2006 Best Hip Hop Performer
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37.91% Sankofa*
Others with Votes (more than one):
* On the ballot |
You'd have to have been living in a cave somewhere over the last couple of years to not be aware of Fort Wayne's growing hip-hop scene. And unless you were cloistered even further out of reach in the Fort, there's no way you couldn't have at least heard of Stephen Eric Bryden, a.k.a. Sankofa. In the short time Sankofa has been in town he's been consistently proactive in the local Fortress scene. He was featured on the cover of this very publication the week of September 14, 2006; placed second out of 60 acts at whatzup's Battle Of The Bands III; and his most recent proper album, Still Means Something, was nominated for the 2005 Album Of The Year Whammy. Sankofa accomplished all this after literally coming halfway around the world, only to end up in Fort Wayne. To get a sense of who the man really is, let me quote from the aforementioned whatzup article: "For a man his age, Bryden has done his share of living and seen his share of the world. After spending his childhood in Belmont, Australia, he moved to North Mankato, Minnesota, eventually relocating to Saint Peter where he attended Gustavas Adolphus College. Upon graduating, he went to Changhun, China, where he taught for a year, eventually landing back in Minnesota before heading out to California." After his stint in L.A., the article relates, Sankofa hiked the Appalachian Trail before coming to Fort Wayne. The impact Sankofa has made locally has impressed his hip-hop peers, as well as his audience. According to Rhymewise37, "A lot of people in this (still) very rock-centric town who would be close minded to hip-hop will listen to Sankofa because he's less threatening." And according to Glide, "You just never know what to expect at his shows. That's what makes his performances so dope to me." For his part, Sankofa seems to take it all in stride, and gives credit to his peers and fans alike for his success. "My track record is one of making music with friends," he said. "When it comes to talent, Fort Wayne's hip-hop scene can more than hold its own." When asked how he felt about his Whammy win, Sankofa became a man of few words, explaining his reaction as "... disbelief and gratitude, that's about it. I'm grateful for the opportunity." (John DeGroff). |
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