With a video in rotation on MTVu and VH1 Soul, a hugely successful mixtape, a critically acclaimed album, and opening dates with A-list artists, Washington, D.C.-based hip-hop duo Fly Gypsy are quickly emerging as the hottest new name in hip-hop. Formed by a Russian-born producer and a Jamaican-born emcee, Fly Gypsy launched in summer 2009 with a release of The Vodka & Rum Mixtape. Fly Gypsy’s first single, “2 Step” reached No. 1 on college radio hip-hop charts. Fly Gypsy’s first video, shot in Jamaica by award-winning director Ras Kassa (Sean Paul, Willie Nelson, Damian Marley), won the MTVu Freshmen contest. The duo’s debut album, Change for a Dollar, was released on December 1, 2009 and has received rave reviews from Okayplayer, PopMatters, and Rap Reviews.

Kowboy Kom, the group’s emcee, was born in Jamaica and moved to Brooklyn, NY with his family while still a child. Growing up in New York during the golden era of hip-hop, Kom was inspired by hip-hop artists such as Wyclef Jean, Busta Rhymes, and Notorious B.I.G. Kom began to write poetry and rhyme when he was still in the seventh grade. By his early twenties, Kom rose to become one of the nation’s best recognized spoken word artists and emcees, headlining college tours and opening for artists such as Jill Scott, Dwele, and Doug E. Fresh.

Alexei, the duo’s producer and one-man band, was born and raised in Russia, coming to the United States in his teens. He grew up on stage, dancing, and performing music. When he was eight, his parents bought the family’s first double-deck boombox and within a few weeks, Alexei was selling mixtapes in his elementary school. Alexei’s unique production style reflects his diverse musical influences, from John Coltrane to Nirvana, from Curtis Mayfield to Lauryn Hill.

Kom and Alexei met in a cipher at D.C.’s institution Bar Nun, a famed open-mic spot that produced Raheem DeVaughn and for many years was home to D.C.’s hip-hop community. Fly Gypsy was born three years later, after Kom and Alexei successfully collaborated on an election-time single, “The Ruler.”

HIGHLIGHTS

• Fly Gypsy’s music video for single “You,” shot in Jamaica with acclaimed director Ras Kassa (Sean Paul, Damian Marley), is in rotation on VH1Soul and MTVu. It has also been featured on Okayplayer, WorldStarHipHopand countless other websites; the video also won the MTVu Freshmencontest;
• Fly Gypsy’s new album “Change for a Dollar” has received top marks from Okayplayer (”Timeless example of the beauty in music“), Rap Reviews(”Fly Gypsy sounds like a group that could change what music is and what itshould be“), and PopMatters (”Hip-hop heads looking for something positiveand uplifting that refrains from being corny should look no further than FlyGypsy“);
• Fly Gypsy has a #1 freestyle out of 132 on DJBooth.net and its single “2 Step” is climbing college radio charts (#2 now, up from #27 just a couple months ago);
• Fly Gypsy has been featured on over 250 blogs including the influential HipHopDX, DJBooth, Okayplayer, and WorldStarHipHop.
• Fly Gypsy is opening for Wale in several markets and playing SXSWfestival and London’s Jazz Cafe this March.