Rising hip hop artist/world music and a producer, Viesta was born in Bamako, Mali.

The younger of two sons born to a history teacher, and a homemaker, Viesta was a model student who dsiplayed a passion for history, philosophy and writing very early on. As a child, he dreamed of following in his father’s footsteps and becoming teacher; however, the gift of a radio and microphone changed him and his dream forever.

In a recent interview, Viesta describes the experiences that led him to hip hop: “You know, I think it all started with this little yellow radio and microphone that my father bought me. When I got it, a coup d’etat had just been staged in Mali and the first Gulf War was going on. So I decided I’d be a reporter, and would go around my neighborhood reporting the news and telling stories. When I got tired of that, I used the same radio to play my older brother’s Bob Marley tapes, and used my microphone to record my own version of the songs. (laughs) I didn’t understand a word [Bob Marley] was saying, but I could tell from the energy and passion in his voice, that he was saying something important. I knew I wanted to make other people feel the way I felt when I heard his music. Shortly after that, I heard hip hop for the first time, Kriss Kross and something just clicked.”

Encouraged by his childhood friend, Tawati, Viesta continued to sharpen his skills throughout high school, performing at parties and local talent showcases. However, it’s in the early 2000's, when he moved to New York, that his musical style truly blossomed. There, he became a skilled producer/sound engineer and developed a unique sound reflecting his diverse musical influences, including 2pac, Bob Marley, Nina Simone, James Brown, Fela Kuti, John Lee Hooker, Salif Keita, Al Green to name a few. In 2004, he began recording, producing and performing his own music in venues and festivals throughout New York City. Since that time, he has developed a strong following, and is believed by some to be the future of Malien Hip hop.