Okai

Most people think of Brooklyn and the first thing that comes to mind is the over population of MC's and some damn good pizza. Well BK's got a new mascot now, Okai. Born in East Flatbush, Okai began beating on anything he could get his hands on at the age of five. By the time his twelfth birthday came along hip hop had exploded and his ears were infected by the conscious sounds of collectives like The Natives Tongues, Leaders of The New School and Haitian band Boukman Eksperyans, to say the least.

Okai is working on an album with the Regime Change Set. He is also working on the Negus World Order album along with Negus Bennchoumy and Negus Johwell. Okai is featured in the documentary Diamonds in the rough, and is part of the Diamonds In The Rough International Hip Hop Tour; they recently performed in California at The Roxy. He is currently working on the film ?NOTORIOUS? based on the life of the Notorious B.I.G. which will be released in 2009. Okai played the Djembe along side Mecca a.k.a Grimo at Summer Stage, Central Park. He also played the Djembe at the 2006 Latin Grammy's at Madison Square Garden on stage with Louis Fonsi. He also performed with percussion group the Drumadics at the Fire House Theater in Portland, Oregon. He has opened for Bilal at CBGB's NY and ?uestLove, of the Roots at S.O.B's. Although most MC's pass around the term conscious like a blunt in a cipher, Okai is the one that actually inhales. As an immediate descendant of Haitian immigrants, Okai has an ear to the world and is tuned in to the struggle of the less fortunate. He recently gave a lecture at the United Nations on Haitian immigration and politics and also performed in Toronto, Canada at Gulu Walk, a fundraiser for the children of Uganda. Okai chose his name as homage to his homeland; it's the name of the city his family is from. While on the grind Okai got offered a deal on independent label in early 2004, and got up with legendary hip hop producer Ayatollah to create Dekonstruktion of the Mind. Dekonstruktion of the Mind features hiphop soulstress Vinia Mojica on ?No Question?, and West Coast G Planet Asia on ?face/off? which is the b side to the 12? ?Bout That?.