Ozomatli is a hip-hop group formed in 1996 in Los Angeles, known as much for their extremely vocal activist viewpoints as their wide array of musical styles. Ozomatli take their name from the Nahuatl word for the Aztec astrological symbol of the monkey, which is also a god of dance, fire, the new harvest, and music. The members of the band met through their affiliation with the Peace and Justice Center of Los Angeles, and their first performance was for picketers during a strike. They began their career in the Los Angeles and San Diego/Mexico border-area club scene.
