Masia One

Artist Information

Biography

MASIA ONE is true to her name sake - the first female to be nominated for a Much Music Video Award (Rap), winner of the CCNC PIONEER accolade and constantly redefining the sound and cultural boundaries of Hip hop music. Her most recent album PULAU has reached no. 2 on CBC Radio 3’s Top 30, no. 1 on CJAM (Windsor) radio and remains in the top 10 on SE Asian Radio charts.

Check Out Recent Shows:

Masia One @ Honey Jam
http://vimeo.com/14445635

Masia One @ Southpaw NY
http://vimeo.com/13395696

Born in Singapore, Masia One became an early fan of Hip Hop after stumbling upon a bootleg copy of Public Enemy’s It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back at the age of 8. A move to Vancouver Canada marked a period where Masia developed as a graffiti artist and b-girl. It was not until her time at the University of Toronto pursuing an Architecture degree, that she took scribbled rhymes to the stage, and began her fast-pace journey into the life of an emcee. Masia One’s butter smooth flow debuted in 2003 with her independent release Mississauga. Four videos, international bookings and countless media appearances later, the emcee is ready to release the story of her journey: PULAU. PULAU, the Malaysian word for “The Islands”, reflects influences including the culture of SE Asia, heated dance hall tempos of Jamaica and the feel good vibe of California. Together with The 411 Initiative for Change, Masia One is also an arts educator, touring through over 200 high schools and working with young people to develop ideals of girls rights, HIV/AIDS awareness and promoting the importance of education.

Now positioned to take on Hollywood, Masia One is completing her latest album with Los Angeles based record label Kops & Robbers. Grammy award winning producer Che Vicious has crafted an album that features Masia’s remarkable flow over highly infectious dancehall, electro and dance rhythms. As Dr. Dre’s right handman, Che has worked with everyone from Lauryn Hill, Jay Z and Eminem to name a few. This much anticipated release, tentatively titled LION features Pharrell, RZA, The Game, Talib Kweli and more. This LP will catapult Masia One into the mainstream as this Singapore-Canadian girl becomes a household name for urban music internationally.

WWW.MASIAONE.COM

Instrumentation

Dj Dopey - Turntables

Discography

MUSIC / VIDEO releases

October 2010: Montreal In The Fall video

May 2010: High Place Drive album

Sept 09. 2008: PULAU album

Nov 2007 RETURN OF THE BGIRL Video

May 2005: Split Second Time nominated for Much Music Video Award (1st time a female has been nominated in the category of Rap Music)

October 2004: The Hazing video

May 2004: Split Second Time video

November 2003: Halfway Through the City Video

August 28. 2003 : LP Mississauga release

TELEVISION Highlights:

March 2011 - AUX TV, MTV, CTV, CBC, CBC Radio
Sept 2010 CP24
May 2010 CTV, Global
June 2010 MTV Canada
Nov 2009 CTV, Rogers, CBC
July 2005 Annual Asian American International Film Festival
March 2005 CBC "nerve" Masia One commercial aired Famous Player Theatres Nationwide (trailer)
July 2004 Much Vibe host
Jan 2004 CBC Zed TV live performance
Dec 2003 BPM TV
May 2001 Teen TVO
July 2001 Much Vibe Commercial

Links

• Twitter
• Facebook
• MySpace
• Masia One on Youtube

Audio

• Everybody Git It Up ft. Pharrel & The Game (clip)
  Listen  
• Make It Happen ft. Cammy
  Listen  
• Daywalkers Clip
  Listen  
• Numba 1 clip
  Listen  
• Make Up clip
  Listen  
• IrmaVep - Sharps Mix
  Listen  
• PULAU "The Islands" album sampler
  Listen  
• The Grinder
  Listen  
• Head in the Clouds
  Listen  
• Alright Okay
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Return of the Bgirl
• New Love

Video

Return of the Bgirl directed by Cazhhmere (The NE)

Masia One NY Showcase

Photo Gallery

Press

• Masia One & Friends: Pulau CD Release Party Rating NNNN [+ Show ]
  

  LINK: http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=164961 Business-tight Masia One was no jo...LINK: http://www.nowtoronto.com/music/story.cfm?content=164961
  
  Business-tight Masia One was no joke, putting together an almost flawless lineup who delivered an assortment of entertaining highlights. Montreal’s Sikh Knowledge came with high-energy hip-hop but was unkindly given the Screwface stonewall. They remained stoic before Japan’s DJ Sarasa sliced up the between-set sections. Something was missing from San Diego duo Sabowtawj’s show, a small step down before the headliner.
  
