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Tomas Karmelo

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I'm a smelly kid from Phoenix, AZ. I sing, rap, and produce music in English and Spanish.

My parents, who were both born in Cuidad Juarez, Mexico, raised me to respect my elders and to honor the memory of our ancestors. My pops has worked in construction most of his life, but recently my family has encouraged him to write the beautiful music and poetry he's had in him since a child. He never finished grade school but his wisdom is a huge force in my life. My momma, she's quite the strong and intelligent woman. She has a Master's in Microbiology. So my situation is dope, a beautiful mix of street smarts, native customs, art, and science applied to an urban setting.

I live on the West Side of Phoenix, AZ in a part known as "Little Mexico" and I wouldn't have it any other way. Here on my block we can bump music as loud as we want for as long as we want. We get mobile street vendors selling elote (corn on the cob or in a cup), duritos (chips), paletoros (ice-cream vendors). Also, we get to paint our houses whatever color we feel like and there's usually a lovely smell of Mexican comfort food in the air, of course, with occasional smells of backed up sewage, wafts of chronic, and puffs of tire smoke. I guess if you've been to East L.A. or Chula Vista,CA you'll have an idea.

I've never been a fan of any artist or celebrity figure, well, except for Lauryn Hill. However, even then, I wasn't the type to hang a poster of her or anything on my wall. I'd just replay and replay The Fugees and her album 'The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill.'When she stopped putting records out, to be honest, I had little hope that anyone would come close to her grace and spirit, well, until I heard "Blues For the Horn" from K'Naan. Ever since I heard this track, I've been a strong advocate of the dusty foot philosophy! hahaha Also, I have a 4 ft poster of his Troubadour album on my wall, marking him the first artist (apart from my father), whose image I feel honored to hang up. It's not fanaticism (this wouldn't be me). He just has such a strong, positive spirit that helps me focus my music into something productive in such a destructive world.

Much love and respect to you and yours K'Naan. I hope you're not mad at me for doing a remix to your song, it's out of love maing!