“The exhilaratingly versatile skills of Giant,

Jacinto, Somos One, and Big Dan launch this

album out of the identity-rap rut into the "that
shit's smokin'" stratosphere”. – SF Bay Guardian

“Their newest offering has underground content

with mainstream appeal… You get the feeling
that anything is possible when it comes to their
dynamic appeal”. – Smokingsection.net

“BRWN BFLO is fun and energetic but always

political with the intellectual creativity of old-
school rappers like Afrika Bambaata”.
– Oakland Tribune

BRWN BFLO is shaking up the music industry. In “The group offers an original, Latin-tinged take
a world of black and white, they represent for on hip-hop both lyrically and production wise.
brown—storytellers of the diverse Chicano It’s a combination that will have you yellings
experience and the struggles of indigenous ‘fresca!’, even if you don’t speak Spanish”.
people worldwide. GIANT, JACINTO, SOMOS – SFWeekly.com
ONE, and BIG DAN are the perfect mix of the old
school and new school and are set to change the
face of contemporary hip hop music. The Oakland quartet shatters traditional hip-
hop parameters like bulls in a fine china shop”.
Currently residing in Oakland, the members –Examiner.com
originate from all over California but blend
effortlessly in the studio and on stage. They www.myspace.com/brwnbflo
have performed alongside Michael Franti,
Goapele, Ise Lyfe, Front Line, Blue Scholars,
and Zion I among others. BRWN BFLO’s musical
influence is as varied as their upbringings; they
credit War, ‘Chente, NWA, and Wu-Tang Clan as
sources of inspiration. These diverse influences
have given way to a truly unique style of music
that has angled BRWN BFLO for success on a
global level, grabbing the attention of a
multigenerational, multicultural audience.
The group keeps their focus through deep
community roots and a strong dedication to
their personal testimony as block educators
turned musicians. Additionally, BRWN BFLO
offers Multi Workshops on Violence-Prevention,
Youth Organizing, Creative Writing/Visual Arts
and Music Production. www.brwnbflo.com

BRWN BFLO’s highly anticipated self-titled

debut album was released May 5th, 2009. Their Jill Brogan
national tour of cultural centers and clubs alike Guerrilla Management
will be supported by a strong promotional 2180 Bryant St. #206
campaign, in-store performances, digital San Francisco, CA 94110
contests, radio giveaways and speaking +415 865 2170
engagements. Jill@GuerrillaMgmt.com
Individual Biographies

BIG DAN-- Executive producer of BRWN BFLO. A Multi-Media

performing/recording artist and business entrepreneur, Big Dan has
been featured on two “Imagine Peace” PSA’s for Oakland based KTOP
TV and is currently completing a documentary of his life entitled ‘A
Homeboy Changes His Stripes”. He is the 2007 champion of “LA KALLE
FAMA”, a local street fame competition on LA KALLE RADIO 100.7fm. He
has collaborated with many artists, most notably with Los Rakas on “Mi
Barrio”. All his achievements on and off the stage have expanded his
recognition both locally and internationally.

SOMOS 1-- UNION MADE Buffalo born in Delano , raised in San Diego ,
UC Berkeley and the Town of Oakland.! An oft-featured Hip Hop poet,
community organizer and High School educator, to him-BRWN BFLO is a
natural extension of all three.! When he’s not making music, playing
futbol or working in the garden he’s in the classroom teaching art and
creative writing or conspiring to facilitate multimedia artistic skill-
building. !He paraphrases Bertolt Brecht and declares “Art is NOT
merely a mirror to hold up to society but a hammer with which to help
shape it”.! !He likens his music to his mama’s food.

JACINTO-- Born and raised in Oakland, CA. Producer of BRWN BFLO.

Since the age of 10, he has been continually progressing toward
becoming a well-rounded musician and sound engineer. With an ear for
music and talented hands, he beats the s*!# out of an MPC. Jacinto has
birthed a style that is all his own.

