4REAL is a series of half-hour episodes hosted by sol Guy as he travels to remote locations with celebrity guests to connect with young leaders who, under extreme circumstances, are affecting real change on some of the most pressing issues of our time. Celebrity guests for Season One are Cameron Diaz, Mos Def, Joaquin Phoenix, Eva Mendes, Casey Affleck, K'naan, M.I.A. and Flea. The shows take you on unique adventures with these celebrities, but ultimately it's the young leaders who emerge as the stars. 4REAL inspires viewers with stories of their courage, creativity and dedication to tackling issues such as poverty, environment, health, children's and indigenous rights, drugs and violence in their communities and beyond. 4REAL is airing globally on National Geographic Channels International in 166 countries and 35 languages, as well as on MTV in Canada. 4REAL is produced by Vancouver-based Direct Current Media. The series also air on The CW on fall 2008 as part of the Media Rights Capital Sunday block. It was removed from the schedule after the block's cancellation.
Host Sol Guy takes Academy Award Nominated Actor Joaquin Phoenix into the heart of the Amazon Rainforest to meet indigenous leaders Tashka and Laura Yawanawa. Tashka and Laura’s fight for their land and their focus on their economy and traditions have empowered the Yawanawa people and brought them back from the brink of cultural extinction. Sol and Joaquin take a ride on single engine planes and tiny motorboats deep into the Brazilian Amazon where they learn about the history and traditions of the vibrant Yawanawa community.
Host Sol Guy takes rap superstar and A-list actor Mos Def to meet Brazilian hip hop heavyweight MV Bill. Born and raised in the infamous City of God, MV Bill uses his talent and influence to empower the children of Brazil’s favelas (slums). He has dedicated himself to documenting the lives of children caught in Brazil’s brutal drug trafficking trade and helped establish CUFA, a community organization that focuses on providing alternatives for children living in favelas. The adventure takes Mos Def and Sol to Brazil’s biggest hip hop festival, into the heart of the City of God, and onto the stage where Mos and MV perform together for thousands of Brazilian hip hop fans.
Host Sol Guy takes international music sensation M.I.A. to post-war Liberia to meet child rights advocate Kimmie Weeks. Weeks is the founder of Youth Action International, an organization that is helping to alleviate the suffering of children affected by war and empowering them to reach their full potential. Kimmie’s group provides educational opportunities and employment, and is building some of the first playgrounds in post-war Liberia, among other projects. The adventure goes from a visit with Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf to the front lines of Youth Action International’s projects to a dance party in a Monrovian neighborhood.
Host Sol Guy takes international hip hop star K’NAAN to Kibera, the largest slum in East Africa, to connect with local hero Salim Mohamed. Salim helped found Carolina for Kibera, an organization that focuses on community empowerment. Salim takes Sol and K’NAAN into the heart of Kibera where he shows them Carolina for Kibera’s medical clinic and the community development soccer program he coordinates for over 4,000 kids. During the adventure, K’NAAN and Sol find beauty and dignity in the most unsuspecting place and they are forever changed by Salim’s incredible spirit.
Actress Cameron Diaz and Sol Guy trek high into the Andes mountains of Peru where young medicine man, Puma Singona, of the Quechua tribe, is keeping his people’s ncient traditions and wisdom alive. At 27, Puma sits on a council of elders, runs a youth cultural group, and is recognized worldwide for his healing powers.
Sol Guy brings actress Eva Mendes to his hometown to meet community advocate Liz Evans and the Portland Hotel Society. Liz and her staff are on the frontlines of lending dignity and stability to the lives of the people living in Vancouver’s downtown eastside, a neighborhood rife with homelessness, addiction and disease.
Sol Guy takes actor Casey Affleck to the Pawnee Nation reservation in Oklahoma to meet Native leader Crystal Echohawk and her NVision crew. NVision, a collective of Native men and women, uses hip hop, popular culture, film and visual and performing arts to create a dialogue with Native youth and inspire them to succeed.
In the hills of Haiti, Flea, bassist of Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Sol Guy meet rural health aide, Camseuze Moise, who provides medical care and health education to thousands of people. Sol and Flea join Camseuze as she travels to villages across the countryside, educating, empowering and saving lives.
