//About

  • Masia One

    HOROSCOPE: Aries. Fiah!

    HOMETOWN: Singapore, Vancouver, Toronto, Jamaica

    FAVORITE QUOTE: All conflict is in the end, internal conflict — I Ching

    MUSICAL INFLUENCES: Peter Tosh, Public Enemy, Miles Davis, Lauryn Hill, Big L

    FIRST CONCERT ATTENDED: Sade

    INSPIRATION: People, cities, countries, movement

    HAPPIEST TIME: In Jamaica, beating a juice with good friends, watching the stars align and philosophizing on life. This is when I have felt most free.

    ADVICE FOR FUTURE ASPIRING ARTISTS: Learn what will make you independent

    24 HOURS TO DO WHATEVER I WANTED: Go surfing in Bali for the morning, eat lunch in Singapore, go shopping in Tokyo then close the night with some cypher and singing in Jamaica.

    PERSON I WOULD MOST LIKE TO MEET: Bob Marley

    IF I COULD PERFORM IN ANY VENUE?: Big bashment sound system by the beach in Jamaica

    IF I COULDN’T RHYME / FLOW WHICH TALENT WOULD I MOST LIKE TO HAVE?: Pro-surfer & good investor / gambler.

    WHAT WOULD PEOPLE BE SURPRISED TO LEARN ABOUT ME?: I hate hamsters and win eating competitions

    PERSONAL GOALS IN LIFE?: To create a cultural exchange between countries and addresses the needs of disenfranchised youth & artists, and develops arts education for mainstream application

    RITUALS BEFORE PERFORMING?: stretch & freestyle

    FAVE PLACES TO SHOP, DINE & UNWIND?: Mustafa Center, Singapore (24 Hour Shopping Mall... check for the gold Casio watches) / Happa Izakaya (Vancouver, BC) / Unwind? In the ocean... Jamaica or Bali.

  • Masia One

    About Me

    I was born in Singapore, which is a metropolis in SE Asia smaller than the size of the Greater Toronto Area. When I was 8 years old, I spent my Chinese New Year money on 2 bootleg tapes in Bedok Market. The first was Bananarama...I won't lie...Venus was a very catchy song. The second was Public Enemy's It Takes a Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back. I fell in love with this foreign music, and remained intrigued by Flavor Flav's giant clock! While my cousins listened to Taiwanese pop music, I was screaming "Don't Believe the Hype!" and scribbling "911 is a joke" across my school binders, which of course went over very poorly with my Chinese mother.

    We moved to Vancouver, BC for my dad's job when I turned 9 and I couldn't believe how much more accessible Hiphop was this side of the world. I fell in love with Graf styles and looked up as much as I could about the art. I discovered Asia One and Z-Boogie shortly after, marking the first time I saw women doing their thing in this culture of Hiphop. Friends began calling me Masia One for my respect to the Bgirl, and I began tagging that name.

    I read an article in Source Magazine years ago, citing Toronto as the "Mecca of Hiphop in Canada". Before graduating high school, I decided I would have to get a scholarship that would afford me the ability to go to The University of Toronto. I did just that, and graduated in Architecture with a minor in Economics. Go figure! I still really appreciate how buildings are designed, and how to make money. After moving in with The Ichiban Son, Editor in Chief of thecyberkrib.com, I got more involved in the local Toronto Hiphop scene, attending open mics and meeting heads from around the way that were establishing their art and name in this city. My roommate was throwing a show called "I Still Love H.E.R." featuring Mystic from Oakland, and asked if I knew any female emcees interested in performing. I volunteered myself! I had always written rhymes and spit rhymes in secret, but never found the confidence to get over my shy afflictions. I promised myself that this would be the 1 time I performed to show myself that I could break out of my comfort zone. I loved feeling the energy on stage, got a VIBE commercial out of it, and I guess the rest is her-story.

  • Masia One

    Mississauga

    I met a producer named Yoroku Saki in 2003 and decided that I would fling myself into producing an album, not knowing anything about the business or the recording process.  At the time, I knew nothing about why artists need managers, royalties or even chat rooms...I just knew that too many rappers yap a lot about blowing up and never even produce a project.  The result was MISSISSAUGA, named to commemorate all the people that helped me in my growing stages from SIRCH (graphic design), the KrisJon (street team) and AL P, who recorded and mixed down the album. I learned a lot from my Mississauga years, and met a lot of upcoming artists there including Death From Above 1979, little clever and of course Ultra Magnus.  Following the album's 2003 release, I was able to release 3 videos: Halfway Through the City (RT!), Split Second Time and The Hazing.  Split Second Time was nominated for a Much Music Video Award for Best Rap video, marking the first time a female was nominated in this category.

