NANPA BÁSICO

At the early age of 12 he fell in love with literature for the first time, when he read a poetry book that his mother wrote to his father. “Mi mom writes amazing poetry” he says. “When my mom and dad split up, I understood two things. First, the beauty of literature and second, the personification of forgiveness. My mother forgives him from the bottom of her heart and let him go. She said ́Look, this is what I have wrote during our entire marriage, take it with you ́. The first thing I thought is how unfair was having that book sitting there, and nobody have access to it. There should be a way for it to reach many more people”.

From then on, his creativity ́s fire was turned on, and at the age of 13 he began composing his first rap songs. “I didn ́t see myself as a desk writer smoking tobacco”, he mentions. “All what I write is what I think, what I feel and what I live”. I found an everyday way to communicate. My message is very clear, and I say it like it is. I feel rap allowed me that.”

The first song he wrote was about his favorite uncle ́s life, who lived on the street being a victim of drug addiction. In 2013, the young man performed his first song as the opening act at the First Bronx Festival in Bogotá, ironically the renovated space of one of Bogotá's highest drug consumption areas. Soon after, the teenager's parents tell his uncle about the song he wrote about him. He was already in critical health condition. One day his uncle Nan (short for Hernan) approached him and ask if he could listen to the song. “I hardly suffer from fear or from be nervous but that day was one of those days in which I feel most nervous in my whole life. It was the longest 4 minutes ever,” he recalls. I played the song and he cried like a child because he was listening to his story told from a child. He told me, ́Son, I have never done anything important in my life, I would love that when you make music I would be there. I want that when people call you, people call me.” So, the artist decided to be called Nanpa in honor to his uncle; and “pa” comes from Pacho, Francisco’s nickname, his birth name, “Básico” stands for essential, “music is basic for my existence”, he states.

--

Ohne

From the beautiful city of Bucaramanga in Santander, Colombia, Ohne, 19, singer/songwriter, is here to prove that sometimes beauty only runs skin deep. Growing up, Ohne often saw his mom struggle economically, and had to help raise his little sister. “Many times she gave me food knowing she probably wouldn’t eat that day and that would really mess with my head, that’s why now one of my biggest reasons is to make sure that my mom is taken care of, says Ohne.”

At the age of 11, Ohne moved to the U.S (Laurel, MD), to live with his dad, soon he learned how to speak English by listening to rap and rock music. A couple of years later, he decided to take matters into his own hands and began playing the piano and writing his own raps and melodies. Although he began writing in English, it was when he came across J Balvin and his music that he was so inspired and decided to write in Spanish as well. Ohne plans to take you on an unexpected journey through love, lust, and struggle, showing you the other side of a city known for its nice weather. He is, “the rose that grew from concrete”, (Tupac Shakur).

Event Venue

Songbyrd , 2477 18th st NW , Washington , United States