Fashawn

Fashawn aka Flash and "The F"(real name Santiago Leyva, born October 27, 1988) is an underground hip hop rapper from Fresno, California. He is best known for his debut album, Boy Meets World, which was produced entirely by one half of Emanon, Exile. He often collaborates with other rappers/producers such as Planet Asia, Evidence, The Alchemist, Exile, Blu, & U-n-i.

Born in 1988, Fashawn grew up in a virtually parentless home. His father was incarcerated, while his mom battled a drug addiction - a combination that caused a boy to become a man quicker than most. Placed in a group home by child services at the age of 12, Fashawn found solace in music, and began writing rhymes to escape the less than desirable hand he had been dealt so early in life.

Eventually taken in by his uncle, Fashawn spent his teenage years calling First & Shields Ave in Fresno, California his home. Here is where he would find skating, the distractions of the streets, and the pursuance of his music career to be more rewarding than school. Yet, he had a constant thirst for knowledge that extended beyond the streets, so he became an avid reader with an affinity towards non-fiction and motivational books.

In 2006, Fashawn released his first mixtape, “Grizzly City”. Catching the attention of fellow Fresno emcee, Planet Asia, the then 17 year old Fashawn was invited to drop out of school and go on the road with Planet Asia. Since then, Fashwn has worked with Mick Boogie and Terry Urban on the “One Shot One Kill” mixtape, and with OnSmash.com and NahRight.com on his “Higher Learning” mixtape.

On October 20, 2009, Fashawn released his debut album produced by Exile, Boy Meets World to positive reviews. Fashawn has also toured with Ghostface Killah on the "Wizard Of Poetry Tour" , the "How The Grouch Stole Christmas Tour" with Mistah Fab & The Grouch, the "Breakin' Dawn Tour" with Brother Ali, and has performed overseas in 2009 with Evidence and in February 2010 with Blu & Exile. In 2010 he was featured on the cover of XXL as part of the XXL Freshman 10 line-up with Donnis, Nipsey Hussle, Wiz Khalifa, J. Cole,and others.

On June 11, 2010 Fashwan released Ode To Illmatic, a track for track reimagining of the Nas classic 1994 debut Illmatic.  Bio from http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fashawn

Albums

• 2009: Boy Meets World (Produced by Exile)
• TBA: The Ecology

Mixtapes

• Grizzly City Vol. 1 (2006)
• The Phenom Vol. 1 (2007)
• Grizzly City Vol. 2 (2007)
• The Phenom Vol. 2 (2008)
• One Shot One Kill (2008) (Presented by Mick Boogie & Terry Urban)
• Higher Learning Vol. 1 (2008)
• The Antidote (2009) (Produced and compiled by The Alchemist)
• Ode To Illmatic (2010) (Presented by DJ Green Lantern)
• Grizzly City Vol. 3 (2010) (Presented by DJ Skee)
• Higher Learning Vol. 2 (2011)