I Self Devine

{{short description|American rapper}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = I Self Devine | image = File:Iselfdevinelive.png | image_size = | landscape =  | alt = | caption = I Self Devine performing live in 2014 | birth_name = Chaka Mkali<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wakemag.org/sound-vision/qa-i-self-devine/|title=Q&A: I Self Devine|work=The Wake|first=Zach|last=McCormick|date=April 17, 2012|access-date=May 20, 2014|archive-date=May 21, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140521040826/http://www.wakemag.org/sound-vision/qa-i-self-devine/|url-status=dead}}</ref> | alias = Self One | birth_date = {{birth year and age|1972}}<ref name="allmusic">{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/i-self-devine-mn0000264260/biography|title=I Self Devine – Biography|work=AllMusic|first=Marisa|last=Brown|access-date=May 20, 2014}}</ref> | birth_place = Los Angeles, California, U.S.<ref name="allmusic"/> | origin = Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.startribune.com/entertainment/blogs/150381205.html|title=Friday night wrap: I Self Devine release party, impromptu Beasties tribute|work=Star Tribune|first=Chris|last=Riemenschneider|date=May 6, 2012|access-date=October 18, 2014}}</ref> | death_date =  | death_place = | genre = Twin Cities hip-hop<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/databank/25/1237/article12383.asp|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20071201115502/http://www.citypages.com/databank/25/1237/article12383.asp|archive-date = 2007-12-01|title = City Pages}}</ref> | occupation ={{hlist|Rapper|record producer|activist}} | instrument = | years_active = 1995–present | label = Rhymesayers Entertainment | associated_acts = {{flatlist| *The Dynospectrum *Micranots *Semi.Official *Slug *Atmosphere *Muja Messiah *Jake One *Doomtree *Manny Phesto }} | website =  }}

'''Chaka Mkali''' (born 1972), better known by his stage name '''I Self Devine''', is an American rapper from Minneapolis, Minnesota. He has been a member of groups such as the Dynospectrum,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.imposemagazine.com/features/minneapolis-is-rhymesayers|title=Minneapolis is Rhymesayers|work=Impose Magazine|first=Blake|last=Gillespie|date=April 18, 2008|access-date=May 20, 2014}}</ref> Micranots,<ref>{{cite book|first=Felicia M.|last=Miyakawa|title=Five Percenter Rap: God Hop's Music, Message, and Black Muslim Mission|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780253345745|url-access=registration|publisher=Indiana University Press|year=2005|page=[https://archive.org/details/isbn_9780253345745/page/98 98]}}</ref> and Semi.Official.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://blog.thecurrent.org/2013/04/h2-local-highlights-i-self-devine-and-dj-abilities-collaboration-semi-official/|title=H2 Local highlights – I Self Devine and DJ Abilities' collaboration Semi Official|work=The Current|first=Kevin|last=Beacham|date=April 30, 2013|access-date=May 20, 2014}}</ref> In 2012, ''City Pages'' described him as "one of the most influential voices in Minnesota hip hop."<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.citypages.com/2012-05-02/music/i-self-devine-rhymesayers-legend-returns/|title=I Self Devine: Rhymesayers legend returns – The Sound of Low Class Amerika gets personal|work=City Pages|first=Jeff|last=Gage|date=May 2, 2012|access-date=October 18, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141024060242/http://www.citypages.com/2012-05-02/music/i-self-devine-rhymesayers-legend-returns/|archive-date=October 24, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref>

== Early life == I Self Devine was born in Los Angeles, California and moved to Minnesota with his mother when she was accepted to the University of Minnesota's social work master's program.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|last=Johnson|first=Cecilia|title=I Self Devine is playing the long game|url=https://www.thecurrent.org/feature/2021/02/25/i-self-devine-chaka-mkali-is-playing-the-long-game|access-date=2021-03-05|website=www.thecurrent.org}}</ref> He says, "The first time that I became aware of hip-hop was in 1979, when my mom gave me <nowiki>[</nowiki>The Sugarhill Gang's] 'Rapper's Delight,' the 12-inch."<ref name=":0" /> He experimented with graffiti writing, freestyling, DJing, and breakdancing before starting to invest lots of time into rapping and graffiti.

