Gwen Stefani, Fall Out Boy, Usher Headline 'Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day' Rally [VIDEO]

On Saturday the National Mall featured a special concert called the Global Citizen 2015 Earth Day Rally. Over a dozen artists including top acts such as Gwen Stefani and Usher came out to raise awareness for political issues such as climate change and poverty. Other than the peaceful message, the most spectacular part of the event may have been Usher performing with an injury. He was able to sing and dance without a leg cast slowing him down.

Also at the event was Mary J. Blige, Gwen Stefani, Common, Fall Out Boy, Train, Will.I.Am and Soledad O'Brien. I.Am and O'Brien were the hosts of the rally.

At the rally Usher said it's important we educate ourselves on the issues:

"I want you to go and investigate for yourself so that you can really understand what's going on," he said. "Global warming is something that obviously will affect all of us. Clean water and sanitation is something that is very real. I understand and cannot turn a blind eye to what's going on."

Here's a clip from the rally:

The rally not only touched on poverty and climate change but also other worldly issues. At the rally the U.S. Agency for International Development announced from the stage that it is committing $126 million to rebuild West Africa's health care system following the Ebola outbreak. This will add to the $1.4 billion the U.S. government has offered in aid.

Earth Day is only a few days away on April 22nd but the rally's participants asked everyone to make environmental contributions early and to be sure to do kind acts of green. The artists did their part by not only raising awareness by entertaining but by signing petitions for a U.N. conference on climate change in Paris this December.

"I think we're here for the reality that it's hopeful," Patrick Stump of Fall Out Boy said. "We can actually do something. We can actually effect change."