Boulder, CO (Top40 Charts/ White Swan Records) MC Yogi is primed to bring his original brand of "yoga hip-hop" to the masses with a new video, single and album as well as an intensive national tour. Combining conscious rhymes and spiritual philosophy with world music, electronic beats and old school hip hop (think
Beastie Boys and
A Tribe Called Quest in their prime), MC Yogi's forthcoming album, MANTRAS, BEATS & MEDITATIONS (April 1,
Sounds True/White Swan Records) is the perfect mix to move and inspire an emerging new culture of yoga practitioners and truth seekers.
His two previous albums, ELEPHANT POWER and PILGRIMAGE, have sold over 100,000 copies between them - and counting. For listeners searching for a soundtrack to fuel their practice—on or off the mat— MC Yogi is it. With his latest release, the multi-talented young master of storytelling and verse dives deeper into the wisdom of the yoga tradition in which he himself is deeply immersed.
The new video for his digital single, "A.U.M. (Almighty Universal Magnetic!)," presents the artist in action -- both onstage, revving up a packed crowd with his mesmerizing rhythmic vocals, and offstage exhibiting his considerable prowess as an accomplished yogi and teacher. But even with all of his experience and training, he still considers himself a student of yoga as well as music, and that's part of where the inspiration for the track is drawn. "'Aum' is the root of all sound, and with this track I wanted to pay homage to all of the mystics who have influenced me - from
Ravi Shankar and
George Harrison to hip-hop luminaries like Q-Tip and [the late] MCA."
Amanda Giacomini (MC Yogi's wife and teaching partner, as well as the mastermind behind the eye-catching video element that is such an engaging part of the MC Yogi live experience) and Michael Rosen of Samplistic Media edited the video, segments of which were filmed by Jamie Ginsberg, Eric Tabora, Billie Buntun, C3 Presents, and Jaybird Productions. Creatively shot and handsomely assembled, the bold black & white imagery evokes youthful street art culture (in addition to his rhyming and yoga talents, MC Yogi is an accomplished graffiti artist). Striking graphics intercut with performance footage showcase the power and energy of MC Yogi in concert, but only hint at what's in store for audiences as he tours North
America later this year with a five-piece band.
Kicking off his touring with the Denver Chant Festival earlier this month, he will appear on February 21 as a featured artist at the prestigious San Francisco Asian Art Museum, as part of their exhibit, "Yoga: Art of Transformation." MC Yogi will also be headlining at all Wanderlust festival locations this year.
"A.U.M." is the first single from MC Yogi's new album, MANTRAS, BEATS & MEDITATIONS (out on April 1 and released in partnership between
Sounds True and White Swan Records). The digital single dropped on February 18 and within a day rocketed to #2 on the iTunes World Chart, where his previous records are still mainstays. March 4 will see the release of the "A.U.M. Omstrumentals and Remixes" single, featuring an instrumental version of the song as well as a remix by frequent MC Yogi collaborator DJ Drez .
The latest evolution in MC Yogi's yoga revolution showcases the young musician, writer, artist and yoga teacher at the height of his powers. Widely credited for launching a whole new genre of "yoga hip hop," MC Yogi is not content to rest on his laurels; he continues to tirelessly pursue his vision of making devotional music with a hip-hop edge something that's accessible not just to yogis, but to everyone.
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MC YOGI TOUR DATES 2014
Feb 21: Asian Art Museum - San Francisco
Feb 22-23: Grassroots Festival - Miami
Feb 27-Mar 2: Wanderlust O'ahu Festival - Hawaii
Mar 8 : Festival Of Colors - Los Angeles
April 18-19: Grassroots Festival - North Carolina
May 3: Festival Of Colors - Salt Lake City
June 19-22: Wanderlust Stratton Mountain Festival - Vermont
July 3-6 : Wanderlust Aspen Festival - Colorado
July 17-20: Wanderlust Squaw Valley Festival - Lake Tahoe
Aug 1-5: Wanderlust Whistler Festival - British Columbia
Aug 16-17: Love Yoga Festival - Cape Cod
Aug 21-24: Whistler Mount Tremblant Festival - Quebec
Aug 29-31: Floyd Yoga Jam - Virginia
Sep 5-6: Bhakti Festival - Joshua Tree
Artist site: https://mcyogi.com/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/mcyogimusic
Artist Blog: https://mcyogi.com/blog-2/
Artist Full Bio: https://mcyogi.com/about/
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