  Masia One then stormed onstage with an army of gifted collaborators and live musicians and put on a heart-warming performance full of smooth vibrations and masterful melodies. An all-star three-part harmony consisting of Jessica Kaya, Tanika Charles and Zaki Ibrahim was simply phenomenal, while a razor-sharp Junia-T and Van Khanh also rocked the mic.
  
  ...She performed at the top of her game.
  
  Addi Stewart
  
  

• EYE Weekly / "Much Vibe" [+ Show ]
  

  "Titled Mississauga in tribute to the coincidental home of almost all of her crew - talented produce..."Titled Mississauga in tribute to the coincidental home of almost all of her crew - talented producer Yoroku Saki, engineer Al P of Girlsareshort, contributing musicians, and others - the album is solid. Masia One rhymes over adventurous beats, forays into booty and electro, and samples ranging from Isotope 217 to Pharcyde. This original thinker also produces events showcasing the talented peeps in her life."

• Exclaim Magazine / NXNE 2004 [+ Show ]
  

  "Masia One It's a no-brainer that Masia One is one of Canada's most-gifted female MCs, but after a p..."Masia One It's a no-brainer that Masia One is one of Canada's most-gifted female MCs, but after a performance like tonight's it won't be long until her gender altogether takes a backseat to her vicious abilities on the microphone. With a full band to back her up, including a small horn section, Masia One flowed like silk as she dropped politically-charged numbers on the unsuspecting crowd, who just continually craved more. It goes without saying that Masia One is a very important figure in our country's hip-hop scene."

• The Toronto Star / "Not Your Usual Rapper Chick" [+ Show ]
  

  "...But the independant artist is strictly business and she's ready for her closeup. Her independen..."...But the independant artist is strictly business and she's ready for her closeup. Her independent debut album, Mississauga, has started to make the rounds of local record shops and she's ferociously gigging, last weekend in Ottawa, at T.O.'s Dundas Square as part of Style in Progress...She's just releasing her first album officially, but she's already thinking about the next. "This is the first one and it's more like a demo. It's all completely produeced, but with the next one I'm thinking of having all live instrumentation," she says. "Besides taht, it's just all about pushing this record." With good reason, since Mississauga has never sounded so good."

• EYE Weekly / "All B-Girls School feat. Ladybug Mecca" [+ Show ]
  

  "In true grassroots fashion, she switched roles from promoter of the night to performer. On stage, b..."In true grassroots fashion, she switched roles from promoter of the night to performer. On stage, backed by her live band Ultra Magnus, she performed album cuts and brand new material. Effortlessly in-synch with her band, she had enough control of the crowd to introduce new MCs Khanh Artist and I. James Jones without missing a beat."

• The Fighting 44's / Interview with Masia One [+ Show ]
  

  "If your name is Andrew Baker and you want to be a professional violinist, you might be able to succ..."If your name is Andrew Baker and you want to be a professional violinist, you might be able to succeed; if your name is Ashanti St. Clair and you want to sing jazz, you just might make it. But if you’re Asian and female and you want to be an emcee ? No goddamn way.
  Unless your name is Masia."

• TorontoIndie.com / Interview with Masia One [+ Show ]
  

  "With the lyrics visibly written on her hand, the hip hophip-hop artist admitted she wasn’t quite fa..."With the lyrics visibly written on her hand, the hip hophip-hop artist admitted she wasn’t quite familiar with the new song just yet. I found that hard to believe because her flow was smooth and bang on. Rapt with attention, all ears were perked, necks strained and eyes glued. The petite Singaporean beauty was a force to be reckoned with, rapping with conviction and edge. One unidentified audience member in a Pink Floyd shirt tried to take the rapper to task, throwing down the dance gauntlet. Without missing a beat Masia One danced right back. This unexpected performance added flavour and depth to the different sounds already represented at Dufferin Grove Park. Those in attendance can consider themselves lucky to have taken in Masia One’s performance as she continues to cause a stir in the hip- hop scene."

Setlist

Set 1 30min
[Masia One, DJ Dopey]

Warriors Tongue
Blackout (Errybody Git It Up)
Daywalkers
Head in The Clouds
Telephone Love
Montreal In The Fall
Sticky Round

*longer set available upon request or set with dancers

Basic Requirements

Calendar