Although I have known Fikir Amlak for years, I only know part of his story. With Caribbean and Latin-American heritage, his early years were split between the Caribbean and the USA. He came into contact with the Rastafari order at a young age and the resonance was immediate. He rapidly embraced Rastafari culture, philosophy and music which has regulated his life since. After moving to Santa Cruz, California he took part in a series of solo and collective musical works from 2002 to 2006. Growing disillusioned with the music business, he took a 7 year sabbatical from recording. During this period he lived a severely reclusive life, studying and training with Rastafari in the hills of California and Jamaica. He continued to release previously recorded music but did not record again until 2013, when various producers encouraged him to return to the music world. Since then, he has recorded extensively but only a small portion of this music has been released. The roots – reggae - dub - sound system world has embraced him, and his rise has been meteoric. Promoting a balance of mental, spiritual and physical fitness, his message has arrived on the scene like a breath of fresh air. While he remains in the public eye, look for more releases, live performances, and insight from Fikir Amlak. Mike B, Akashic Records