Fashawn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fashawn
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Santiago Leyva |
| Born | October 19, 1988 |
| Origin | Fresno, California, U.S. |
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| Occupation(s) | |
| Years active | 2006–present |
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| Associated acts | Nas, Evidence, Murs, The Alchemist, Exile, Aloe Blacc, Planet Asia, Blu, J. Cole, Joke |
Santiago Leyva (born October 19, 1988), known as Fashawn, is an American hip hop artist. He is from Fresno, California. Fashawn became well-known after releasing his first album, Boy Meets World, in 2009. This album was fully produced by Exile.
The album was highly praised. It helped Fashawn appear on the cover of XXL Magazine's Top 10 Freshmen issue in 2010. Since then, Fashawn has worked with many other artists and producers. These include Nas, J. Cole, Wiz Khalifa, and Aloe Blacc. In 2014, Fashawn performed the entrance song for boxing champion Timothy Bradley.
On June 9, 2014, Fashawn joined Nas' new music label, Mass Appeal Records. He then released his second album, The Ecology, on February 24, 2015. This album was very popular. It was one of the top 10 most downloaded hip-hop albums on iTunes in its first week. Songs from The Ecology have also been used in popular movies and video games.
Contents
Life and Music Career
Early Life and First Steps in Music (1988–2009)
Fashawn started writing rhymes when he was just 8 years old. By the year 2000, he was completely focused on writing music. In 2006, Fashawn released his first mixtape, Grizzly City. This mixtape caught the attention of Planet Asia, another rapper from Fresno. Planet Asia invited Fashawn to tour with him. Fashawn decided to leave school to follow his dream of making music.
From 2007 to 2008, Fashawn became well-known in the Central California hip-hop scene. He worked with his manager, Aren Hekimian. He also released several mixtapes, including The Phenom and Grizzly City 2. His mixtape One Shot One Kill was very popular with fans and hip-hop websites. This helped him gain more attention as a rising artist.
Boy Meets World and XXL Cover (2009–2012)
In 2009, Fashawn performed across the United States. He toured with famous hip-hop artists like Ghostface Killah. On September 24, 2009, he released a project called The Antidote. This project was produced entirely by The Alchemist. It was released to build excitement for his first solo album.
On October 22, 2009, Fashawn released his first full album, Boy Meets World. Exile produced every song on this album. Critics highly praised the album. They admired Fashawn's ability to share the feelings and dreams of a young person growing up in a challenging area. XXL Magazine gave the album a great review. They said it was a strong first album from a young artist.
In March 2010, Fashawn was featured on the cover of XXL's Top 10 Freshmen issue. He stood alongside other talented artists like Wiz Khalifa and J. Cole. This cover is a big honor for new rappers who show great promise.
Between 2010 and 2011, Fashawn continued to tour with artists like Wiz Khalifa and Talib Kweli. He also performed at major music festivals such as Paid Dues and Rock The Bells. On February 16, 2011, he released a mixtape called Higher Learning Vol. 2. This mixtape included songs like "Big Dreams," which was produced by J. Cole.
On September 25, 2012, Fashawn teamed up with hip-hop artist Murs. They released a joint album called This Generation. They performed many songs from the album together at various shows. On November 17, 2012, Fashawn organized a hip-hop festival in his hometown of Fresno, California. It was called Grizzly Fest 2012. The festival featured performances by himself, Murs, and local artists.
Big Performances and Signing with Nas (2013–2014)
In 2013, Fashawn continued to be active in music. He performed at big hip-hop festivals like Paid Dues and Rock the Bells. He also joined Kendrick Lamar on stage for a freestyle session at Hip Hop Kemp. On November 6, 2013, Fashawn released a video for his new song "The Beginning."
On March 24, 2014, famous rapper Nas invited Fashawn to perform at the Mass Appeal showcase at SXSW 2014. Fashawn performed a new song called "F.T.W." to a large crowd. Nas later mentioned Fashawn as one of the new artists he admired.
On April 12, 2014, Fashawn had a big moment. He performed his song "Champion" as boxing champion Timothy Bradley entered the ring for his fight against Manny Pacquiao. Bradley chose Fashawn's song because he liked its message. He said, "It is about heart and character."
On June 9, 2014, news spread that Fashawn had officially signed with Nas' record label, Mass Appeal Records. Nas stated, "Fashawn is one of the most underrated in the game. The world is gonna know soon." This was a major step for Fashawn's career.
In December 2014, Fashawn released an EP (a shorter album) with The Alchemist. It was called FASH-ionably Late. This EP was a preview for his next big album.
The Ecology Album (2015–Present)
After much anticipation, Fashawn's second full album, The Ecology, was announced in 2014. Fashawn explained that he had been working on The Ecology for about five years. He felt it was important for his career and for hip-hop music.
In January 2015, Fashawn announced that The Ecology would be released on February 24, 2015. It would be released under Nas' Mass Appeal Records. He also planned a tour across the country. The album featured guest artists like Nas (who also helped produce it), Aloe Blacc, and BJ the Chicago Kid. Producers like Exile and The Alchemist worked on the music.
On February 20, 2015, Fashawn surprised fans by making The Ecology available early on iTunes. The physical CDs and vinyl records were released on the original date, February 24. In its first week, The Ecology was one of the top 10 hip-hop albums on iTunes. Songs from the album, including "Something to Believe In", have been used in popular video games. These include the Madden NFL, NBA Live, and WWE 2K series.
In February 2016, Fashawn worked with other rappers like Black Thought and Murs. They recorded a new song called "Rise Up" for the Capcom video game Street Fighter V. A music video for the song was released before the game came out. On April 28, 2017, Fashawn released a new single called "Rant."
Discography
- Boy Meets World (2009)
- The Ecology (2015)
