Fashawn facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Fashawn
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Fashawn in 2014
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Santiago Leyva |
| Born | October 19, 1988 |
| Origin | Fresno, California, U.S. |
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| 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 by his stage name Fashawn, is an American rapper from Fresno, California. He first became well-known for his first album, Boy Meets World (2009). This album was highly praised and led to him being featured on the cover of XXL Magazine's Top 10 Freshmen issue in 2010. In 2014, he signed with Nas' record label Mass Appeal Records. He then released his second album, The Ecology (2015), which also received great reviews.
In 2014, Fashawn also performed the entrance music for WBO welterweight boxing champion Timothy Bradley before his big fight against Manny Pacquiao.
Contents
Fashawn's Journey in Music
Early Life and Starting His Career (1988–2009)
Santiago Leyva was born on October 19, 1988, in Fresno, California. He had a challenging childhood. When he was 8 years old, Fashawn and his sister went to live in a group home. Later, their Uncle Roy took them in and became a father figure to them. Fashawn remembers writing his first rap at age 8. By the year 2000, he was completely focused on writing.
In 2006, Fashawn released his first mixtape, called Grizzly City. This caught the attention of another rapper from Fresno, Planet Asia, who invited Fashawn to tour with him. Seeing this amazing chance, Fashawn left school to follow his dream. From 2007 to 2008, he became well-known in the Central California hip-hop scene. He worked with his manager Aren Hekimian and released several mixtapes. These included The Phenom, Grizzly City 2, The Phenom 2, Higher Learning, and One Shot One Kill. The mixtape One Shot One Kill was very popular with fans and hip-hop websites. This helped him gain more attention as a rising artist.
Breakthrough Albums and Collaborations (2009–2012)
In 2009, Fashawn performed across the United States with different hip-hop artists. He went on separate tours with Ghostface Killah and The Grouch. On September 24, 2009, he released a project called The Antidote. This project was produced entirely by The Alchemist. It was meant to get fans excited for his first solo album.
On October 22, 2009, Fashawn released his first full-length album, Boy Meets World. This album was produced entirely by Exile. The album received excellent reviews. People praised Fashawn for how well he described the struggles and dreams of a young person growing up in a difficult area. XXL Magazine gave the album a high rating. They said Boy Meets World was a strong first album from such a young rapper. In March 2010, Fashawn appeared on the cover of XXL's Top 10 Freshmen issue. He was alongside other famous artists like Wiz Khalifa, J. Cole, Big Sean, and Nipsey Hussle. This cover spot was a big honor for new rappers who showed great promise.
Between 2010 and 2011, Fashawn continued to tour with artists such as Wiz Khalifa, Talib Kweli, and Brother Ali. He also performed at the Paid Dues and Rock The Bells music festivals. On February 16, 2011, he released a mixtape called Higher Learning Vol. 2. This mixtape featured two music videos, "Down That Road" and "Big Dreams," which were produced by J. Cole.
On September 25, 2012, Fashawn teamed up with well-known hip-hop artist Murs to release a joint album called This Generation. Fashawn and Murs 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 other local talents. On November 20, 2012, he released the mixtape Champagne & Styrofoam Cups. This mixtape included the song "Medicine Man" featuring Wiz Khalifa.
Big Performances and Signing with Nas (2013–2014)
In 2013, Fashawn continued to be active in music. He performed at major hip-hop festivals like Paid Dues, Rock the Bells, and Hip Hop Kemp. At Hip Hop Kemp, he joined Kendrick Lamar on stage for a freestyle session. On November 6, 2013, Fashawn released a video for a new song called "The Beginning." On December 9, 2013, Fashawn's art was featured in a web episode by Vans. On February 14, 2014, he released a new song called "Ladies" for Valentine's Day. He dedicated it to women who work hard to raise their children.
On March 24, 2014, famous rapper Nas brought Fashawn out during a show at SXSW 2014 in Austin, Texas. Fashawn performed a new song called "F.T.W." in front of a large crowd. In 2014, during an online question-and-answer session, Nas mentioned Fashawn as one of the new artists who had recently impressed him.
On April 12, 2014, during the big boxing match between Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley II in Las Vegas, champion Timothy Bradley chose Fashawn to perform his entrance song. Fashawn performed his song "Champion," which was produced by Exile. Bradley said he liked the song because it was "real hip-hop" and focused on "heart and character."
On June 9, 2014, many news outlets reported that Fashawn had officially signed with Nas' Mass Appeal Records. Nas stated, "Fashawn is one of the most underrated in the game. The world is gonna know soon. We're excited to have him as a part of the family."
On December 18, 2014, Fashawn released an EP (a shorter album) with The Alchemist called FASH-ionably Late. This was a preview for his upcoming second album.
The Ecology and Beyond (2015–Present)
In 2014, after a long wait, it was announced that Fashawn's second full-length solo album, The Ecology, was being made. Fashawn explained that The Ecology was a concept he had been working on for about five years. He took his time with the project because he knew it would be important for his career and for hip-hop music.
In January 2015, Fashawn announced that The Ecology would be released on February 24, 2015, through Nas' Mass Appeal Records. He also planned a tour across the country after the album's release. The album's song list was then shared, confirming guest appearances by Nas (who also helped produce the album), Aloe Blacc, BJ the Chicago Kid, and Dom Kennedy. The music production was handled by Exile, The Alchemist, and DJ Khalil, among others.
On February 20, 2015, Fashawn surprised fans by making The Ecology available for purchase on iTunes earlier than planned. The physical CD and vinyl versions of The Ecology kept their original release date of February 24, 2015. During its first week, The Ecology was one of the Top 10 Hip-Hop Albums on iTunes. Since then, songs from the album, like "Something to Believe In", have been used in popular video games such as Madden NFL, NBA Live, and WWE 2K.
In February 2016, Fashawn worked with Black Thought, Murs, and Del the Funky Homosapien to record a new song called "Rise Up." This song was 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 single called "Rant."
Discography
- Boy Meets World (2009)
- The Ecology (2015)
