Cyffa Leyenda, the King of the OceanFront
Born in Lynchburg, VA and adopted into a wealthy, strict military household at three years old, Cyffa Leyenda has broken barriers in every sense of the word. Calling himself the King of the OceanFront, Cyffa is a natural at disrupting the industry. Born to make noise and shut things down, the rapper and marketer has proven time after time that he is willing to do whatever it takes to succeed.
Cyffa’s first record deal was straight out of high school, when Alisha “M’Jestie” Brooks (who wrote Rihanna’s Pon de Replay and more) signed him. One and a half years later, he was released when Brooks realized Cyffa was meant for bigger and better things. That same year, the trajectory that Cyffa’s parents saw him going in was different from Cyffa’s own dreams for his life, and Cyffa was kicked out at just eighteen; but that was not enough to make Cyffa give up. Less than one month later, Cyffa connected with Michael Copon, best known as the Blue Time Force Power Ranger in Power Rangers Time Force and as Felix Taggaro in the hit TV series One Tree Hill. Copon gave Cyffa the opportunity to prove his ability as a jack-of-all-trades—Cyffa acted as a street dancer in pop singer Vickie Jade’s music video “Walls.”
Just one day after the shooting of the music video, Cyffa and Copon would speak one last time. This time, however, was special, and the impetus for Cyffa’s success. Copon told Cyffa that he saw something special in him, but he didn’t tell him what it was specifically. Instead, he wanted Cyffa to discover his journey and potential.
2015 would see things really start to take off for the Virginia native. Cyffa opened for Rah Digga at Shakas Live, amping up the crowd and electrifying the atmosphere. It quickly became apparent that he was born to perform. Later that year, he performed at S.O.B. 's “Where Legends Are Made” in Manhattan, with THE NORVA, Lex Luger, BIG WILL THE PARTY KING, Jolley Brothers, and more. Not only was this Cyffa’s first experience of an all expenses paid trip—where he got to stay in a luxury hotel, enjoy luxurious foods, and have backstage access from the founder of LifeWire Entertainment—but it was also his first experience in New York City. Needless to say, he made the most of every moment, and got his first real taste of what it is like to be a star.
Three years later, Cyffa’s hit single SAFE ran 150,000 streams on Soundcloud, and he had the opportunity to open for legendary rapper Megan Thee Stallion. The day of the show alone, 100,000 people followed Cyffa on Instagram. It was apparent that people saw greatness in him, and he did not let them down. One year later, in 2019, Cyffa was cast as a dancer in a TEK music video.
Up to this point, experience after experience left Cyffa realizing he was destined for the celebrity lifestyle. He felt that he was born to be a star, and many others felt the same way about him, from Brooks to Copon. He has the work ethic, the passion, the talent, and the fire to make it in an industry that forces so many others to give up. All of this drive culminated in his newest 2020 release: “Fineto,'' featuring Dela Wesst. Produced by YoungFrenchy808 and Its64boy, the single was distributed by Empire—and even reposted by FAT JOE. Within weeks, the song garnered 500,000 views on TikTok, a testament to its catchiness and repeatability.
The song itself is fiery, aggressive, and raw. It is fast-paced and fierce, its reverberating bass lending itself to the intensity of the track. The energy is unparalleled and palpable, and makes you want to blast it in your car, windows down and head bobbing. It’s the perfect track for a party, and it’s the perfect track to play in your headphones while taking the subway—it allows for a kind of escapism. It takes you away to a place where no one can touch you, no one can stop you, and no one can compete with you. “Game over” is the song’s mantra, and with good reason.
Cyffa himself embodies this energy. He is focused, and, as shown by his tenacity in making connections and integrating himself into the music industry, is not the type to give up. Topically, just like a virus, Cyffa cannot be contained—once he’s started, he can’t stop, no matter who tries to stop him. He jumps from one project to the next, putting his best effort into everything and constantly looking for ways to learn and grow.
When it comes to marketing himself, Cyffa believes in connecting with his audiences, and chooses to live a very open life on social media. He wishes to be available to the public, and often posts about his fun-filled life and constant adventures. He also has been featured in Respect Magazine, Influencive, RedxMagazine, Droid Journal, Disrupt Magazine, and more.
“I have a very strong head in the game and I’m willing to do whatever it takes to protect my name,” Cyffa explains when speaking about getting caught up in drama. He does his best to move away from it, while also learning how others in the marketing and music industries operate. He has learned that just because someone says they are big-time does not necessarily make it true. Already in 2021, Cyffa has made people in the industry wary of him, because they know he is not afraid of what comes next; in fact, he embraces the unknown future, constantly looking for his next opportunity and grabbing it by the horns. He considers himself a Virginia celebrity, and is willing to take on the responsibility that comes with that. He wants to be an icon, and an inspirer of other Virginians, whether they be his friends or other military kids like himself.
This year, Cyffa plans to work as A&R and a Marketing Representative at Stackin’ Up Entertainment. In the meantime, he is looking forward to collaborating with YUNG Smilez and SumeRR. 2021 is going to be a big year for this proud and extravagant Libra, and he plans on bringing an army to back him up and help push him further. Watch out world—Cyffa is coming.
SOCIAL MEDIA:
MUSIC:
“FINETO” w/ DELA WESST (Prod. 64 Boy & YOUNGFRENCHY808) Distributed by EMPIRE.
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