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CMDWN

The CMDWN Collective (pronounced as “Come Down”) doubles as the group moniker for rapper Ca$tro Guapo (b. Miguel Tyndale, 21), vocalist Fiji (b. Dawit Aberea, 22) and producer/creative director Teo Nio (b. Antonio Macieira, 21). The Toronto-based collective thrives in its relentless mission to push new sounds and creative ideas forward, and in turn simultaneously is making music and fostering an art-driven community along the way.

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Taking it back to their formative days, Ca$tro relocated to Toronto in 2010, bringing with him a taste of his Atlanta roots and a hunger to explore his multifaceted artistry and interests. Similarly, Teo and Fiji, who were childhood friends and grew up in the country’s capital city of Ottawa, found their own respective ways back to Toronto years apart, later affording the freshly reunited pair the opportunity to fatedly meet Ca$tro at a party for a clothing store in 2014. Soon thereafter, the collective began throwing the city’s most sought-after all-age parties, helping them earn an invitation to a studio session by XO signee and 88GLAM artist Derek Wise, during which they recorded their first single, “We Are Not,” which was released in May 2015. The song saw instant success on SoundCloud and garnered hundreds of thousands of plays, fueling the group to refocus their energy on refining their talents as recording artists and develop an all-encompassing lifestyle collective that blends fashion, design, music, quality production and live shows.

Later that same year saw the release of CMDWN’s first formal project, 2015’s Atlantada, which brilliantly merged influences from Atlanta and Toronto’s varied rap scenes and develop their current progressive sound. Following the release of their debut mixtape, the group went on to sell out venues across Toronto and support acts such as Rae Sremmurd, Playboi Carti and Lil Uzi Vert. The group’s distinctively experimental sound encompasses elements of hip-hop, pop/RnB and electronic music, as well as nods to their own personal heroes, including Kanye West, Gucci Mane, Chief Keef, Drake, The Weeknd and Pharrell, among countless others. As exemplified by catchy hooks, melodic flows and a snarky sense of humor, CMDWN’s personality shines through their music and stage personas alike.

From 2017’s Ca$tro vs. Fiji tape to singles such as Ca$tro’s “Die In Supreme” featuring Nessly (2017) and Fiji’s Lil Yachty-assisted “The Way She Move” (2018), the group has garnered over 8 million plays across platforms and counting. As proud Canadian tastemakers, CMDWN thrives in the hyper-competitive space by sticking to their own lane, making it a wise and easy decision for Noisey to feature the group in its full-length documentary 6IX RISING: Toronto’s Rap Ascendance. While being profiled alongside artists such as Jazz Cartier, Big Lean, Pressa and more, CMDWN showcases how they have found success in opening doors for others who are different and are looking to their craft and influence as a gateway to creative freedom. With a collaboration alongside Nike Air Force 1 in the works and their long-awaited follow-up Atlanada II set for a Spring 2018 release, the secret to the CMDWN Collective’s inevitable success lies in keeping their eager eyes on the road ahead and their genuine hearts with the youth.

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