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Music
Artist:
MC Yogi
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Bio: MC YOGI (aka Nicholas Giacomini) grew up in Northern California, painting graffiti and listening to hip hop.
Inspired by artists like the Beastie Boys and Run DMC, he began writing and performing his own raps for friends at house parties. He spent most of his high school years at a group home... more
Bio: MC YOGI (aka Nicholas Giacomini) grew up in Northern California, painting graffiti and listening to hip hop.
Inspired by artists like the Beastie Boys and Run DMC, he began writing and performing his own raps for friends at house parties. He spent most of his high school years at a group home for at-risk youth, and Hip hop culture provided both a soundtrack and a creative outlet during those turbulent teenage years. Then at age 18 he discovered yoga.
On a whim, he joined his father for a yoga and meditation intensive with a famous spiritual teacher from India. Deeply moved by this powerful experience, MC YOGI devoted himself to learning everything he could about the ancient discipline. He began studying the physical forms of yoga, as well as meditation, philosophy, and devotional chanting.
It was at a yoga teacher training program in San Francisco that he met and fell in love with his wife, Amanda. After there first trip to India, they opened Yoga Toes Studio in Point Reyes, California, where they currently reside.
By combining his knowledge of yoga with his love for hip hop music, MC YOGI creates an exciting new sound that brings the wisdom of yoga to a whole new generation of modern mystics and urban yogis. hide
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Click play to listen to "Ganesh is Fresh (with Jai Uttal)"
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Interview with MC Yogi
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO : VOTE FOR HOPE!
YM: Who are you? Where did you come from?
MCY: Wow that is a very profound question, in fact, the great Indian saint Ramana Maharshi considers the question "Who Am I?", a form of yoga. On a the more worldly side, I'm an artist, yoga teacher, song writer, and peace activist. I was born in San Fransisco, and grew up in the Bay Area.
YM: Which came first, the Music or the Yoga? When did you start blending the two?
MCY: The music came first, literally and spiritually. In the ancient mythology of India everything arises from the sound Om. In terms of hip hop, I first discovered The Beastie Boys, & Run DMC when I was around 6 or 7 years old. Me and my little brother (DJ Amen) were always into breakdancing, graffiti etc. When I was about eighteen, I fell into yoga. During that time I wasn't really listening to much hip hop, I was mostly into Kirtan and more devotional music. I started to realize that a lot of the hip hop lyrics were at odds with my spiritual beliefs. That was one of the main reasons why I decided to bridge the gap and join the two cultures together. Gradually it became Yoga Hip Hop.
YM: Hip Hop can be devotional?
MCY: Anything can be devotional, even today in many religions the slaughtering of animals is considered an act of devotion. This type of devotion is tamasic of course, being destructive as opposed to creative. I prefer being creative! Music, art, poetry, these are all forms of Bhakti yoga. Art has always been a powerful tool for transmitting and experiencing deeper spiritual truths. Essentially the songs on "Elephant Power" are a continuation of the aural tradition.
YM: Why does the world need you, and people like you right now?
MCY: The world needs more understanding, and more loving kindness. We are living in a time when religion threatens to divide us. Authentic spirituality is needed, so that we can reconnect with the ever present Spirit, that all pervading divine power that animates everything. When we become established in that, then we can see the One in the many, unity in diversity.
YM: What is it like to bring Yoga to the Hip Hop community and Hip Hop to the Yoga Community?
MCY: My intention has always been to help inspire young people to practice yoga. Yoga has done so much for me, sharing the teachings is my way of giving back. I'm grateful that I can share this practice, in a way that young people can relate to. What I didn’t anticipate was how many baby boomers would enjoy my music. I've heard people say they "hate" hip hop, but love my record. So I guess we're breaking down walls in both directions, Jai Ganesh!
YM: What was it like working with so many amazing kirtan wallahs?
MCY: Having the support of such amazing musicians was a huge blessing. I couldn't have done it without the grace of the masters. Knowing that I was raising money through grass roots donations, many of the artists contributed their talents for free. True karma yogis.
YM: What was the initial reaction you got when you first started putting your work out in the world?
MCY: The reaction has been overwhelming. I am getting fifty to a hundred emails a day. To be honest I'm having a hard time keeping up. One of the coolest things I'm hearing, is from parents who are telling me how much their kids love it. That inspires me because it means I'm helping to pave the way for a next generation of yogi's.
YM: What does it mean to VOTE FOR HOPE???
MCY: There's no doubt that this election is one of the biggest that we've seen in a long time. On a deeper level though, voting for hope doesn't begin or end at the ballot box. As yogis our thoughts, words, and deeds all play an important role in creating the world we wanna live in. I recently heard Jonny Kest say that we vote at least three times a day, whenever we eat. We can either vote for suffering, or cast a vote for kindness. Everything we do is a part of this inner voting process. We can sit around complaining, criticizing, and judging, ourselves and others. Or we can harness our creative energy and work toward a more peaceful and conscious world.
