60 East is a hip-hop MC, community activist and festival producer whose West Coast style converges with an East Coast flow. Hailing from the sprawling metropolis of Southern California’s Inland Empire, his talent has carried him from his native Ontario to the Czech Republic’s world-renowned Hip-Hop Kemp Festival and landed him tours or collaborations with Evidence, 9th Wonder, Joell Ortiz, and numerous other highly regarded artists.
For more than a decade, 60 East has crafted for himself an array of notable accolades, including being named Best Hip-Hop Artist by IE Weekly in 2013-- recognition which made him arguably one of the most recognized MCs from the region. After a year-long campaign to win a performance slot, 60 performed at the 2013 Paid Dues, the pre-eminent indie rap festival founded by Los Angeles hip-hop icon Murs. There, he shared a stage with Kendrick Lamar, Nipsey Hussle, Macklemore and more in front of 30,000 people. In 2015, 60 East joined Joell Ortiz and !llind’s Human Tour before heading to the prestigious A3C Festival in Atlanta and winning the “This is My Year” contest presented by DJ Booth and Sonicbids.
Some of the 500 stages he’s touched throughout his career include a headlining appearance at Poland’s Zabij Nude Festival; the Netherlands’ Winterclash, the world’s biggest rollerblading competition; R.A. the Rugged Man & A-F-R-O’s 2016 spring tour, as official East Coast tour support; Apathy and Celph Titled’s Widow’s Son Tour in 2018, as official East Coast tour support; and Devin the Dude’s 2018 European tour. Most recently, he appeared on the 2018 Jericho Jackson Tour with Elzhi & Khrysis in conjunction with 9th Wonder’s Jamla Records and alongside Skyzoo for Mello Music Group’s 2019 Retropolitan Tour.
As a recording artist, 60 East -- a former member of Sacramento, California group/label First Dirt -- is well known for his Freeway Series, a collection of three EPs dating back to 2014 which features production from Curtiss King, Omega and Phil the Pain, plus guest appearances from Fashawn, A-F-R-O and Cam Meekins. His debut album, 2016’s 10,000 Hours, features venerated MCs Skyzoo and Blu. Currently, he is developing music with the Grammy-winning producer Evidence and wrapping up work on an album with Grammy-nominated producers Khrysis and Eric G.
60 East has earned critical acclaim on the airwaves and in the blogosphere from legendary Los Angeles radio platform “Big Boy’s Neighborhood,” as well as “The Wake Up Show” (where he was named Artist of the Week by Sway and King Tec), B-Real TV, 2DopeBoyz, Thisis50 and UGHH. With over one-million video views on Facebook, his career trajectory has placed him squarely in the forefront of independent hip-hop.
Describing his music as personal and living at the crossroads of “street” and “conscious,” 60’s musical perspective is inspired by not only MCs like The Notorious B.I.G. and Rakim, but also film directors like Guy Ritchie and Quentin Tarantino and others including Jim Morrison and Banksy. Armed with an unending love for his daughter, his city and his Hispanic heritage, 60 East has spent the last few years investing his talents in his community, through speaking engagements, the launch of his Happiness of Pursuit Arts Foundation, and the founding of his very own music festival.
Now entering its fifth year, the Happiness of Pursuit Festival has included performances from Mobb Deep, Conway, Benny the Butcher, Obie Trice and others. In a historic appearance, Murs performed at what has been called “the new Paid Dues,” solidifying the Happiness of Pursuit as the region’s leading event of its kind. As Founder of the Festival, 60 East has become a leading figure in the Inland Empire’s indie hip-hop industry, cultivating a local platform through which independent artists can prime themselves for the national market.
Additionally, he has been a featured speaker at various colleges throughout Southern California as well as events including URBIE, the Indie Entertainment Summit, 2x2 Festival and more. In addition to educating aspiring musicians about the industry, 60 is passionate about creating opportunities within the Hispanic community and encouraging them to embrace individuality in place of stereotypes.
More from 60 East: Website | Instagram | Twitter | HOP Foundation