    M1 Academy

    Following the release of my album, I was faced both successes and the blunt reality of haters and difficulties in this industry.  I will never complain about being a "woman" in the rap game, but I will say that having some of the filthiest things said about you because of your race, gender or for no reason at all teaches one to strengthen the back bone really quickly.  I decided to partner with Ichiban Son in the role of promoters and throw events called M1 ACADEMY.  I saw how difficult it was for an independent artist to legitimately showcase themselves and network, and wanted to create the type of show that presented Hiphop in all its forms (Dance, Music, Art, Turntablism) and allowed for a new standard in local Hiphop shows.  Some highlights included All Bgirls School 1 & 2 featuring Lady Bug Mecca (Digable Planets) and Bahamadia, DJ Soundclash and Hiphop Mixtape.

  • Masia One

    Pulau Album Inscription

    It's frustrating for an artist not to create, and I grew increasingly unhappy during my stint as a promoter.  I returned to Singapore, my place of birth, after being away for 10 years.  I met kids that were in awe that a girl from their island has gone to foreign and garnered air play on TV in the N. American mainstream.  I taught in community centers where kids were enthralled by this Hiphop culture that was virtually non existent when I was living in the Lion City.  I met people I consider family in Singapore, and began rekindling my roots and aspiring to help build the Hiphop community in the place of my birth.

    The poetry of Pulau has been inspired by the cycles of time, space, strategy, companionship and faith that naturally define our progression in this life. In these days of extreme confusion between truth and untruth, the origin of the artist’s inspiration is compromised, and the catalyst that once compelled the need to create has been dampened. Naturally things will unfold thereby that which is good, pure and seated in truth will rise like a star to Heaven. All things that end begin a new – building momentum toward a Culture Foundation.

    It's frustrating for an artist not to create, and I grew increasingly unhappy during my stint as a promoter.  I returned to Singapore, my place of birth, after being away for 10 years.  I met kids that were in awe that a girl from their island has gone to foreign and garnered air play on TV in the N. American mainstream.  I taught in community centers where kids were enthralled by this Hiphop culture that was virtually non existent when I was living in the Lion City.  I met people I consider family in Singapore, and began rekindling my roots and aspiring to help build the Hiphop community in the place of my birth.

    I reconnected with an old friend DJ SARASA a.k.a. Silverboombox, and learned that she had greatly improved her skills on the scratch.  Her dedication to hustling and learning the business is very inspiring.  In the heart of Tokyo, an artist begins to realize that of all the colors, textures and shapes in the world - anything is possible, and anything can be marketed and sold. I was offered to travel to Jamaica with artist Dylan Murray shortly after, and from the bottom of my heart... Jamrock change my perspective of life and music.  The country has so many financial and societal difficulties, yet is so akin to the understanding of vibes, inspiration and the simple philosophies of life that allow us our humanity.  I recorded with some yutes out in yard, visited the home of my hero Peter Tosh and spent my days industry-free, communing with the ocean.

    I returned to Toronto, re-energized and linked back up with my crew BBA MUSIC, which includes producer Stranjah, Warren G, DIWA and Ian Scott Vibes.  We put together the new album, piecing together all my snippets from island travels.  I was also blessed to collaborate with amazing artists such as Nicolay, DJ Vadim, Sikh Knowledge, Zaki Ibrahim, Isis, Moka Only, Van Khanh and Junia T.  Short stints in Brooklyn, NYC and San Diego, California resulted in music created with J Bless (BK) and SABOTAWJ (SD) and ties made to the East and West coast. I was now recording as an artist that had more experience under her belt...mixtapes, music biz hustle and hundreds of shows later.

    Pulau is something I had to release.  The first disc Montreal in the Fall is very personal...probably too personal and will probably be more understood to listeners in retrospect.  The second disc "The Islands" reflects more accurately where my head is at now... a deep love for music, art and life, and in a battle state to find that which allows my freedom and independence.  I hope once I discover more of the formula, to share this with all who care to listen and use it for good.

    one love.