Olmeca is a multidisciplinary artist, activist and scholar who has been featured on BBC London, Complex Magazine, Noisey, Huffington Post, NPR, and more.  He is Tepehuane / Chicano part of the Indigenous diaspora in the U.S. His music and art have been featured on various documentaries, tv series, and films such as, “Tigers Are Not Afraid” and “Sons of Anarchy”.  

 

Noisey Magazine states, “Olmeca is a shaman of the 21st century with vast experience in the unknown… An artist directly responsible for rap in Spanglish being a thing today.” With a unique genre blending style and bilingual lyrics, he has been able to showcase a diverse range of emotions and experiences through his work. Grungecake considered Olmeca a, “Latinx musical genius…” for his genreblending style.  His pieces often blend cultural and political themes, inspiring audiences to think critically about the world around them. He has been recognized by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts as an “Artist Citizen Fellow” artist honored for their creative expression as a tool for change.  along with multiple artist and scholar residencies.  He has been invited to London to speak on migration experiences. 

 

Olmeca's unwavering dedication to his craft has earned him numerous, partnerships and presentations, such as University of Notre Dame, and the national conference on race and ethnicity solidifying his place as a respected and influential artist, scholar, and activist. He has lived through homelessness, food insecurity and violence in an urban environment, while also experiencing rural life in Mexico.  In his adult life Olmeca moved to Chiapas to work closely with indigenous groups.  He studied anti systemic theories and self-sustainable projects.  He understood the importance of collective healing from colonial trauma.  This cultural sensitivity allowed his art to become interpretations of this reality exposing the complexities of capitalism, race, identity,  and the notion of belonging early in his career.

 

Olmeca’s current work is being regarded as forward thinking.  One of few artists exploring and helping shape concepts around Ancestral Futurism (a collective process that honors the past as a way to create a holistic future) as he reflects on his journey towards healing and recovery.  Olmeca lost his mother, father, brother grandfather, best friend and 5 other family members in a span of four years.  His mental health took a toll and he stepped away from his music career. To heal, he turned to traditional ceremony, art as therapy, plant medicine, and healing circles.  

 

He founded, Raow Raow Arts Collective, a visionary collective dedicated to providing cutting-edge exhibitions, immersive performances, and community-driven initiatives for a more equitable and inclusive future.  They have partnered with the City of Las Vegas, The Smith Center, Clark County and Life Is Beautiful Festival. Olmeca currently sits in the advisory board for Action Lab and is adjunct lecturer at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas.

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