Ephniko

EPHNIKO (Eternally Producing History Never Ignoring Knowledge) is a bilingual Emcee, Songwriter, Recording Artist, part-time Producer, Gourmet Graphic Chef, and Third World HipHop Researcher.

Born Alvaro Cuello in Barranquilla, Colombia, Ephniko and his four older sisters were raised by his mother and aunts in the capital city of Bogotá. Growing up on salsa and cumbia — hip-hop was a rare find during those days. His first real introduction to the genre was through Run-DMC and that group's signature abrasive lyrics over heavy guitar riffs. He was hooked. A turning point came for Eph at age 13, when he moved with his mother to Fairview, New Jersey, just a hop, skip, and a jump from the birthplace of hip-hop, New York City. Unfortunately Eph's proximity to the hip-hop mecca soon ended when he and his family moved to Cape May in South Jersey, a place where there "were not a lot of folks like him". Experiencing a lot of racial tension, grappling with identity, and trying to fit in. Ephniko would find refuge in b-boy culture, breaking and finding his voice at New York's open mic events. In 2001 he relocated once more, this time around to Miami, Florida.

Eph has shared the stage with Bobbito and Dead Prez at the "International Hip-hop conference in Venezuela, Vico C in Peru, and Immortal Technique in Miami. He hosted the final of the Batalla De Gallos Redbull 2006 to crown the best Spanish speaking emcee in the world in Bogotá, Colombia.He was a guest performer at the Battle Of The Year B-boy Battle final in Cape Town, South Africa in 2007.

In 2008 he joined Guanaco MC and the Pesos Pesados Crew for a successful 8-city tour of Ecuador to promote his solo album release, Escribo Lo Que Vivo.