Torin Jacobs, RiverFlowz
Bethel and Anchorage | Alaska Yup’ik, Iñupiaq, and African American
Hiphop Artist
Torin Jacobs, aka RiverFlowz, was born into the community of Mamterilleq (Bethel), Alaska to Blanche Jacobs (Andrews) from Lenapehoking, Philadelphia and Herbert (Kenick) Jacobs from Naparyaarmiut (Hooper Bay), Alaska. His maternal grandparents are Sarah Andrews and John Fisher Davis from Lenapehoking, Philadelphia and his paternal grandparents are Mary Alice Jacobs (Menzo) from Naparyaarmiut, and Hultman (Kenick) Jacobs from Saktuliq (Shaktoolik), AK.
Torin grew up mostly in Mamterilleq with several early years spent in Lenapehoking, Philly. While serving in the U.S. Marine Corps, he began exploring his talent for music making, first through rap, then by blending sounds from his cultural background in beatmaking. He is first and foremost a family man – husband, father, uncle, brother – and music-making has taken the back burner over the last seven years while he has focused on the role of father and caretaker to six children.
His well-being, resilience, and radical self-care and healing journey are his activism – he is breaking cycles, crushing stereotypes, raising healthy and happy human beings, and participating in the uplifting of his community as a leader and friend. He uses his music to tell his story, to spread love and positive messaging, and to honor his peoples.
