Mark U

Born March 14, 1989) Raised in the East Flatbush neighborhood of Brooklyn, New York, Mark Ugbomah was born to Jamaican parents; his father was originally from England with roots in Nigeria before meeting his mother. Mark attributes his love of music to his father. I was around music so much growing up that it was reactionary for me. My dad started off as a Dancehall/Reggae artist and steadily moved towards Ska. As his father traveled often as a performing artist, Mark notes that his time with his father on tour also shaped his sound and awareness of the life around him. It opened me up to understanding that no matter what the difference may be on our physical presence or ideology, we all can and will experience a lot of the same things in life and music is one of the biggest factors that brings us back to that truth.

Mark U ties Hip Hop and Reggae neatly in a Soulful package. His debut project, Soul Odyssey, is his way of connecting with his fans on a deeper, more spiritual level. As he explains, odyssey means a journey, and whether we label it as our mind or soul, we're all on a journey that starts from within. Mark U sees music as another tool for humans to communicate honestly and authentically. His goal is to create and inspire dialogue, an objective he sees as musics historical and most basic mission.

Inspired by the talents of Stevie Wonder, Bob Marley, Lauryn Hill, Jim Morrison, Rakim, Andre 3000, and Digable Planets, to name a few, Mark Us most influential muse is undoubtedly the community that surrounded him throughout his childhood. Growing up, Hip Hop wasn't music, it was how we lived everyday in the my community. With initial aspirations of being a basketball player, Marks interests shifted towards perfecting his musical craft after hearing Lauryn Hill's critically acclaimed album, The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, off of Hills 1998 critically acclaimed solo debut. The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, paired with his deep appreciation for the introspective artistry of Stevie Wonder and Bob Marley, Mark began his journey as a contemporary storyteller.