GIANT-- Hecho en Salinas, CA. Self taught DJ, MC and vocalist. Giant
developed his skills, beginning when he joined his first Hip Hop Crew as
the DJ at the age of sixteen and later with Entre Musicos as a vocalist.
Combined with his professional experience in sound and lighting for
concerts, clubs, and car shows ultimately prepared him for his
encounter with his brothers the BFLO's. Giant is the son of immigrants
and the new millennium, brother of many, bridge builder, and life long
student of music. He is also a University Of California Berkeley
graduate, and block educator passionate about working with youth who
seek direction through music and creativity. "Creating music is my
release and way of healing, apart from my family it is the one thing that
gives me the energy to "keep it moving" and motivate those around me".
Promotional Assets

DIGITAL:
• www.myspace.com/brwnbflo
• www.brwnbflo.com
• www.youtube.com/brwnbflo
*”The Reappearance” directed by Samm Styles
*Rethunk Entertainment Presents “The Reappearance: The Making Of”.
*BRWN BFLO Promotional Video Produced by KTOP Television.
*”Whats Good?” directed by Quinn Alvarez

PRINT & DIGITAL MEDIA:

• “Oakland hip-hop quartet makes it political” -- Oakland Tribune 11/08

• “Spotlight: Bay Area Rappers BRWN BFLO” – Peoples Tribune 03/09

• “Snapshot: BRWN BFLO” –SF Bay Guardian 04/09

• “BRWN BFLO” – Fresno Undercurrent 04/09

• “BRWN BFLO Album Out Today” – SFWeekly.com 05/09

• “Grito De Dolores” –- smokingsection.net 05/09

• “BRWN BFLO Release Debut” – Examiner.com 05/09

• “Latin TV” Episode #521 – Airdate: 7/11/09

TOP 10 MARKETS:
1. SF Bay Area, CA
2. Los Angeles, CA
3. New York, NY
4. San Diego, CA
5. Austin, TX
6. Chicago, IL
7. Santa Fe, NM
8. Boston, MA
9. Seattle, WA
10.Taos, NM
November 29, 2008

Oakland hip-hop quartet BRWN BFLO makes it political

By Angela Woodall

Bay Area rappers BRWN BFLO took their name from the 1972 autobiography by Oscar Zeta Acosta, "Brown Buffalo"
— a tale of an alienated Mexican-American lawyer in Oakland whose Chicano pride and sense of history are
awakened.

The story is a familiar one to the quartet of first and second-generation Mexican Americans who go by the stage
names Somos One (Julio Magana, 30), Giant (Luke Soriano, 29), Big Dan (Daniel Mora, 23) and Jacinto (Jacinto
Mingura, 19).

Except their barrio story is set to a hip-hop beat.

On stage, BRWN BFLO is fun and energetic but always political with the intellectual creativity of old-school rappers
like Afrika Bambaataa.

"If you feeling what we feelin' put your hands to the ceiling" they chanted during a rehearsal for their Wednesday
night Oakland Metro show in the basement of Somos One's North Oakland house. In the background Jacinto worked
his AKAI sampler like Charles Mingus playing bass and the guest DJ Oja resembled Thelonious Monk on the piano,
only his fingers were flying across vinyl.

"They can't kill us all and they can't deport us," rapped Big Dan, his long black hair flying about his face as he sang
about coming up Chicano in the United States.

Hip-hop, ethnicity and a dedication to political activism brought together the quartet of college-educated Californians
who characterize BRWN BFLO as a Chicano-conscious revolutionary group.

"We're all on the hip-hop tip," as Jacinto put it.

So using hip-hop was the logical choice as their medium to communicate with young people grappling with broken
schools, broken homes and a broken system.

"It was natural for us," Somos One said, sitting on a sofa surrounded by political posters and handwritten
Muhammad Ali and Carol Mosley Brown quotes.

"We are part of the hip-hop generation. My heart beats to it."

Calling themselves "edu-tainers" and block educators, they try to stay close to their community roots and preach the
gospel of violence prevention, cultural pride and La Raza resistance that they said students in dysfunctional schools
learn piecemeal — if at all. Only they do it through music and multimedia — an approach that has won them
recognition.

Their music has also gotten attention. They have shared the stage with Goapele, Ise Lyfe, Frontline, Blue Scholars
and Zion I, who they credit as one of their influences along with WAR, Fuga, La Collectiva, Entre Musicos, Los Rakas
and Wu-Tang Clan.

As their success grew and number of shows increased, the group decided to create a board whose members are DJs,
students, community advocates and others.

"We want to stay relevant to what's going on," said Big Dan, who learned the hard lessons of a Fruitvale district
gangbanger with some serious brushes with the law. Now he and the other members of BRWN BFLO try to reach
youth for whom gangs seem like a better option than school.

Somos One likened their role to a storyteller who brings history alive and turns the "you're at risk of failure" mantra
upside down. "We're all survivors."