GabrielTeodros.com has a new format... 
and it's not on this blog. Check the new website here, and if your not already on the email list, sign up!

For the last year or so, all the energy that used to go into this blog has evolved as I've gone on to write for other websites, publications and more creative work I can't wait to tell you all about. So check out the new site, update your links, and we can catch up on social media too.

This blog won't be updated anymore,  but is still here just for the sake of archives.
Thank you to everyone who's shown love here through the years. Appreciate y'all

peace
- gt

Official video for Greeny Jungle + upcoming shows in NYC, DC, SEA

It's finally here! The video for Greeny Jungle captures a moment with the Black Lives Matter movement in Seattle, on Reclaim MLK Day 2015 where an estimated 10,000 people took to the streets. You can read more on okayafrica... this one is special. I'm also currently in the midst of touring with the Evidence Of Things Not Seen album, and have just had some incredible shows and workshops in Montreal, QC; Toronto, ON; Buffalo, NY and Wooster, OH... alongside some of my favorite artists and minds including Nnedi Okorafor (who's speculative fiction works inspired the theme of Greeny Jungle), Akua Naru, Bocafloja, members of Nomadic Massive, Kalmunity, pHoenix Pagliacci, and more. Sending extra love to everyone who braved the Siberian vortex to make every date so awesome. This week I'm in New York City with a show in Brooklyn on Friday, Washington, DC on Sunday, and coming back to Seattle for a few shows next week. More details on everything below, and I've also been keeping the events page updated as I go. Friday, February 27th - Brooklyn, NY Gabriel Teodros with si dåko’ta & DJ Ian Head 11PM | $10 at the door invite your peoples on facebook here Bunna Cafe 1084 Flushing Ave Brooklyn, NY Sunday, March 1st - Washington, DC Gabriel Teodros with The 1978ers (yU & Slimkat) 9PM | $10 at the door invite your peoples on facebook here Bossa 2463 18th St NW Washington, DC Thursday, March 5th - Seattle, WA Abstract Rude & Myka 9 Gabriel Teodros Silas Blak hosted by Suntonio Bandanaz & DJ Able Fader 9PM | 21+ | $10 adv / $15 dos invite your peoples on facebook here Lo-Fi Performance Gallery 429 Eastlake Ave Seattle, WA Friday, March 6th - Seattle, WA Youth Speaks Seattle Wild Card Slam featuring Gabriel Teodros 6PM | $5 youth / $10 adults invite your peoples on facebook here Rainier Valley Cultural Center 3515 S Alaska St Seattle, WA And finally, if you haven't heard, Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories from Social Justice Movements has a release date of March 15th, and is available now for a discount via AK Press. I'm so honored and excited to have my first published short story in this collection... the book includes short stories from LeVar Burton, Terry Bisson, Alexis Pauline Gumbs, Alixa Garcia, Autumn Brown, Bao Phi, David Walker, Dani McClain, Dawolu Jabari Anderson, Gabriel Teodros, Jelani Wilson, Kalamu ya Salaam, Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha, Mia Mingus, Morrigan Phillips, Tara Betts, Tunde Oluniran, Vagabond, adrienne maree brown and Walidah Imarisha, essays by Tananarive Due and Mumia Abu-Jamal, as well as an introduction by Sheree Renee Thomas. There is a tour in the works, and we want to bring it everywhere! The information for booking Octavia's Brood is here. Hope to see you in your town soon!

Light Attracts Light & Everything Else Too

"i'm operating in a system i do not believe in

authoring some stories we could leave for our children

& honestly wish we all approached it different

but everybody's got a high cost of living..."

Gabriel Teodros & SoulChef
"Light Attracts Light & Everything Else Too"
Evidence Of Things Not Seen
A CambioWasHere Joint.
Peace to Alex Riedlinger, Sidony O'Neal & Enjoni for everything. Peace to Hidmo for inspiration.

Also, check this expansive interview I just did with Amira Ali at Africa Speaks 4 Africa. We went in-depth about the new album, the last album, music in Ethiopia and more. It's my favorite interview done for Evidence Of Things Not Seen so far, which is saying something because the press this album has been getting (with no budget + no publicist) has been great!

"Multi-talented and community-engaged, veteran MC Gabriel Teodros releases his strongest album yet."
- City Arts Magazine

"Sunday-morning easy, SoulChef's classic, hearth-warm production fits the "30 Something, Hella Single" wanderer-MC like fresh socks as he steps out looking for love ("I kinda flirt with existence"), meaning, and home."
- Larry Mizell Jr., The Stranger

"Besides depth packed lyrical content, there is something bottomless and heart grippingly soothing about Teodros’ music. It’s like the perfect synthesis of jazz-tinged soul with Hip-Hop, or it’s like when Hip-Hop meets love and love meets Hip-Hop"
- Amira Ali, Africa Speaks 4 Africa

"I was introduced to Gabriel via this collab, and after checking the album out he’s become one of my favorite MCs."
- Mr. Tang, Word Is Bond

Physical copies of the album with a limited-edition book of lyrics available exclusively on bandcamp.

