Gabriel Teodros
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| Gabriel Teodros | |
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gabriel Teodros |
| Born | 1981 |
| Origin | Beacon Hill, Seattle, Washington |
| Genre(s) | Hip hop |
| Occupation(s) | MC, rapper, poet, DJ, teacher, activist |
| Years active | 1999–present |
| Label(s) | MassLine, MADK/Pangea, independent |
| Associated acts | Abyssinian Creole |
| Website | http://www.gabrielteodros.com |
Gabriel Teodros (born 1981), is a hip hop artist, teacher, activist, and a member of the group Abyssinian Creole. He is of Ethiopian, Scottish, Irish & Native American descent[1], and was raised on Beacon Hill, Seattle, Washington. Teodros' music is determined by a social consciousness that tackles issues such as sexism, racism and homophobia, with constant references to his engagement towards the Third World issues, a.o. due to his Ethiopian background.[2] He was a catalyst in the surge of dynamic underground rap acts from the Pacific Northwest during the mid- to late 2000s.[3]
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[edit] Biography
Born and raised in Seattle, Washington; Teodros spent his high school years in Las Vegas, Nevada where in the face of racism and police brutality, he began to take his music seriously.[4]
In 1999, Teodros returned to Seattle and began working with a live band called 500 Years. That same year, he met an MC named Khalil Crisis (better known as Khingz), from the group Maroon Colony. In 2001, Teodros and Khingz formed the group Abyssinian Creole, and in 2005 the group released their first album, entitled Sexy Beast,[5] an album that gave expression to the post-1990s cosmopolitanism thriving in South Seattle.[6]
In the Spring of 2006, Teodros completed the entire Lovework album with producer Amos Miller, around the same time MassLine Media was being formed with Teodros, Blue Scholars & Common Market.[7] Towards the end of the year, Teodros independently released a mix-tape/CD entitled Westlake: Class of 1999, which was a collection of his unreleased songs recorded in 4 different cities between the years 2002-2006.[8]
The Lovework album was released February 27, 2007 on MassLine, to critical acclaim.[9] The album topped the CMJ Hip Hop charts for 2 weeks and came in at #19 for the year 2007.[10] This year Teodros was also named as one of URB Magazine's "Next 100".[11]
His influences range from black feminist author bell hooks,[12] to reggae artist Bob Marley, and hip hop groups like A Tribe Called Quest & Freestyle Fellowship.[13]
Teodros also DJ's for Zulu Radio on KBCS 91.3 FM.[14]
[edit] Discography
[edit] Albums
- Gabriel Teodros Lovework (MassLine, 2007)
- Gabriel Teodros Westlake: Class of 1999 (independent, 2006)
- Abyssinian Creole Sexy Beast (MADK/Pangea, 2005)
- Gabriel Teodros Sun To A Recycled Soul (independent, 2001)
[edit] Singles
- Gabriel Teodros No Label (MassLine, 2007)
- Abyssinian Creole Sexy Beast (MADK/Pangea, 2005)
[edit] Guest Appearances
- DJ T-Bone Steak The Other Side Of The Moon "Stay Fly" - Abyssinian Creole, SistaHailStorm, Seiji (DMR, 2006)
- Common Market Common Market "Every Last One (Cornerstone Remix)" featuring Geologic & Gabriel Teodros (MassLine, 2006)
- Macklemore The Language of My World "Claiming The City" featuring Abyssinian Creole (independent, 2005)
- ORB & So-Called Musicians Dirty Scientifix "Meet Me Halfway" featuring Abyssinian Creole, Castro, SistaHailStorm (CrateDiggers, 2005)
- Moka Only Flood "Liquid Sunshine" featuring Gabriel T. (Battleaxe Records, 2002)
[edit] References
- ^ "Gabriel Teodros: Living his dream" by Jason Rothman. Disheveled Magazine. April 2007.
- ^ selected review by cpf. Platform8470 - HipHopZine. February 14, 2007.
- ^ Biography by Cyril Cordor. All Music Guide.
- ^ "Let 'Lovework' Rule" by Charles Mudede. The Stranger. February 27, 2007.
- ^ Gabriel Teodros (of Abyssinian Creole) - interview by Todd E. Jones. Insomniac Magazine. December 19, 2006.
- ^ "Let 'Lovework' Rule" by Charles Mudede. The Stranger. February 27, 2007.
- ^ Gabriel Teodros (of Abyssinian Creole) - interview by Todd E. Jones. Insomniac Magazine. December 19, 2006.
- ^ "I Don't Label, I Just Call It Like I Hear It" by Angelica LeMinh. Shotgun Reviews. 2007.
- ^ "My Philosophy" by Larry Mizell Jr. The Stranger. February 14, 2007
- ^ College Music Journal. New Music Report. 2007.
- ^ "Next 100" Gabriel Teodros - Reviewed by Kevin Polowy. URB Magazine. 2007.
- ^ "Work is Love made Visible: An Interview with Gabriel Teodros". Abesha.com. January 31, 2007.
- ^ selected review by cpf. Platform8470 - HipHopZine. February 14, 2007.
- ^ Zulu Radio by Rachel Shimp. Seattle Weekly. November 14, 2007
