Artist description Based in Cincinnati, Abiyah is a poet and recording artist who specializes in the Floetry genre, a style of poetry blended with music, percussion, and voice. Abiyah made her Floetry debut at a benefit concert for the American Anti-Slavery Group in January 2000. After a short stint with Cincinnati producer G-Fresh’s Truth Music Progeny label, she met Floetry proponent and producer N8tive Sun through an e-mail soliciting submissions for his Flobonics web radio show. Abiyah traveled to New York City several times to both record with N8tive and to assist in furthering the Floetry movement. Her strategy to introduce Floetry to Cincinnati audiences has included: - performing at Scribble Jam: The Four Elements of Hip Hop in 2000 and 2001; - conceiving and hosting a radio show, "Flow Tectonics," to showcase the work of poets who fuse their words with music; and - implementing a Floetry showcase series, "Floetry 101." Abiyah’s Floetry EP, "Flow Tectonics," contains five tracks produced by N8tive Sun, Obafemi (a producer for NYC hip hop artists Rise and Shine), and Skandal da Ruckus Man (a participant in the 2000 HBO Blaze Battle). Her poem "fatherless townships", also on the EP, is included in the Random House anthology, Bum Rush the Page: A Def Poetry Jam. True to the Floetry genre, Abiyah offers a diverse collection of soundscapes. She rides reggae riddims (“fatherless townships”,”warrior princesses”), flows fluidly on flirty hip hop and neo-classical beats (“free wild muse”, “past lives”), and reverberates roars on raucous rock tracks (“too much noise”). Abiyah has performed at the Nuyorican Slam Queen event in New York City, and has opened for poet/publisher Haki Madhubuti at Ohio University. She has also served as guest poetry critic for the Greater Cincinnati Writers League, and has led a number of conference workshops on the teaching of poetry/Floetry in the urban classroom. Cincinnati Citybeat’s Kathy Y. Wilson says: "[Abiyah’s] own style is part hypnosis, part fire hose blast of sound. Her ‘Too Much Noise’ is a radio ready wall of noise that could easily be mistaken for a Missy Elliott joint, while ‘Free Wild Muse’ has the dirty-little-secret feel of a Sarah Jones track.”

Music Style Floetry

Similar Artists Saul Williams, jessica Care moore, Carl Hancock Rux, Sarah Jones

Group Members Abiyah - lead vocalist Holly Price - interpretive movement Todd Uttley - SP505/slide guitar/CD Sophia Zapf - electric violin Drew Kidd - bass Ron C - guest vocalist

Instruments Vocals

Albums Flow Tectonics

Location Cincinnati, Ohio - USA

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