Born I
Spirit Rock Meditation Center, Woodacre
July 26, 2026
Hip-hop has never just been music. It’s been protest, therapy, revolution, and an awakening — even when it didn’t call itself one. And sometimes, that awakening arrives in the stillness between beats.
This Sunday, July 26, the Bay Area will have a rare opportunity to witness a different dimension of hip-hop — one grounded in stillness, compassion, and healing, culminating in one of the most beautiful expressions of hip-hop imaginable. As part of Spirit Rock’s annual Sacred Sounds concert series, Washington, D.C.-based artist Born I (Ofosu Jones-Quartey) will present an immersive evening that blends guided meditation, crystal bowl sound bathing, lo-fi hip-hop, and breathtaking lyricism into an experience unlike a traditional concert — indeed, probably unlike anything you’ve ever encountered.
For listeners accustomed to hip-hop’s familiar themes of competition and conquest, Born I’s message is refreshingly simple:
You are enough.
Despite his monastic tendencies and contemplative depth, this peaceful warrior possesses a rare kind of spiritual swagger that’s equal parts Zen and P-Funk. He is unapologetically fly, pairing sound baths with gold grills and rocking metallic gold platform tabis — yes, split-toe platform tabis — that only he and George Clinton could ever pull off so well.
Born I occupies a unique space where hip-hop, spirituality, and cultural storytelling converge. Drawing inspiration from artists like Wu-Tang Clan, Ka, André 3000, and Alice Coltrane, alongside Buddhist teacher Thích Nhất Hạnh, he has created a sound that is unmistakably hip-hop while embracing meditation as an artistic practice rather than a separate discipline.
The approach has clearly resonated. His music has accumulated more than 20 million streams worldwide, while his work as a certified meditation teacher reaches millions more as the male meditation voice on the popular Balance app.
His newest album, Komorebi, serves as the guiding thread for this evening of immersive musical reflection. Named after the Japanese word describing sunlight filtering through the trees, Komorebi explores healing, awakening, and resilience through meditative production, reflective storytelling, and deeply personal lyrics. Instead of offering a superficial escape from life’s challenges, the album gently invites listeners to sit with them, to find presence, clarity, and transformation within them. Some have called the project “a missing piece in hip-hop,” praising both its emotional honesty and its spiritual depth.
Born I’s artistic journey has evolved from performing behind a mask of materialism and bravado into creating music grounded in authenticity, vulnerability, and joy. And that’s the same spirit he carries into his live performances.
Rather than separating concert and meditation into two distinct experiences, Born I seamlessly weaves them into one glowing pathway toward presence and self-love. Crystal singing bowls blend with introspective lyrics. Meditative nature sounds flow into lo-fi hip-hop. It’s less a performance to watch than an experience to participate in. And it’s so eclectic, his between-song banter feels like high-vibe standup. Real talk, it’s worth the price of admission just to experience how naturally funny and charismatic he is.
Spirit Rock provides an especially fitting setting for the evening that awaits. Nestled amid the rolling hills of Marin County adjacent to a redwood forest with trails, the renowned meditation center’s annual Sacred Sounds series celebrates artists whose work expresses spiritual practice through music. Gates open two hours before showtime, and guests are invited to arrive early, enjoy the natural surroundings, and gather in community before the performance begins.
Everyone is welcome. Regardless of spiritual inclination or meditation experience, Born I’s invitation remains the same: show up exactly as you are. Whether you’re a longtime meditation practitioner, a dedicated hip-hop fan, or simply someone curious about what happens when those worlds collide, Born I’s appearance at Spirit Rock promises to be one of the Bay Area’s more distinctive musical events this summer.
Born I performs Sunday, July 26, as part of Spirit Rock Meditation Center’s Sacred Sounds concert series. Showtime is 6 pm – 8 pm, with gates opening at 4 pm. Sliding scale tickets are $30 – $150, available here.
