Pineapple Express goes Hawaiian

August 12th, 2008

Got an interesting little update from Mountain Apple Records. For those of you who are heading out to see the Seth Rogen high time flick “Pineapple Express” listen for a bit of Hawaii courtesy of Brother Noland!

Popular Hawaiian musician Brother Noland reached national acclaim this week when his hit song, “Coconut Girl,” well known in the Islands, debuted nationally on the soundtrack of Columbia Pictures’ Pineapple Express, released Aug. 6. The film broke mid-week debut records, grossing just over $12 million its first day in North American theaters.

Noland is a three-time N? H?k? Hanohano Award-winning musician. His album, Native News, won Contemporary Album of the Year. He garnered the Anthology Album of the Year Award for Brother Noland: Greatest Hits Collection, and most recently, Noland was honored by his peers at the Hawai‘i Academy of Recording Arts with the 2007 Reggae Album of the Year Award for Mystical Fish. Noland has been an innovator in contemporary Hawaiian music for nearly 30 years. Before Noland’s smash hit “Coconut Girl” made waves in Hawai‘i in the early ‘80s, “Jawaiian” was not a real term. Though he is now credited with having birthed the genre of music so popular in Hawai‘i today, he never imagined it would soar to such heights.

“The idea of our music reaching fans elsewhere was almost impossible about ten years ago,” said Noland. “Hawaiian music is so unique and beautiful, and it expresses an intelligence found no other place in the world; it’s amazing.” Noland now joins the ranks of Israel “IZ” Kamakawiwo‘ole, Amy H?naiali‘i, and Raiatea Helm, just to name a few, all of whom have broken barriers and introduced Hawaiian music to people worldwide. When asked what he hopes will come from his music being part of Pineapple Express, Noland said simply, “I want it to open doors and ears, and I want it to reach people’s hearts.”

If you’re interested in buying Brother Noland’s CD, it’s available below. It’s good listening!