[Bootleg Culture LP Masia One Album release July 19. 2012]
www.masiaone.com/about
Masia is an artist who transcends boundaries. She has established herself as a musical pioneer, visual artist, businesswoman, and tastemaker. Her work blurs cultural expectations, challenges traditional gender norms and continues to gain respect through its seamless blending of political awareness, emcee skill and top-notch sound. On any given day she may be moving between worlds: rocking a festival crowd with dubstep headliners Bass Nectar & Ill Gates, attending industry parties in Los Angeles as creative director to the Kops & Robbers clothing line, teaching as an arts educator in high schools and universities across Canada, rehearsing with her band Dubtonic Kru at Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong studios in Kingston Jamaica - then returning as the hometown hero in South East Asia. This 5-foot girl from Singapore has a story to tell.
With three albums, six music videos, international bookings and countless media appearances under her belt, Masia found herself courted by Warner Chapel Swedan and Grammy-winning Aftermath producer Che Vicious (Miseducation of Lauryn Hill, 50 Cent) to work on an album together. Vicious notes, “I immediately recognized the talent Masia possessed, she is much more than an emcee - her chatting abilities and the reggae styles that she’s capable of doing… To me, it didn’t matter if she was a girl or Asian, she brought something that I found more interesting to the table.” Masia is now preparing for the release of this album, BOOTLEG CULTURE, featuring collaborations with artists such as Wu Tang’s The RZA and Thunderheist’s Isis. Not content to release just one record in 2012, Masia is also currently finishing a live band album at Bob Marley’s Tuff Gong Studio with Dubtonic Kru in Kingston, Jamaica. While in Jamaica, she shot her next music video with renown New York director and celebrity photographer Jason G Lewis (Nylon, Alife, MTV), scheduled to debut with the LP’s release. The anticipation for these 2 debuts are high, with 2 tours in Japan already booked for the Spring. The artist is also negotiating with sponsors Adidas (South East Asia), Nixon (Europe), PUMA (NYC) and Hennessey Artistry.
Beyond her life as an emcee, Masia has been the recipient of the Chinese Canadian National Council Pioneer Award, founded the MERDEKA Group, and has provided consultation and cultural marketing advice to a number of organizations (including Aritzia, Nike, Red Bull, and Athlete's World). Director of 360am (Usher, Ludacris) Ron Allen says “Masia One is ahead of the curve right now and I think she is going to be the next case study for success.” With an extensive body of work and a stable of producers that spans the globe, there can be no doubt that Masia has established herself as the “prom queen” of the international urban scene. Her willingness to challenge convention, her thirst for experimentation and her dedication to a universal sound will continue to excite and inspire fans from across the globe.