Myka 9

FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP - As one of the founders of Freestyle Fellowship, Myka 9 shared rapping duties with Aceyalone, Self Jupiter, P.E.A.C.E., and DJ Kiilu held down the turntables. Myka's melodic scat influenced rap style and improvisational lyrical talents were demonstrated on this group’s debut album 'To Whom It May Concern'. Myka’s songs ‘7th Seal' and 'Five-o-clock follies' were instant classics. “People studied that song backwards and forwards, and Mike was like the Charlie Parker of all these motherf*ckers," says a fellow myka-holic, remembering the hype of the group. In 1993, the "Fellowship" (signed to Island Records - 4th & B’Way) released their second album, "Innercity Griots", which is considered one of the landmarks of L.A. hip hop. Their videos for "Inner City Boundaries" and "Hot Potato" helped bring them to the attention of a wider audience. Their album "Shockadoom" came out in 2001, and since then they have been rather quiet... until now. All of the original members of the "Fellowship" have come together to record a new Freestyle Fellowship album, 'The Promise', which will come out in Spring, 2011. “To say that Freestyle Fellowship significantly influenced West Coast hiphop is like saying that Jesus was a pivotal figure in Christianity.” --Pitchfork HAIKU D’ETAT - During his life with Freestyle Fellowship, Myka 9 was also featured on the Project Blowed compilation in 1994, and then came together with Aceyalone and Abstract Rude to form Haiku D'Etat. The groups first self-titled album, released in 1997 is considered a classic, merging Hip Hop with a Jazz influence that is evidenced in both the lyrics and the production. In 2004, the group reformed to record "Coup De Theatre," which featured production from Blowedians DJ Drez and Fat Jack, Chief Xcel of Blackalicious as well as Myka’s own productions. STAGE & FILM - Myka 9 has a powerful & charismatic stage presence, and has performed with mainstream artists at venues around the world. Myka has amazed audiences with headlining shows at El Rey Theatre (Los Angeles), Marytime Hall (San Francisco), Wiltern Theatre (Los Angeles - Jurassic Five with Talib Kweli), Cypress Hill Smoke Out Festival, Rock The Bells Festival with Gorilla Union and the list goes on. He has also appeared live with Macy Gray, Wyclef Jean & Eryka Badu, Busta Rhymes, Snoop Dogg, Outkast, Goodie Mob, D'angelo, Lauryn Hill, Mos Def and more. In addition to honing the stage, Myka 9 was featured in the award-winning 2008 documentary "This is the Life," chronicling the music movement that was birthed at The Good Life Cafe in South Central Los Angeles (The Good Life is an open-mic workshop where Myka first performed with Freestyle Fellowship in the early 1990s). Myka has also achieved significant BET/MTV video rotation, and major publication exposure in Spin, Vibe, Source, and The L.A. Times. He was also featured in the documentary Freestyle (2001). DISCOGRAPHY -- FREESTYLE FELLOWSHIP: To Whom It May Concern… (1991) Innercity Griots (1993) Temptations (2001) Version 2.0: To Whom It May Concern, Remixes (2001) Innercity Griots Instrumentals (2002) Shockadoom (2001) Temptations (2002) HAIKU D'ETAT: Haiku D'Etat (1999) Coup de Theatre (2004) SOLO: It's All Love (American Nightmare) (1999) (as Mikah Nine) Timetable (2001) (as Mikah 9) A Work in Progress (2003) (as Myka Nyne) Citrus Sessions, Vol. 1 (2006) (as Myka Nyne) 1969 (2009, Fake Four Inc) MAGIC HEART GENIES: Heartifact (2008) Cardiac Arrest (2010)