F.Y.B.A Optyk's Bio

F.Y.B.A is an emcee who has exceptional skill when on a microphone that delivers something that is yet to be heard from any UK Hip Hop artist.

His love for Hip Hop music started when he was at the age of 12 and discovered the “Tougher Than Leather“ by Run DMC. He then went on to obtain “Ready to Die” by Biggie, which started his love for emceeing as he sang along to the lyrics. It did not take him long to discover that he had a talent and the ability to rap himself and at 13 started writing his own material and performing it at local youth clubs.

After years of performing in parks and youth clubs F.Y.B.A started producing his own Instrumentals to his music at the age of 17 when he met up a started a group with a man named Mike Skinner (who you may recall as the front man of “The Streets”) which included Mike, F.Y.B.A and four other Birmingham emcees.

In The Summer of 1999 (when he was 19 years old) they split up after disagreement within the group and F.Y.B.A went on to produce his own album titled “Sittin On Top Of The Lickeys” which he released on his own independent label. The album had limited success with the resources available to promote it but had a great deal of interest with F.Y.B.A appearing in Hip Hop Connection magazine, Galaxy 102.2 and Westwood Radio Shows and also a number of appearances in local magazines from performances in Birmingham clubs.