Tion "Bukue One"...

I'm very exited about introducing the world to the multi-talented Tion Aka Bukue One. Born in Berkeley raised in Oakland, he's been in the game for a while, doing all that he does best, from Skateboarding, Graffiti, Tour Management, Teaching and Rapping. Here's the full interview with him. Check it out!

Ms.KillemWClass : How do you differ from other artist today?

Tion Bukue : I do more behind the scenes than I do in front. Being an artist is not even half of the work I do. Being a Tour Manager, Booking Agent, Event Coordinator and Teacher are my main forms of art. Thoes are the platforms my music and visual art fly from.

Ms.KillemWClass : What kinda music do you do? And what is your music mainly about?

Tion Bukue : I do Optimistic, Fun Loving, Positive vibed hip hop, influenced by soul, 80's freestyle music and Reggae. My music is mainly about life through the perspective of a pop culture loving, politically aware, skateboarding, strike bowling, graffiti writing lyricist.

Ms.KillemWClass : How is it that you came up with the name "Bukue One", and why?

Tion Bukue: A friend of mine had suggested I write this as my graffiti name. It didn't make sense to me and I had no idea what that word meant. After he brought that word into my mind I started hearing it all over. "Man that guy had Bukue bucks" etc., meaning " A lot, A large amount." One day I asked my uncle about it and he said it was the slang in the 70's for “a large amount, kinda like how we use "Hella", it's derived from the word " Beaucoup" Which is French for "a Lot." Since I was into a lot of different things, it fi,t so I became " Bukue One" like " Man Of Many."

Ms.KillemWClass : How did you get into Graffiti?

Tion Bukue : I was into the music and the dance relating to hip hop. I was never a natural artist, but my friend encouraged me to start writing and I was hooked..

Ms.KillemWClass : Who inspires you most in music?

Tion Bukue : A mix of Sade, Teena Marie, Barrington Levy, Tribe Called Quest, Russell Simmons, Malcolm Gladwell and Beyond.

Ms.KillemWClass : How would you define hip hop is today?

Tion Bukue : Hip hop is the foundation of many, many pop culture trends. It's where the world looks to find sounds, phrases, images of what's cool. But For me it's still Emceeing, Graffiti, and Break dancing. It's a culture, a medium...A vehicle we use to express ourselves, educate and reprot on the mindset of the people.

Ms.KillemWClass : What kinda person do you think people view you as?

Tion Bukue : A silly dude ( A funnyman). I keep the mood light for the most part, but it's all underlined by depth, serious business, conscious decisions and purpose.

To get your fix of Mr. Tion Bukue One, go to Bukue.Bandcamp.com, where his music is available free. Plus check him out at myspace.com/mrbukueone. In the words of Bukue One, “Enjoy your life and the growth!”