As a superstar singer, Justin Timberlake is used to being on top of the charts, but now he’s planning to climb on top of Africa’s highest point – Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania. As he told GQ magazine, the pop star is teaming up with rapper Lupe Fiasco and Ethiopian-born pop singer Kenna in an effort to raise money and awareness for that continent's dramatic water crisis which has hit nearly every nation and has had a tremendous impact on the environment and people that live there.
The project has a special significance for Kenna, the mastermind behind the trip. "My dad almost died as a child from waterborne diseases in Ethiopia," he told Elle Magazine. "I have too many friends who would be concerned with the subject of clean water. Maybe I can help out."
Of course, the climb to Africa's highest mountain is no way easy. The Tanzanian peak, which is 5,892 meters (19,330 ft) high, makes altitude sickness a serious threat. Each year about 10 people die attempting to climb Kilimanjaro. That’s why Timberlake is working out four times a week in an attempt to increase the efficiency of his cardio system to deal with the altitude. "We'll climb for a week straight, carrying 30 pounds on our backs. It's going to be intense, but it's going to be so rewarding," Justin told GQ.
And it’s a challenge for Lupe Fiasco, too, who is looking forward to joining the trip. "I'm an adventure junkie. Part of the motivation is beating Kenna to the top," he said. "Sabotaging his tent, taking the lining out of his coat, lacing it with ants or something like that," he jokingly added.
The three are expected to make the climb sometime in late 2009.