CDs & Book of lyrics available online now

Gabriel Teodros & SoulChef
Evidence Of Things Not Seen

The full-length CD & limited-edition book of lyrics is available now, exclusively at shows and online via bandcamp!

You can also now order a physical copy of Children Of The Dragon on CD through bandcamp as well.

Much love to everyone who has been supported the record thus far. The release party in Seattle was great! If you couldn't make it, there's some pictures from the show here, via Rafael Ochoa.

More goodness on the way soon...

Evidence Of Things Not Seen available now + interview with 28Hundred

Gabriel Teodros & SoulChef - Evidence Of Things Not Seen
available now on iTunes, Amazon, etc. and with a digital book of lyrics exclusively on Bandcamp!

James Baldwin has been a huge inspiration on my writing and life in general these last few years, and he definitely was the biggest inspiration on this album in particular. The title Evidence Of Things Not Seen has several intended meanings, in the same way I believe it did for Baldwin when he authored a book with the same title in 1985. It's about the feeling of not being seen in different ways, and it's about seeing things before they actually happen. It's also about how much faith it takes to be an uncompromising independent musician in this day and age, and is a collaboration between musicians who have never set foot on the same land. See what okayafrica had to say about the record here!

Also this week, a recent video interview I did with 28Hundred in NYC debuted on The Monarch Review. You can check the video above. We talked about music, Children Of The Dragon, concepts of home, displacement, gentrification, my first memories of Brooklyn, and 2pac's influence.

If you are in Seattle, I hope to see you at Columbia City Theater this Thursday, November 6th! It'll be the first place in the world you can grab a physical copy of this limited-edition book of lyrics that comes with the new album.

Appreciate ya'll + see you in a minute tho!
- gt

Gabriel Teodros & SoulChef - Evidence Of Things Not Seen

Gabriel Teodros & SoulChef - Evidence Of Things Not Seen
Releases everywhere on October 28th, available for pre-order now

"a lion with a horn
the hunted with a song
the places you get broken
are the places you get strong"

- from 'Greeny Jungle' off the new album, listen now

There's so much to say I don't even know where to start with this one. This album represents my favorite writing I've ever done on a project thus far, and I've decided to celebrate it's release with a limited-edition book of lyrics you can pick up with the CD at our show in Seattle on November 6th! All purchases of the album from either Bandcamp or iTunes will come with a digital book of lyrics as well. Evidence Of Things Not Seen was entirely produced, mixed & mastered by SoulChef (in Auckland, New Zealand), it features guest spots from Jonathan Emile, Shakiah & Sarah MK, and I completely recorded the album with a mobile studio I sometimes travel with, at various locations around Seattle, WA; Toronto, ON and Montreal, QC. The brilliant artwork you see above was done by Masood Tahir (in London, UK). If you were into the song "Black Love" then this whole album is for you. I'll let the lyrics say the rest.

If you missed it, I did an interview with KEXP recently where I talked about patriarchy, humanity and stuff... you can check that out here. I also got the opportunity to do a little performance & interview on The Seattle Channel's Art Zone (which also airs on KCTS 9 in Seattle)... you can check that out here.

Finally, this show. I'm so excited about the entire line-up!

Thursday November 6, 2014

Gabriel Teodros
with Draze, Xperience & EarDr.Umz
@ Columbia City Theater
(4916 Rainier Ave S - Seattle, WA)

Doors: 8PM | 21+
$8 advance tickets available here (tickets will be $10 on day of show)

If you are on Facebook, feel free to add yourself to the events page and invite all your people!

Hope to see ya'll soon
-- gt

"Black Love" 16mm short film directed by Shimby

Black Love: A short film directed by Shimby & produced by NSOROMMA
"something bout your happiness feels like freedom"

Check the short film for "Black Love" by Gabriel Teodros & SoulChef featuring Sarah MK, which debuted on okayafrica.com earlier today! Shot on a 16mm camera, the film was completely hand edited with no digital enhancements, and experimented on by the filmmaker using, among other things, dyes created from roses, frankincense and sage.

This work is like a prequel to my upcoming full-length album with SoulChef on production, entitled Evidence Of Things Not Seen, to be released October 28, 2014. For everyone asking about lyrics, there will be a limited-edition book that comes with the album.

NSOROMMA co-founders Luam Kidane & Hawa Y. Mire recently did a very relevant interview with The Feminist Wire about Black arts, feminism and the decolonial aesthetic. Definitely check that out and learn more about NSOROMMA.

In honor of the short film being released today, I decided to leak a remix of "Black Love" by one of my favorite producers, OCnotes. If you've ever seen my brother do a DJ set, you know that what he does falls more easily under the category of electronic jazz... taking musical elements you would never expect to hear together and making something brand new. If you can dig that, you might dig this.

