky Reed) was a quite literal attempt to spread awareness and prevent the election of Donald Trump. Police State was a call to action for all activists who stand against police brutality and offensive excessive surveillance. And sadly, I Can’t Breathe was written in honor of Eric Garner, a man who was brutally killed by New York cops.
Pussy Riot gained international attention when they were imprisoned for 2 years in Russian jail for performing 35-seconds of a “punk prayer” inside the Cathedral of Christ the Saviour in Moscow. Since their release, Pussy Riot have continued efforts to stand against police brutality and expose corrupt officials.
In 2014, Pussy Riot launched Mediazona, a 100% censorship-free independent Russian media agency focusing on controversial law enforcement issues including exposing the conditions in prisons, routine tortures in police departments and the FSB, persecutions of political activists, elections, protests and more. Pussy Riot activists continue to advocate for prison reform in Russia while also providing aide and legal relief to prisoners.
Last year, the European Human Rights Court declared a major victory in favor of Pussy Riot stating that the Russian government mistreated members of the group by imprisoning them and settled with a large cash sum to which Nadya has donated to the aforementioned causes.
Tour dates
Fri 3.13 – Los Angeles, CA @ 1720 LA
Sat 3.14 – Berkeley, CA @ The UC Theatre
Wed 3.18 – Portland, OR @ Wonder Ballroom
Thu 3.19 – Vancouver, BC @ Fortune Sound Club
Fri 3.20 – Seattle, WA @ Neumos
Tue 3.24 – Denver, CO @ Bluebird Theatre
Thu 3.26 – Chicago, IL @ Metro
Fri 3.27 – Detroit, MI @ El Club
Sat 3.28 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop
Tue 3.31 – Cambridge, MA @ The Sinclair
Thu 4.2 – Brooklyn, NY @ Kings Hall at Avant Gardner
Fri 4.3 – Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer
Sat 4.4 – Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club
Wed 4.8 – Atlanta, GA @ Terminal West
Fri 4.10 – Houston, TX @ White Oak Music Hall Downstairs
Sat 4.11 – Dallas, TX @ Trees
Sun 4.12 – Austin, TX @ The Mohawk
Tue 4.14 – Santa Fe, NM @ Meow Wolf
Wed 4.15 – Phoenix, AZ @ The Crescent Ballroom
Tue 5.19 – Toronto, ON @ Phoenix Concert Theatre
For more information about Pussy Riot, visit https://xxpussyriotxx.com.
