Linkin Park rapper lets fans ‘subscribe’ to his updates

Mike Shinoda and Chester Bennington have always shared spokesmen duties for alternative rap-rock outfit Linkin Park, but now, Shinoda is taking the front line, at least when it involves Facebook interaction with fans. The rapper has jumped on the “Facebook Subscriber” caravan — which allows users to get public updates from people on Facebook who are not your friends, such as musicians, artists and other public figures — and he’s letting followers Suscribe to his official page to get regular updates on Linkin Park and anything else on his mind. 

In other Linkin Park business, the often charitable gents visited children affected by the Japan earthquake and tsunami disaster in Ishinomaki this week. Following the tragedy, Linkin Park launched a fundraising campaign through their non-profit organization, Music for Relief, with all the funds going to Save the Children’s relief and recover efforts in Japan, so this isn’t the first time Linkin Park have reached out to the victims.

Shinoda, Bennington and Dave Farrell visited Taizen Elementary School, where they met with students and school staff and tried on disaster-preparedness hoods that Save the Children provided to the school to guard children from falling debris and fires in future earthquakes. They also visited students at Ishinomaki Kita High School and participated in a music workshop. No word on whether the guys played any tracks off their latest, blockbuster release, A Thousand Suns, at the schools.

“It was incredible to see firsthand the happiness in the students’ faces, despite the hardships they have endured for the past six months,” Shinoda said in a release. “It was an honor to represent Music for Relief and our supporters worldwide on this visit, bringing their good wishes to the young people still recovering.” (Photo via Audio Ink Radio.)