First off, who is Shambhala?

Agua: Agua - Born Infinite - The Tao

Born Infinite: As far as the music group - Shambhala is Agua & Born Infinite - as well as the handful of silent dragons who support our movement. The word Shambhala literally means "the home of the enlightened ones" - which is at the heart of every living being. So ultimately, Shambhala is all of us, everyone – the light within all things.

How did you guys come together?

Agua: By divine order. Universal truth & determination.

Born Infinite: True. A few years back, I was hosting a Hip Hop event called Tru Skool – Agua's management booked him at our spot and after his performance, I (and everyone else in the audience) was crazy impressed. I did everything I could to find him again. When I finally did locate him, he ducked me for a while until I started leavin verses on his cel. It took some showing and proving, but he hit me back up eventually and its been on since then. You know, we both believe in past lives – so in this particular life we met in the way I just described. We've been coming together and then going our own ways for mad lifetimes – so this is just a reunion.

Who are your influences?

Shambhala: The Most High, The Buddha, His Holiness the Dalai Lama, Yeshua bin Yosef, Lao Tzu, Rakim, Black Moon, Mobb Deep, M.O.P, Wu-Tang (r.i.p. ODB), Nas, Kool G Rap, Slick Rick, Bob Marley, Bjork, Chaka Khan, Minnie Ripeton, Stevie Wonder, Diane Reeves, Asssata Shakur, Kwame Nkruma, Patrice Lumumba, Jay-Z, Jeru the Damaja, Smiff N Wessun, Common Sense, Buckshot, Pete Rock, Premier, Rza, Black Thought, AZ, Light, Wind, Water, Animals, Insects, Bruce Lee, Sun Tzu, Chuang Tzu, Mahatma Gandhi, Huey P. Newton, Malcolm X, Thich Nat Hanh, Our children… Ultimately, everything is an influence….

What's the first release you put out?

Agua: "The Lotus Of..."

Born: Word. As Shambhala 'The Lotus Of…" is our debut album.

What lessons did you learn from that?

Agua: That everything will happen when it's supposed to. And that we have something truly beautiful to look forward to when the second album drops.

Born: Patience is a virtue. If you believe in your art, then just keep going forward and don't look back. The reaction our album has gotten from all over the world shows that people are really in need of something new and something meaningful that doesn't insult their intelligence. That put a lot of confidence behind us. The second album is gonna be out of control.

Born Infinite, you've done solo projects, how did that go for you?

Born: My solo project "The Mohammed E.P." dropped right around 9/11 – it wasn't intended to be, but because of the time, it was real controversial. Being in D.C., "The Mohammed EP" produced 2 different effects – I sold a lot of albums, made a name for myself on the scene and advanced to a higher level of respect in my city. I also made a name for myself among the G-dub cats – surveillance, photos, unmarked cars and all that. You can say I gained two followings.

What's the main difference you've noticed in being solo and being in a group?

Agua: Two minds are better than one.

Born: "Two minds…" word. The music we were able to create as solo artists is really nothing compared to what we've been able to accomplish as a group. There's a much bigger resource of power, energy and creativity. Our sales have continued to grow by the thousands and we've gotten world wide critical acclaim with "The Lotus Of…" in just a few months, so we must be doing something right.

Can you guys explain the Shambhala vision?

Agua: World enlightenment through continuous musical creation. The Tao…

Born: In the Shambhala vision, enlightenment is the birthright of everyone - all beings. The purpose of our music is to point to the light within everything. To direct the mind to the divine within us all. The Shambhala vision sees the natural perfection of all beings as a reality.

How could you describe your beliefs?

Agua: We are men. Religion is man made. That explains the natural flaws in religion. From our childhood influences, our teachers, our family and friends, etc. we have studied Taoism, Buddhism, Rastafari, Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Judaism, it goes on...

Born: Word. We have been trained and taught in the various schools of the Spirit. Words and titles are limiting. Shambhala doesn't deal with limitation… what flows through us is "boundless and unseen…"

What are your goals when you make a song?

Agua: (1) To be free-flowing. Non-concentrated. (2) To set the listener's soul free.

Born: We rely on our skill and natural chemistry. We combine rugged, melodic, beautiful music with sharp lyrics - dedicated to enlightenment, love, wisdom and the warrior's path. We call it "Hip Hop Jeet Kun Do".

What do you want people to take away from your music?

Agua: Inner change. Self -improvement.

Born: You can appreciate our music on a variety of different levels – from the production, to the lyrics, to the concepts, to the vibe – it's all in the hands of the beholder. Ultimately, we hope to leave people with the understanding that meditation gives you the keys to freedom. Our music celebrates that fact.

Where do you see Shambhala fitting into the overall picture of Hip Hop?

Shambhala: That's for the listener to decide, really. We took it back to the fundamentals - unmatched lyricism over beautiful music. But while the method is simple, the effect our music has on people is incredible. So we will continue to carve our own path and develop the art.

What's coming up for you?

Shambhala: Check out http://www.shambhalatrue.com to catch sounds from our debut hit "The Lotus Of…"and purchase the album. Check the site for new music, tour dates, dope exclusives, merchandise and more. Look out for the 'Enlightenment/African Sunflower' 12" dropping this fall. There's a new Shambhala EP in the works that's shaping up to be a real banger. We'll be hitting up Europe at the end of the summer so look out for us out there. Fat shout to the whole Shambhala family. Much respect & blessings to 730 and the Hiphopgame crew. Shambhala: The Lotus Of… ::Meditate on it::