In January, Franti and Spearhead will take to the sea for Jam Cruise 6, which leaves from Ft. Lauderdale, FL, and visits Roatan, Honduras and Costa Maya, Mexico.

Last summer, Franti released the "Yell Fire!" CD and documentary film "I Know I'm Not Alone," which captures guerrilla-style footage from his 2004 trip to the war zones of Iraq, Israel and the occupied Palestinian territories.

His journey to the war-ravaged Middle East inspired the songs on "Yell Fire!" some of which, ironically enough, are among his most uplifting to date, according to Franti.

"The thing that I found when I was in war zones was that nobody wants to hear songs about war," Franti said in a statement. "They want to hear songs about connection to people, and songs about love and life, songs that make them dance."

Several tunes from the set are streaming at Franti and Spearhead's website.

In addition to speaking his mind through his music, Franti is also an acclaimed lecturer for social justice and human rights. He has spoken at many top universities, including Yale, Georgetown and Stanford, and shared the stage with the likes of Bill Clinton, Mohammad Ali, Michael Moore, Ralph Nader and Gloria Steinem, according to his website.

In 2005, Franti became the first recording artist since Johnny Cash to perform at the maximum security Folsom State Prison.

Franti also recently released his first children's book, "What I Be," which includes a read-along CD with hip-hop and African music to help tell a story about self acceptance.