Kaleo, aka Son Da One, was born March 7, 1980 on the island of Kauai, Hawaii. The translation of his Hawaiian name Kaleo is “The Heavenly Voiceâ€. Kaleo is a true poet and entertainer with a strong recognition of the power of the spoken word. His stage presence and delivery are dynamic and captivating. Each word is infused with profound meaning and dramatic imagery. Originally inspired by the elements and message of hip-hop music/culture, Kaleo was naturally drawn to grafitti, breaking, turntables and ultimately the art of spoken word, free-styling and emceeing.Uprooted at a young age and relocated to the East Bay of Northern Cali., he grew up with a rich musical background, and family influences like Grandfather Ben Largusa (also The Grandmaster of Kali Martial Arts) who was a professional jazz musician. His Grandfather's teachings included respect and the value of family and cultural history. After experiencing first hand racial discrimination and bigotry while growing up in the city, he moved back to Kauai in 1990 to find the same experience of not being accepted, only this time, as a native islander. He had a different perspective, his own style and an artistic way of expressing that authenticity.Kaleo's affiliation with hip-hop early on, led him to become one of the pioneers of the emerging culture on the island of Kauai. Being involved in some of the first ciphers brought him in contact with like-minded individuals. From 2003 to 2005 he joined forces with “The Highlandersâ€, a Kauai-based group who had a sound of their own, unlike anything Hawaii had ever heard. With a unique fusion of hip-hop/ funk/ jazz/ R&B/ rock/ metal; their style appealed to a wide variety of people and inspired a loyal local fan-base.Kaleo, aka Son Da One, continued to pursue a solo career simultaneously and also began to organize open-mic forums showcasing local talent. He has been honored to share the stage with fellow hip-hop heads Zion-I, Atmosphere, Ladybug Mecca, Parrish “PMDâ€, Fatlip of the Pharcyde, Omni, Mikah 9, Jennifer Johns, Medusa, LA Symphony, DJ Honda and the Alkaholiks. Kaleo is currently focusing his creative energies on his first full length album which is due to be released in 2008.
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