co-founders

FUNKAMENTALZ "music catalysts glow on"

FUNKAMENTALZ ONE TIME FOR THE MIND

Wade Colwell-Sandoval

Co-Founder/Teacher/MC

Peace!

I would like to honor the three who most influenced the artistic journey I have chosen. First, my mother Catalina, a visual artist who connected me to my indigenous roots through her depiction of native cultures in her works. Next, my father Paul - a writer/musician who a demonstrated to me that music is a universal language that can build bridges of understanding between people. Finally, my grandfather Anthony Quinn - a legendary actor whose courage, persistence and resilience helped him to overcome obstacles of poverty and lack of opportunity.

Flashback to the early 80’s... in middle school I was exposed to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message”- a groundbreaking song that depicts the realities and struggles of inner-city life. I was inspired and mesmerized by the musical hook, the straight-talk, and the inventive rhythm-based lyricism. Plus, my interest in the song’s storyline helped me to make the mental connection to the potential for hip hop music to be a vehicle for wide-scale social awareness and positive change.

Fast forward to the 21st century... I have continued to reinforce my view of the transcending qualities of music and creative expression thru the many life situations I have been blessed to experience. Today I am a lyricist/MC/spoken word poet, teacher, performer, presenter, youth advocate, facilitator, consultant and most prominently, the co-founder of Funkamentals – a group formed to inspire higher learning, enrich cultural awareness and raise social-consciousness in young people through the medium of hip hop music. The extensive amount of content that can be expressed in a hip hop format has made it possible for us to create music incorporating advanced math, the periodical table of the elements, the countries, currencies, and languages of the world as well as life topics that can help spark a curiosity for youth to engage in the conversation and process of social transformation.

Today I stay on it

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Baba Oyadare Ranson III
Co-Founder/Producer/MC
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Baba Oyadare Ranson III is blessed with a unique and powerful gift of artistic expression.
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His work generates from an intense passion that burns inside him to share his social and cultural consciousness with others through art. He is a practitioner of multiple artistic disciplines, which include music, art, and most recently, film. His music, film, and performance productions press technology beyond traditional boundaries and because of this, he has been labeled an iconoclast with a unique voice in the postmodern global Hip Hop village.
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Ranson was born into the social activist environment of Oakland, CA then made the signifiant cultural transition moving to Tucson, AZ with his family. His advocacy for community issues remained strong as he has been prolifically involved in producing creative projects for community building throughout his young and adult life.
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Ranson brings to the table seventeen independent label releases and five major label credits. He has produced music for HBO's Chris Rock Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Showtime original movie The Fixer, Jenny Jones, and other popular television programs.
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As a result of his travels abroad, which include living on two continents (North America, Australia), Ranson is multilingual and conversant in English, Spanish, and is currently studying French, Ga and Yoruba. He lives in Denton, TX with his wife Dulce.

Contact:

Wade Colwell-Sandoval / xochiyolotl@gmail.com

Baba Oyadare Ranson III / redbuffaloboy@aim.com


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		FUNKAMENTALZ ONE TIME FOR THE MIND



		Wade Colwell-Sandoval Co-Founder/Teacher/MC Peace! . I would like to honor the three who most influenced the artistic journey I have chosen. First, my mother Catalina, a visual artist who connected me to my indigenous roots through her depiction of native cultures in her works. Next, my father Paul - a writer/musician who a demonstrated to me that music is a universal language that can build bridges of understanding between people. Finally, my grandfather Anthony Quinn - a legendary actor whose courage, persistence and resilience helped him to overcome obstacles of poverty and lack of opportunity. . Flashback to the early 80’s... in middle school I was exposed to Grandmaster Flash and the Furious Five’s “The Message”- a groundbreaking song that depicts the realities and struggles of inner-city life. I was inspired and mesmerized by the musical hook, the straight-talk, and the inventive rhythm-based lyricism. Plus, my interest in the song’s storyline helped me to make the mental connection to the potential for hip hop music to be a vehicle for wide-scale social awareness and positive change. . Fast forward to the 21st century... I have continued to reinforce my view of the transcending qualities of music and creative expression thru the many life situations I have been blessed to experience. Today I am a lyricist/MC/spoken word poet, teacher, performer, presenter, youth advocate, facilitator, consultant and most prominently, the co-founder of Funkamentals – a group formed to inspire higher learning, enrich cultural awareness and raise social-consciousness in young people through the medium of hip hop music. The extensive amount of content that can be expressed in a hip hop format has made it possible for us to create music incorporating advanced math, the periodical table of the elements, the countries, currencies, and languages of the world as well as life topics that can help spark a curiosity for youth to engage in the conversation and process of social transformation. . Today I stay on it SEE FULL BIO						Baba Oyadare Ranson III Co-Founder/Producer/MC . Baba Oyadare Ranson III is blessed with a unique and powerful gift of artistic expression. . His work generates from an intense passion that burns inside him to share his social and cultural consciousness with others through art. He is a practitioner of multiple artistic disciplines, which include music, art, and most recently, film. His music, film, and performance productions press technology beyond traditional boundaries and because of this, he has been labeled an iconoclast with a unique voice in the postmodern global Hip Hop village. . Ranson was born into the social activist environment of Oakland, CA then made the signifiant cultural transition moving to Tucson, AZ with his family. His advocacy for community issues remained strong as he has been prolifically involved in producing creative projects for community building throughout his young and adult life. . Ranson brings to the table seventeen independent label releases and five major label credits. He has produced music for HBO's Chris Rock Show, The Oprah Winfrey Show, The Showtime original movie The Fixer, Jenny Jones, and other popular television programs. . As a result of his travels abroad, which include living on two continents (North America, Australia), Ranson is multilingual and conversant in English, Spanish, and is currently studying French, Ga and Yoruba. He lives in Denton, TX with his wife Dulce.



		© FUNKAMENTALZ / EST. 1997 Contact: Wade Colwell-Sandoval / xochiyolotl@gmail.com Baba Oyadare Ranson III / redbuffaloboy@aim.com Powered by Register.com