WWW.OCCUPYALLSTREETS.ORG

This is a new project concieved by Yako 440 and B.O.A. (www.bamiphoto.com) to support the Occupy Wall Street Protest at Zuccotti Park in NYC.

View the video here:


and check out the NY Daily News coverage of art at the protest featuring an interview with Yako 440

Youth Hip Hop Theater Show at Bardavon Theater 2011

50 6th graders perform with me and my crew (Mtume aka Core Rhythm, Una Osato, Ken Fury, and Mike Supreme) in Poughkeepsie, NY.

Hip Hop Theater 2011 from bardavonupac on Vimeo.

Awareness Pt2 Physical LRG.m4v

Back in Brooklyn getting busy!

One of the great teaching organizations in NYC Purelements had me paint a piece at their offices in Brownsville- enjoy!

Istanbul, Turkey workshops with Baba Israel

The piece I'm standing in front of was a collaboration between myself and the participants. We had an amazing 5 days at the University of Istanbul working with groups of twenty to fifty college and high school age students, introducing the history and elements . Thanks to Yoruk, Ahmet "2 Much" and Nure "Freshi" and all the staff at the University for putting the project together. Here's the whole SQUAD:












In addition to graffiti also had hands on lessons in beatboxing, DJing, MCing, Breaking (thanks to the Istanbul Style Breakers!) and beatmaking. Thanks to all the participants for working with us!!!

GAMBIAN HIP HOP VIDEO IS HERE!

Yako 440 and Baba Israel acted as Hip Hop cultural envoys for the US State Dept. in The Gambia, West Africa in April 2010. This video is one of the results of their collaboration with amazing local artists. CLICK HERE to watch!

Internet Performance Collaboration with Contact

had the 1st cross-continental jam session/live show this afternoon with MCs & Beatboxers 5 hrs into the future in Manchester England via high speed internet and HD video. The future is NOW!!
THANKS to Culture Hub, Contact, Baba, Rabbi D & Farbeon!














pic by Core Rhythm

see more pics from Culture Hub

FREE Gambian Hip Hop Download

Yako 440 just returned from 8 days with Baba Israel in The Gambia, West Africa as cultural envoys for the US Embassy there.

Click here to listen and download the posse cut they recorded at The Block studios with Mo Hawk and 15 other artists from Banjul. Enjoy the sounds and support up and coming African Hip Hop!!

Baba and Yako also shot a music video for this song which is in the editing room right now... so keep an eye out for that as well.

Gig at New York University

Yako 440 is going to present a talk on "the history of Human Beatboxing" with Kid Lucky at an NYU performance class today :)

New project in the works!

I'm EXCITED to be nearing completion on a new album with Youssoupha Sidibe- "KORA DUBS." Release date T.B.A. ..::stay:in:tune::..

YAKO440.COM LAUNCHES!!!

After much research and hard work... Yako 440 is happy to unveil his new multimedia online galaxy!!
Please join the blog feed for news and show updates... and stay tuned for new audio/video/next level artistik expression...

A Brooklyn Couplet

Bami Adedoyin (photographer and wife to me) and I are showing photography at Contact Theater in Manchester, England on Sat. Aug 2nd. The show is called "A Brooklyn Couplet" where we display two individual bodies of work that will be viewed together in one space.

Look here at Contact's website for more details!















"Seattle" by Yako 440 Prodis




















"Amadou" by Bami Adedoyin

Yako 440 completes his MFA in Interdisciplinary Arts

That's right, I'll be graduating this Sunday from Goddard College's off campus program in VT. It's been a long road, lots of work, and I'm ready to celebrate my completion!!

Vancouver

Big props to Van City!! I thank Ani Pinchot for putting me in touch with my gracious host Sara who not only directs (I think that's the right word..) a community center and awesome choir, but also beatboxes like a PRO... every MC in Vancouver should be getting her to back them up. Word. Peace to producer/emcee/musician Rup for inviting me into his home to enjoy this view:














Click to enlarge the pic, the mountains and enchanted village were blowing my mind. Vancouver also has an ill skyline which transforms from city to mountains:












Seeing the First Ladies Crew rock a show was mad inspiring, they're all Indigenous MCs/beatboxers holding it down up here:














You can find their music at Beat Nation or on Myspace.

Saying peace to one of my BIG childhood influences...

But did you know MJ was nasty on the beatbox?
Check this out:
GENIUS

Washington State

On my way from Oregon I stopped for a night in Olympia WA and checked out the nature on the campus of Evergreen College. Kind of a mystical mossy evergreen/fern forest...











Thanks to Marco, Lolita, and Rowan for hosting me there.

I then continued to Seattle where it got a bit more urban. Many thanks to Alex, Rita, Reyna, Maria, Ani, and VC for the hospitality. As I was wandering the city I saw this mural in action and introduced myself to the artist, who wrote Wierdo.













He had an insane photo-realistic style with spraycans, and he was cool enough to point me in the direction of the local "walk up" wall AKA permission spot. So I went and painted this:











[Click the pic to enlarge]

Oregon, Portland

Been having a great time chilling and playing music with Nicoluminous, a dope local beatboxer/musician/vocalist. One of the highlights was setting up in an abandoned lot and jamming together for a warm audience of 5-10 people... Check how he has his delay and loop pedal strapped to his belt wirelessly (to the amp)... Nice one Nico!

Cali up North

A couple days ago I headed still further North to Arcata. I set up my Starship in a public seating area near the center of town and had been painting about 5 mins when I met this guy Joe. Turns out he runs a couple of taco stands and is about to open a restaurant. He wants to see my work so he asks me to paint his sign as a freebee...














He likes the free sample and hires me to paint his truck the next morning. I finished my Arcata piece....














then saw UP (which was fresh) and caught reggae singer Bushman with opening act Soulflower on the late night.

After a couple hours sleep I met up with Joe and his wife at their soon to be restaurant, and I was touched by their success (family business, ya know?) and support of my skills.














Such a cool experience...

Camped in the Redwoods

After a long drive North from Oakland with endless sky and mountains...















I made it to a campground in the Redwoods State Park near Eureka CA.













These trees are ridiculously big, I don't think pictures do them justice, but they're still fun to take!

Here's another one wider across than my SUV-


















Making a fire always makes me feel connected to nature, which (in addition to making art and seeing friends) was a big inspiration for me in doing this trip. The plan has come together...

Another Day in the Bay

Here I'm pictured with the Hip Hop Dub Starship at The Wharf (famous street performance location in SF) I spent a couple hours out there working and had mad fun.











Earlier in the day I also added to one of Marlene White's pieces which came out super funky:

"FREE BIRD"