Brown Rice Family

In addition to musicians from the US and Japan, Brown Rice Family has strong diaspora roots, including members from Haiti, Jamaica, Nigeria, and South Africa. The seven member, multi-national, brass supported, Afro and Reggae infused group entered the competition off a streak of notable performances and collaborations.

Partnering with Hip Hop Saves Lives (Chad Harper as MC) and Cocody Productions (Jake Bright as DJ), the group headlined Art for Africa Sotheby’s, hosted its album/video release concert at The Player’s Club, and was the opening act for Brooklyn Museum of Art’s debut 2012 Target First Saturdays.

Brown Rice also recently joined Hip Hop Saves Lives and Cocody Productions as house band to this summer’s Stonehenge Properties WAN LUV music series, to which Face2Face Africa is a partner.

At WNYC’s Greenspace Brown Rice’s Afro Caribbean infused set and engaging presence that inspires dancing from familiar and unfamiliar crowds alike won over judges and NYC residents, who voted by text and email for their favorite band.

“We did it! We brought the crown back to Brooklyn. Next is the Brooklyn Coliseum,” said Brown Rice front man Okai, referencing bringing the title of best band in the borough back to Brooklyn and the return of the Brooklyn Nets.

Those looking to check out Brown Rice Family can attend any one of the free WAN LUV events coming up in July, August, and September. Click here to view pictures from past events. In addition to performing a DJ drum circle on July 19 and 26, the band will headline WAN LUV in full on August 9. - SANDRA APPIAH

Back in 2001 and fresh from Shizuoka, a city near Japan's picturesque Mt. Fuji, Yuichi Iida found himself standing in Manhattan's Union Square, transfixed on a Rastafarian banging an African drum. The 20-year-old City College music student, sporting a head of dreadlocks, was hoping the percussionist, Jeremiah McFarlane, might teach him how to play.

Shy at first, Iida bought one of McFarlane's CDs and listened to it over and over. Soon after, through a mutual friend's introduction, he worked up the courage to ask McFarlane for lessons.

"He told me he wouldn't take money," recalled Iida....................... - NBC News Chris Fuchs

Hailing from Brooklyn, the Brown Rice Family, a multi-cultural world music and roots band is set to release its debut album, “Brown Rice Radio Station.” The date is set for this coming Friday, December 2nd, at 7 p.m. at the Players Club in New York City................. - Africa.com Blog/ Chad Harper

Percussionist and producer Yuichi and his band, The Brown Family, are taking genre blending music to new heights. Combing jazz, afrobeat, reggae, rock, Latin rhythms, hip-hop, and funk, BRF have created a musical style that is truly global in nature. Brown Rice Family’s World Roots Music is an innate product of the culture of its members who hail from Japan, Jamaica, Haiti, Nigeria, South Africa, and America.
Brown Rice Family is made up of Yuichi, Okai (vocal/percussion), Sticky Rice (vocal/dancer), Soils (soprano sax/vocal), Isaiah (tenor sax/clarinet/harmonica), Amu (bass), Kaz (guitar), and Tama (drum). Driven by its belief of promoting self-improvement and environmental improvement, BRF’s goals extends beyond just making empowering music. They also encourage a healthy lifestyle by advocating eating naturally grown food and selling homemade organic soap..... - DZI: The Voice/ Yohance Kyles