It’s an impressive set of world-class musical talent scheduled to perform at the Art + Soul Oakland festival on Aug. 3rd and 4th. Some of these top performers are Oakland residents – it’s smart not to assume that all hot musicians live in Los Angeles or New York. These local artists are innovators who are getting national and international attention.
Los Rakas is a bilingual rap and reggae duo originally from Panama but now making their music in Oakland. Cousins Raka Rich and Raka Dun are known for their fresh mix of hip-hop, plena, reggae and dancehall music with both Spanish and English lyrics. Los Rakas represents the cutting edge of Pan-American flows – their style is unique.
"Truth is, there’s only Los Rakas really doing this,” notes the MTV program IGGY. The bilingual rap and reggae duo out of Oakland are putting all the pieces together: rapping in both Spanish and English over rhythms from a faraway isthmus and from around the block. They draw lines between the immigrant experience and the urban experience; between the black and the brown experience.”
“Oakland-based Raka Dun and Raka Rich represent some of the best in Spanish-language rap coming out of the US, with a classic flow married to beats that draw from dancehall, future bass and good ol’-fashioned boom-bap,” wrote AOL SPINNER.
Latin jazz favorite Ray Obiedo is another Oaklander performing at Art + Soul. The jazz guitarist brings a fresh, world beat sound created from his diverse background in jazz, jazz-funk, Latin pop and jazz fusion. Obiedo was born and raised in Richmond, California, where as a child he frequently traveled to nearby San Francisco for free concerts by music legends such as Jimi Hendrix and Cream. He began playing guitar at age 17 and eventually worked with famous artists including Herbie Hancock and Sheila E. He has recorded five albums, including one that reached the Top Ten on Billboard's Contemporary Jazz charts.
Art + Soul Oakland will attract thousands of music lovers who want to see big talent and big names for the price of a local festival. For tickets and additional information, visit www.ArtandSoulOakland.com or call (510) 444-CITY.