See you in a minute
-- gt

Save Fendika! An Ethiopian cultural treasure

I wrote a new piece for okayafrica about Melaku Belay and Fendika. Help these musicians buy the land that the Azmari Bet they made famous is built upon today! (time is of the essence here) indiegogo.com/projects/save-the-fendika-cultural-club-in-addis-ababa

"In Addis Ababa today, cranes litter the sky like an alien invasion. With bare feet, workers balance on ancient scaffolding wrapped around modern highrises. The air is a certain spice mixed with the kind of smog that could give anyone asthma in a week. The city is overpopulated and growing fast. I see pictures of where I stayed last time I was in the country and barely recognize a thing. Needless to say, the price of real estate is climbing high… save Fendika.

Melaku Belay dances like lightning; or like traditional acoustic instruments are electrocuting his entire body. He was orphaned as a youth and slept in the streets for 6 months, dancing for tips. The previous owner of Fendika allowed Melaku to sleep in the club while he continued to dance for tips and grow with his craft, until 12 years later he had saved up enough tips to buy the club. Since that day in 2008, Fendika has been an Azmari bet (traditional music house) unlike any other."

Read the rest over at okayafrica: http://bit.ly/SaveFendika

...and if you missed it last week, I made a 10-song playlist for Ethiopian New Years on okayafrica, that you can also check here: http://bit.ly/EthiopianNewYear

Home [Away From] Home

Home [Away From] Home
An Ethiopian and Eritrean Arts Festival in Oakland, CA

So excited to be a part of this brilliance brought together by Meklit Hadero, Sephora Woldu & Ellias Fullmore (in partnership with YBCA) next week in The Bay Area! Learn more about the project here, and don’t miss this absolutely free all-ages festival on Sunday, September 14th featuring musical performances by Gabriel Teodros, CopperWire, Melted States, Zena Konjo and more. There will also be a Braiding as Sculpture competition, Umbrella Painting, a Family Portrait Salon, traditional coffee served all day, food vendors and a children’s play area.

This is all taking place on Lake Merritt, next to the Gojo/Adgo we are building, which is housing events and new artwork created by the likes of Natasha Shompol, Zena Carlota Pearl Alen, Sedey Gebreyes, Esther & Noah Kibreab, Selam Bekele, Andre Jones, Joseph Gebre, Nesima Aberra and Mahader Tesfai for the entire week leading up to the festival!

I also wanted to point ya’ll to some cool interviews I did that went up over the last few months. The first one is in the July issue of Re-Volt Magazine where I talked to Big Hass in Saudi Arabia about style, influences and Hip Hop today. Before that I got to talk to Veronica Bayetti Flores at Feministing.com about redefining concepts of masculinity and home, and I also got a cool feature in the current issue of Seattle Magazine as one of "The 50 Bands Rocking Seattle Music Right Now". Much love to everyone supporting the new album! If you haven’t gotten Children Of The Dragon in your life yet, what are you waiting for? Bandcamp. iTunes.

There will be a lot more news about an even newer album with SoulChef on production very soon…

In the meantime check this out: Ferguson - Seattle Solidarity Cypher featuring EarDr.Umz the MetroGnome on production and raps from Gabriel Teodros, JDFlow, Spekulation, Zar, Ant, Orbitron, Yze & King Khazm.

See ya’ll in a minute,
- gt

Gabriel Teodros LIVE in Montreal, New York City & Washington, DC...

Gabriel Teodros Children Of The Dragon East Coast Tour Dates!

Montreal, QC

Tuesday, July 8th 2014

with Kalmunity Vibe Collective

8PM | $5 before 8:30 / $8 after | 19+

at Les Bobards (4328 Boulevard Saint-Laurent) 

Brooklyn, NY

Sunday, July 13th 2014

Suena la Diaspora! with Quilomboarte (Bocafloja + Hache ST + Cambio), Sol Liebiskind & De La Cieba

8PM | $10 | All Ages

at Palisades (906 Broadway)

* Facebook invite: http://www.facebook.com/events/1441274282791945/

Washington, DC

Wednesday, July 16th 2014

with Colored Girls Hustle

9PM | $5 | 21+ at Bossa (2464 18th St NW)

* Facebook invite: https://www.facebook.com/events/583983531723234/

* I don't have a normal facebook page. If you do, please add yourself to the events and invite all your homies!

I'm honored to be on the road this summer sharing stages with so many inspiring artists! A good way to stay tuned in to the journey is on instagram. This whole tour started in Detroit a few weeks ago, where I performed and presented at one of my favorite annual gatherings, the Allied Media Conference, with one of my favorite projects I've ever been so lucky to be a part of, Octavia's Brood: Science Fiction Stories From Social Justice Movements! To get a taste of what happened, check this video Scott Macklin just posted from the Octavia's Brood event we had in Seattle earlier this year: