Sapient had dabbled in multiple instruments for as far back as he can remember, but after being busted for graffiti charges at 18, he took to rapping over his own beats made with a drum machine, a guitar and an 8-track. The early training flourished into a distinctive sound of multi-textured arrangements structured with the sense of a songwriter. Sapient’s beats have re-defined the sound of Northwest hip hop and carried luminary voices from the likes of Aesop Rock, Slug (Atmosphere), Freestyle Fellowship and more.

As a vocalist and producer, Sapient has been a member of The Prime, a duo with Living Legends’ front man Luckyiam as well as Portland’s Debaser, a two-man off-shoot to their nine person collective, Sandpeople. He has also collaborated with other indie hip hop cats like Macklemore, The Grouch, Eyedea, and Pigeon John. Consistently touring, he has shared the stage with a number of his own influences including Wu-Tang Clan, Living Legends, Eyedea, Talib Kweli, Cage and Aesop Rock. As an independent artist, Sapient is hands on, mixing and mastering, designing his visual art and directing videos, developing his brand with an insatiable work ethic. Committed to care for his young family and cultivate his creative vision, Sapient is pushing boundaries and claiming his own space in our musical lexicon with his new album Slump.