More Than Just Fiyawata

More than Just Fiyawata

Written by Brother Sincere Justice 

“We’re entrepreneurs because we work closer and closer to having our own industries to flourish and we like to teach that.” – Ambessa 

Fiyawata is a unique blend of Hip Hop, residing in Oakland, California consists of Ambessa the Articulate and Zakiya Harris. Fiyawata, coined by Ambessa means a “balance of extremes” whose main message behind their music is “spiritual elevation and justice in every sense of the word.” Ambessa, originally from Brooklyn, New York and Zakiya, originally from East Oakland, met each other in the East Coast of the United States, only to move back to Oakland, CA in 2000. Recently, they released a mixtape entitled, “This is a Journey Into Sound, Vol.1,” which featured the likes of Kirby Dominant and DJ True Justice. In August 2008, they will be droppin’ a full length album named, “This is a Journey Into Sound.” To call them Hip Hop would be limit them, yet Hip Hop is the foundation in which they create their music in, although, their sound is clearly influenced by soul, rock, dub, ambient and other eclectic influences. 

Fiyawata is a labor of love in every sense of the word. They’ve been on the grind for 8 years, going on 9 years now and part of their secret of their recipe is that they’ve got love for the music like no other. Zakiya explains, “At the end of the day, it really is the love for the music that keeps us together” and Ambessa further explains that his love for the music is the simply fuel of “a dope beat and satisfaction.” It sounds simple, huh, but the plot thickens. Actually, Zakiya was attending law school and dropped to pursue her dreams as a musician. Zakiya says this all the time making it known plainly that “I didn’t choose music, music chose me” as she had carried various 9-5s, yet always found herself gravitating back towards music. In fact, the love really does keep their music together, as Ambessa and Zakiya are raising the young queen, Alissade together. 

Like many musicians in the Bay Area community, Ambessa and Zakiya found themselves working within various arts education programs in the non profit world, even explaining how Oakland is home to an overabundance of Hip Hop Non Profit Organizations. Zakiya critically explains how many of these same non profit agencies like many youth-oriented record labels are there to help youth make music and entrepreneurs, yet actually perpetuate the same kind of illusions of making it in the music industry by “keep[ing] the game twisted for young folks.” Many of these labels hold their hands by taking and “hooking them up” with distribution, guest appearances by well known artists, rather than having the youth really learn the process of being successful in the music industry. As Zakiya realistically states that, “no one will do it for you”  as an independent artist and youth have to hustle for success.     

In the Summer of 2006, Zakiya helped organize Grind and Glory, which was a basically a Bay Area American Idol emcee competition that garnered much success and recognition. Tired of working with non profit organizations and recognizing that they were the talent behind the many non profit organizations they worked for in addition to having the entrepreneurial passion necessary to try something different, they decided they had to take a different path. Stepping it up further, Ambessa and Zakiya wrote their first grant to the city of San Francisco and received $100,000 under Destined Nation Media, their events marketing and record label agency to create Grind For the Green, a four part eco music festival for youth and produced by Bay Area youth. Basically, G4G is a youth oriented music festival that works to hone and further develop the skills of youth via networking opportunities, musical performance, beat production, entrepreneurial skills and possibly even be  selected to get their chance to perform in the 1st Bay Area Solar Powered Music Concert alongside a nationally known musical artist.  Recently, at San Francisco State University, during their music conference segment of G4G, they featured Hip Hop emcee, Talib Kweli as their keynote speaker.
 
When Original Thought Magazine, asked Fiyawata about their definition and vision of community, Ambessa replied “self sustainability.” Ambessa and Zakiya are living examples of success raised in the hood, yet rose above their conditions and circumstances through countless hours of hard work and dedication. As Zakiya expresses the frustration of having your music, business and personal life collide, sometimes, “it’s so much about business and there is not enough [time] for intimacy” for themselves and their young daughter, 2 year old Alissade. Their daughter represents the a microcosm of the communities they work with as clearly explain, “it’s not about so much what you say, but your actions as all eyes are focusd on you.” Zakiya further remarks that “I can’t teach royalty, if I’m not royalty,” which is important to raising her daughter and raising their community up. In their vision of the community, Ambessa remarked how “ultimately what we fight for and struggle for in these neighborhoods is self governance because this is the Hood, this is where resources don’t come, because these are the redline districts where governments don’t send money to; this is the talent, the labor force – the critical mass that makes it around the world, [making] industries successful.” The movement has only begun. In the coming years, Ambessa and Zakiya hope to take their movement globally by reaching out to “humanitarian struggles” all over the world, especially Africa. Clearly, there is no doubt that Destined Nation Media, Fiyawata, and Grind for the Green are all about taking care of their family, their community and ultimately the world.  

For more information on Fiyawata, Grind for the Green they can be reached at destinednationmedia@gmail.com  or myspace.com/fiyawatacrew.

 grindandglorythemovie.com
grindforthegreen.com
fiyawataonline.com

Originally from OriginalThoughtMag.com July 2008 - register NOW to peep more articles like this!