A Cultivator (The Buddhist Rapper)

He first started rapping as a way to channel his anger and inspire revolution. Now, 5 years after taking refuge in Tibetan Buddhism, A Cultivator is armed with the empowerment of his master and he’s determined to bring hip hop to Buddhism. When asked about his transformation he said, “I always thought that we were basically living in the ‘matrix’ or what Buddhists would call samsara. So now instead of fighting ‘Agent Smith,’ I’m just focused on unplugging myself and others from the matrix.”

The Buddhist Rapper’s lyricism delivers a message that all conscious people will relate to but for all the rhymes about positivity and enlightenment, A Cultivator can still invoke the intensity from his earlier rap style when he attacks the corrupted values of popular culture. Along with redefining the boundaries of hip hop, A Cultivator is also trying to break the stereotypes that many people have of Buddhists. The idea of a soft spoken monk meditating in robes doesn’t apply here because A Cultivator is basically the exact opposite of that; except, of course, for the fact that they both share the same sincere devotion for following the Buddha’s teachings.

A Cultivator is just starting to get his name out but he has already earned the praise of one of the most respected audio engineers/producers, Bob Bassy, who has mixed albums that have sold more than 100 million copies, including artists such as Notorious B.I.G. And Tupac. Bob Bassy had this to say: “A Cultvator is a newcomer on the scene from Northern California. Certified beats, great delivery, and keen, thoughtful lyrics I think will make him a contender. Doesn’t hurt that he’s a Buddhist and rapping about Peace, though you would never know from the fat production…Think a white Kanye meets the Dalai Lama”