YM: What is on the horizon for MC Yogi?
MCY: We're currently working on a video for the song "Be the Change", which is the story of Mahatma Gandhi. I’m also working on a second album, a remix album, and an instrumental album perfect for yoga classes.
YM: Where can we find out more about you?
MCY: Check out www.mcyogi.com and make sure to join the email list, and we'll send you updates.
Before I go I just want to extend my deepest gratitude to Yogamates and to the entire yoga community. I am so inspired by all you yogis out there who are helping to co-create a culture of peace and universal spirituality. I am so grateful to be a part of this ever growing movement, and I look forward to sharing more music and more yoga with you down the road. With great love and with great respect. Jai Shri Ram. Peace out.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO : VOTE FOR HOPE!
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO : VOTE FOR HOPE!
YM: Who are you? Where did you come from?
MCY: Wow that is a very profound question, in fact, the great Indian saint Ramana Maharshi considers the question "Who Am I?", a form of yoga. On a the more worldly side, I'm an artist, yoga teacher, song writer, and peace activist. I was born in San Fransisco, and grew up in the Bay Area.
YM: Which came first, the Music or the Yoga? When did you start blending the two?
MCY: The music came first, literally and spiritually. In the ancient mythology of India everything arises from the sound Om. In terms of hip hop, I first discovered The Beastie Boys, & Run DMC when I was around 6 or 7 years old. Me and my little brother (DJ Amen) were always into breakdancing, graffiti etc. When I was about eighteen, I fell into yoga. During that time I wasn't really listening to much hip hop, I was mostly into Kirtan and more devotional music. I started to realize that a lot of the hip hop lyrics were at odds with my spiritual beliefs. That was one of the main reasons why I decided to bridge the gap and join the two cultures together. Gradually it became Yoga Hip Hop.
YM: Hip Hop can be devotional?
MCY: Anything can be devotional, even today in many religions the slaughtering of animals is considered an act of devotion. This type of devotion is tamasic of course, being destructive as opposed to creative. I prefer being creative! Music, art, poetry, these are all forms of Bhakti yoga. Art has always been a powerful tool for transmitting and experiencing deeper spiritual truths. Essentially the songs on "Elephant Power" are a continuation of the aural tradition.
YM: Why does the world need you, and people like you right now?
MCY: The world needs more understanding, and more loving kindness. We are living in a time when religion threatens to divide us. Authentic spirituality is needed, so that we can reconnect with the ever present Spirit, that all pervading divine power that animates everything. When we become established in that, then we can see the One in the many, unity in diversity.
YM: What is it like to bring Yoga to the Hip Hop community and Hip Hop to the Yoga Community?
MCY: My intention has always been to help inspire young people to practice yoga. Yoga has done so much for me, sharing the teachings is my way of giving back. I'm grateful that I can share this practice, in a way that young people can relate to. What I didn’t anticipate was how many baby boomers would enjoy my music. I've heard people say they "hate" hip hop, but love my record. So I guess we're breaking down walls in both directions, Jai Ganesh!
YM: What was it like working with so many amazing kirtan wallahs?
MCY: Having the support of such amazing musicians was a huge blessing. I couldn't have done it without the grace of the masters. Knowing that I was raising money through grass roots donations, many of the artists contributed their talents for free. True karma yogis.
YM: What was the initial reaction you got when you first started putting your work out in the world?
MCY: The reaction has been overwhelming. I am getting fifty to a hundred emails a day. To be honest I'm having a hard time keeping up. One of the coolest things I'm hearing, is from parents who are telling me how much their kids love it. That inspires me because it means I'm helping to pave the way for a next generation of yogi's.
YM: What does it mean to VOTE FOR HOPE???
MCY: There's no doubt that this election is one of the biggest that we've seen in a long time. On a deeper level though, voting for hope doesn't begin or end at the ballot box. As yogis our thoughts, words, and deeds all play an important role in creating the world we wanna live in. I recently heard Jonny Kest say that we vote at least three times a day, whenever we eat. We can either vote for suffering, or cast a vote for kindness. Everything we do is a part of this inner voting process. We can sit around complaining, criticizing, and judging, ourselves and others. Or we can harness our creative energy and work toward a more peaceful and conscious world.
YM: What is on the horizon for MC Yogi?
MCY: We're currently working on a video for the song "Be the Change", which is the story of Mahatma Gandhi. I’m also working on a second album, a remix album, and an instrumental album perfect for yoga classes.
YM: Where can we find out more about you?
MCY: Check out www.mcyogi.com and make sure to join the email list, and we'll send you updates.
Before I go I just want to extend my deepest gratitude to Yogamates and to the entire yoga community. I am so inspired by all you yogis out there who are helping to co-create a culture of peace and universal spirituality. I am so grateful to be a part of this ever growing movement, and I look forward to sharing more music and more yoga with you down the road. With great love and with great respect. Jai Shri Ram. Peace out.
CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE VIDEO : VOTE FOR HOPE!
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