Tufawon (2 for 1) is a Dakota/Boricua hip hop artist from Minneapolis, Minnesota. His name is a representation of his mixed identity, and his music is an honest reflection of his life experiences and personal struggles, his hopes and dreams for the future, spirituality and connectedness to the land, love, and the realities of the world we live in. He has put his life on the line to protect water and our planet. His style is an embodiment of intricate lyricism with complex vocabulary balanced by a very clear, smooth, and concise delivery. With a socially aware approach, he touches on topics such as Indigenous resiliency, politics, health, defending Mother Earth, and fighting against oppressive systems. Another common vibe in his music is humor and lighthearted, fun and catchy songs that are intended to bring a level of happiness to the listener. The underlying message in his music is always connected to freedom.
The past few years have been incredibly active for the hip hop artist and activist. He was recently awarded the Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship, one of his biggest accomplishments to date. He participated in the inaugural First Nations SongHubs, where he recorded with Indigenous artists from around the globe at the world famous Abbey Road Institute in Melbourne, Australia. He was also featured on the Breakfast Club and Hot 97 Ebro In The Morning speaking on issues that affect Indigenous communities. He completed his first headlining hip hop tour in Europe "Resilience", and he continues to stay active in his community. From fighting the Dakota Access Pipeline at Standing Rock to organizing efforts to Stop Line 3, to speaking at the United Nations in Geneva Switzerland and doing several hip hop tours around the world, Tufawon continues to live out his message and impact the world in a profound way.
Tufawon, along with a crew of incredibly talented Indigenous artists, recently released the LandBack album, a 21 song full length record executive produced by NDN Collective and lead by Nataanii Means and Antoine. This album features 10 Indigenous artists from around Turtle Island showcasing beautifully well-rounded and cohesive songs that proclaim what the message of LandBack means to them. It's energetic, powerful, uplifting and inspiring. Along with this record, Tufawon has been relentlessly releasing singles with 35+ song drops altogether, the most music he's released in a single year. On top of all of the music being released, he has also been actively releasing music video content. He plans to continue working on and releasing music in 2022 and touring the world.
