About Michael Franti & Spearhead
Michael Franti is an American singer, songwriter, musician, poet, activist, documentarian, and rapper. He is known for his participation in many musical projects which mostly have a political and social emphasis, including the Beatnigs and the Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy. He is the creator and lead vocalist of Michael Franti & Spearhead, a band which blends hip hop with a variety of other styles including funk, reggae, jazz, folk, and rock. He is an outspoken supporter for a wide spectrum of peace and social justice issues, and he is especially an advocate for peace in the Middle East.
Michael Franti was born in Oakland, California. His mother, Mary Lofy, had Irish, German, and Belgian ancestry; his father, Thomas Hopkins, was of African-American and Native American descent. He was adopted by Carole Wisti and Charles Franti, a Finnish American couple in Oakland, who at the time had three biological children and an adopted African American son. Charles Franti was a professor in the department of epidemiology and preventive medicine of the UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine and died in 2003. Michael's four adoptive siblings are Rebecca, Sara, Dan, and Matthew. Michael also has four half-siblings, Thea, Thomas, Charles, and Arthur Hopkins.
Michael Franti went to 9th grade at Highland Junior High School in Edmonton, Alberta. He then attended Davis Senior High School and University of San Francisco on a full basketball scholarship, where during the 1985–1986 season he averaged 2.4 pts per game. While at USF he met a priest who taught him how to write stories, and soon began writing poetry. He purchased a bass at a pawn shop and started creating music inspired by hip hop, punk, and reggae which was being played on the campus radio station, KUSF.
Franti began his music career in 1986 as part of the industrial punk/spoken word band The Beatnigs. While attending the University of San Francisco and living above KUSF he developed a fascination with music and decided to start a band. The Beatnigs included dancer and percussionist Rono Tse; the band released a self-titled LP and an EP Television on Alternative Tentacles records. The records received some critical acclaim but little fame beyond the Bay Area.
The 1988 LP release The Beatnigs was recorded at Dancin' Dog Studio in Emeryville, California and distributed by Alternative Tentacles. In addition to Michael Franti and Ron Tse, the band included Henry Flood on percussion, Andre Flores on keyboards, and Kevin Carnes on vocals. All of the band members have multiple contributions including industrial percussion.
See main article: The Disposable Heroes of Hiphoprisy
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