Kool Keith, MTV Joins Forces To Fight Global Warming

MTV's TRL will debut what is being billed as the first ever Hip-Hop public service announcement on global warming The three-minute piece is titled "Trees" and is accompanied with a new track by Dr. Octagon aka Kool Keith. The PSA, which warns about deforestation and the dangers of global warming, was created by New York-based production company Click 3X with director George Gerville. "This project has proven to be a labor of love for all of us from its inception," Gerville explained. "We all feel really lucky to have worked on a Hip-Hop video with such a strong message not to mention all of us being huge Kool Keith (Black Elvis) fans from the get go. My hope is that the PSA will engage a broad audience on the subject of global warming, and serve as a positive call to action - a reminder that you can still make a difference." Producer One Watt Sun crafted the music for the three-minute spot, which blends live action with illustration and high tech CG animation. Lead animators on the project were Mark Szumski, Rob Cambell, Anthony Filipakis and illustrator Gabriel Tick and Steve Tozzi. The commercial was inspired by the works popular director/animator Tim Burton and artist Kara Walker. "This PSA is unique for a number of reasons not the least of which is that it was in a constant state of evolution from the start," explained Tozzi. "The whole production process was very fluid which I think brought out the creativity of the entire team. The end result is a piece that has a terrific style and conveys a truly important message." "Trees" will debut during on MTV's TRL, which airs at 4 pm EST.