== Career == I Self Devine released the solo debut album, ''Self Destruction'', on Rhymesayers Entertainment in 2005.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/self-destruction-mw0000307556|title=Self Destruction – I Self Devine|work=AllMusic|first=Stewart|last=Mason|access-date=May 20, 2014}}</ref> He released the second solo album, ''The Sound of Low Class Amerika'', on the label in 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hiphopdx.com/index/album-reviews/id.1892/title.i-self-devine-the-sound-of-low-class-amerika|title=I Self Devine – The Sound Of Low Class Amerika|work=HipHopDX|first=Edwin|last=Ortiz|date=May 17, 2012|access-date=May 20, 2014}}</ref> It was produced by Medium Zach of Big Quarters, DJ Todda, Benzilla, King Karnov, Vitamin D, Jake One, Proh Mic, and I Self Devine himself.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.reviler.org/2012/05/01/i-self-devine-the-sounds-of-low-class-amerika/|title=I Self Devine: The Sounds of Low Class Amerika|work=Reviler|first=Ali|last=Elabbady|date=May 1, 2012|access-date=May 20, 2014}}</ref> The album was preceded by four mixtapes, which were all released in early 2012.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thefader.com/2012/05/07/stream-i-self-devines-the-shining-path-mixtape/|title=Stream I Self Devine's The Shining Path Mixtape|work=The Fader|first=David|last=Drake|date=May 7, 2012|access-date=May 20, 2014}}</ref> In 2015, he released a collaborative album with Muja Messiah, titled ''9th House''.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/21320-9th-house/|title=Muja Messiah / I Self Devine: 9th House|work=Pitchfork Media|first=Paul A.|last=Thompson|date=November 30, 2015|access-date=December 3, 2015}}</ref> In an interview with ''The Current'' radio station, he stated that he was expecting to release two albums in 2021: ''Rituals of Resilience'' and ''That Which Is Hidden''.<ref name=":0" />

I Self Devine is celebrated for his live shows. Spectrum Culture wrote that he "is synonymous with a dynamic live show."<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://spectrumculture.com/2012/04/10/interview-i-self-devine/|title=Interview: I Self Devine|date=2012-04-10|website=Spectrum Culture|access-date=2017-02-18}}</ref>

== Personal life == I Self Devine has five children and has made efforts to prioritize his family over his career. He told ''The Current'', "To think about emceeing or even being a community organizer – those are great things and have big impacts. But to me, when all of my kids are together, I feel rich beyond belief. I feel crazy wealthy, like I got gold as far as you can see."<ref name=":0" />

==Discography== {{See also|The Dynospectrum|Micranots#Discography|Semi.Official#Discography}}

===Studio albums===

* ''Self Destruction'' (2005) * ''The Sound of Low Class Amerika'' (2012) *''Rituals of Resilience'' (2021) *''That Which Is Hidden'' (2022)

=== Collaborative albums ===

* ''9th House'' (2015) <small>(with Muja Messiah)</small>

===Mixtapes===

* ''LA State of Mind'' (2012) * ''The Upliftment Struggle'' (2012) * ''Reports from the Field: In the Trenches'' (2012) * ''The Shining Path'' (2012)

===Singles===

* "Ice Cold" b/w "All I Know" (2005) * "The Origin of Urban Crisis" (2012) * "IOFWUCUC" (2015) <small>(with Muja Messiah)</small> *"The Disruptor Suite" (2021)

===Guest appearances===

* Atmosphere – "Flesh" from ''God Loves Ugly'' (2002) * The Opus – "First Contact" from ''First Contact 001'' (2002) * P.O.S – "I Play the Matador (Redo)" from ''Ipecac Neat'' (2004) * Oddjobs – "Stone Cold" from ''Expose Negative'' (2005) * Omega One – "I Want It All" from ''The Lo-Fi Chronicles'' (2005) * Cleveland Steamers – "Day by Day" from ''Treasure Chest'' (2006) * Leroy Smokes – "John Henry" from ''Love Hustle Theater'' (2006) * Big Quarters – "How to Kill Your Rap Career" from ''Cost of Living'' (2007) * Heiruspecs – "Broken Record" from ''Heiruspecs'' (2008) * Muja Messiah – "Patriot Act" from ''Thee Adventures of a B-Boy D-Boy'' (2008) * Doomtree – "Twentyfourseven" from ''Doomtree'' (2008) * Crushcon7 – "Fieldwerk" (2009) * Toki Wright – "The Law" from ''A Different Mirror'' (2009) * St. Paul Slim – "McArthur Park" from ''Bald Headed Samsun'' (2010) * Villa Rosa – "Chico" from ''Blue Diamond Island'' (2011) * IBE & Benzilla – "Casual Convo" from ''This, That and the Third'' (2013)

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * [http://rhymesayers.com/iselfdevine I Self Devine] on Rhymesayers Entertainment * {{Twitter}} * {{Discogs artist|I Self Devine}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:I Self Devine}} Category:20th-century American male rappers Category:20th-century American rappers Category:21st-century American male rappers Category:American hip-hop record producers Category:Rappers from Minneapolis Category:Living people Category:1972 births Category:Midwest hip-hop musicians Category:21st-century American rappers Category:Rhymesayers Entertainment artists Category:21st-century African-American rappers Category:20th-century African-American musicians Category:21st-century African-American male rappers