Yaiva's Full Bio

Yaiva foremost is a father, a son, a graduate of  Northern Arizona
University with a degree in Applied Indigenous Studies.

Yaiva then is a hip hop artist, producer, business owner, play write,
author of short stories, pow-wow singer, and an active participant in his
community for positive change. Yaiva makes time in his busy schedule to
speak at schools and to the youth about drug/alcohol and gang prevention.

He is of the Reed People Clan and born for the Eagle Clan, maternal
grandparent are of the Coyote Pass People and his paternal grandparent
is of the Bear clan, this is how he identifies himself as a Native male.

Yaiva is originally from Pinon and Hotevilla Arizona. However he grew up and
graduated high school from Shiprock New Mexico.

However he grew up and graduated high school from Shiprock, New Mexico.
Gabriel has been called simply Yaiva since his days in high school and that
is what he is now called on and off stage.

As a youth Yaiva was deeply involved in gangs, drugs and alcohol. At 19
Yaiva nearly lost his life to a knife fight with another Native brother and had
nearly taken another mans life.

This incident changed Yaiva's life for the better and has been his motivation
for the work he does in his community, the need for consciouness and
positivity in his music and in his relations with family, friends and the world.

Yaiva, community particupant for positive change, is currently the
director of the Peace and Balance Project: A substance abuse
prevention and gang awareness inititive. This project is part of the
Native Movement collective.

Yaiva is also an enterpreneir who is co-owner of KEYA Earth:
a sustainable building and education comany, co-owner of
Native Renaissnace: a social marketing company and co-owner of
True Image World a marketing agency that works with female, male
and modles of all demographics to make sure models of color have
representation in the greater global market. He also does marketing for
Percussion Kinetics: A compalny that has invented an innovation drum
pedal, for the the Youth Empowerment Services for Dine' Bekeyah and
for the Peshlakai Foundation.

The Peace and Balance Project works with youth in the southwest and
also does special presentations and performences around the country
such as on reservation and universities including the Muckleshoot rez
outside of Seattle, WA, the Haulapai rez, the Hopi and Navajo rez,
University of Wyoming, University of Wisconsin, Clarion University of
Pennsylvania, and soon the Ivy League school, Brown University plus
many reservation Jr and high schools.

Aside from presentations and performences the Peace and Balance
projects host a variety of projects including a summer survival skills camp
doing cultural exchange with inner city youth and youth from various
reservations considered "at risk".

Another project is the Educating and Healing Through Hip-Hop.
This goes hand in hand with what Yaiva is about and what his music
embodies. The goal is to educate and heal the community through the
power of music. "We hope to teach that not all hip-hop is negative and
through music we hope eventually heal", Yaiva.

Mainstream media outlets have distorted the image of hip-hop and have
attacked our youth violently and mentally with images of violence, promoting
drug use, trafficing, misogny, lavish and unattainable lifestyles, and
disrespect of our sister, mothers and grandmothers.

Healing, we see happening through educating about hip-hop and the media,
youth empowerment through realizng the strenght of their voices and
opinions, and realizing the power they have to change the world through
positive language and lifestyles.

Yaiva, a business man, is the founder and owner of 4th World Entertainment.
4WENT is a independent record label that has released all of Yaiva's albums
including Straight Heat, Limited Edition, For The People - EP and The Fire
Starter compilation, also DJ Young Native's Summer 05 Mixtape, and
co-sponsored 2005 NAMMY winner JayNez's 1st album, "My Family", plus
Co-executive produced the Winter Solstice - Save The Peaks Compilation.

4WENT is also releasing 3 more albums in 2007. These include the "DJ Kiss
& Yaiva 07' Mixtape", JayNez's 2nd solo album, "Do You Wanna Dance" and
Yaiva's newest solo album titled "LIFE".

4th World Entertainment also specializes in promotion. 4WENT has been a
part of such shows as the Bone Thugs and Harmony tour in the southwest,
and shows with Too, Short, MC Magic, Mr. Capone-E, Bushwick Bill of the
Geto Boys, plus over 2 dozen local and Native hip-hop shows. (See flyers
from various shows).

Most recently Yaiva has taken his skills as a promoter to fund raise for
non-profit organizations such as the Native Movement, the Peace and
Balance Project, ECHOES, the Save The Peaks Coalition and has great
success and raised funds for many great causes.

One of the most successful shows was the 2007 Native American Heritage
Showcase that took place at the Orpheum Theater in downtown Flagstaff, AZ
on November 18th.

This event nearly had an attendence of capascity "this is the first time
in 6 years we have had to open the balcony" said Orpheum manager,
Thomas. Artists on the bill included Native America's premier comedy
duo - James and Ernie, 2006 Grammy reciepient - Star Nayea, 2004
Grammy nominee - Kelvin Mockingbird, Hopi dancers and much more.
The event was a fund raiser for the Peace and Balance Project.

Yaiva is a solo artist but is also a member of the highly celebrated group,
The Dream Team. The Dream Team consist of 2005 Nammy winner for
Debut Artist of the Year, JayNez, New Mexico's #1 rated DJ, DJ Kiss.
(More about the Dream Team)

Hard-hitting, high-positive energy flows are customary of
Yaiva's performances and his music. Yaiva has been featured on over
14 albums, and over 30 publications but this is just the beginning. Yaiva
and his ever growing career, performence roster, album features and cd
releases is one to keep and eye on.

Yaiva in Hopi means to & rise gracefully;
As his last name suggest, Yaiva is doing just that.
Notable
Shows

Bone Thugs and
Harmony Tour

Too Short show

MC Magic show

Mr. Capone-E show

Grand Rapids pow-wow
after party

University of Wisconsin

University of Wyoming

Muckleshoot - outside
Seattle, WA

2004 Gathering of
Nations
JayNez, Quese iMC, Tac
Tile, Lite Foot

2004 Stars in the Desert
(duet with Redbone,
JayNez)

Downtown Detroit

Farce of July - Los
Angeles
Aztlan Underground,
2Mex, OMD,
Groundkeepers, Quento
Sol, Spirit
Voice

Reggae on the River
(w/ Casper, Mix Master
Mike, Bunny
Wailer, Marley Bros)

Indigenous People Day
04
Casper, Aztlan
Underground, Quetzal,
El Vuh, Blackfire

Reggae Fest in Hopi
Land
Junior Reid, Wadda
Blood, Reggae
Angels, Young Native

New Orleans Jazz
Festival
(w/ Casper, Baha Men,
Neville Bros,
Santana)

Tribal Warfare
Frost, JayTee, Gemini

Windy Mesa
2 Live Crew

2004 Spring Bling
Tribal Live, JayNez, DJ
Abel, EDG

Indigenous Peoples
Day 05
Blackfire, Eagleman
Redday, Radmilla
Cody

Hip Hop Invasion 1
Illumination, Woodpile,
Cocoa Loco,
Project X, Da Meat
Mann, Big LO,
Green House

Native Enigma
Quese iMC, Tac Tile,
Emmaculus, Dog
Soldiers, Lil Dre, Project
X, Mello, Dj
Divine

Starz on the Rise
JayNez, Supreme
Native Ent, James
and Ernie, Justified,
Rezawrection,
Shatta I, EDG, Marlena
Begay

Rezstock 04
Marlena Begay, Nate
Begay, Lil Dre,
Darcia Kinsel,
Clanmen, JayNez,
Casper, AZ Icons

Northern Arizona
Museum - Navajo
Show

Snowbowl Effect Movie
Premier

Naturally Native Movie
Premier
4th World
Entertainment