Nenjah Nycist

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Rap is constantly used as a vehicle to convey hyperbolic abilities and over-inflated egos. From the amount of times I’ve heard about well-endowed men and how strong their pipe game is, you’d think I was hiding something from my parents. While hearing someone exude so much confidence and “swag” can be a fun, vicarious vacation (or seem a lot like home if you’re nice like that), the braggadocio content can begin to wear thin. So when I first heard of the artist, NenJah Nycist, I was admittedly, and unfairly, skeptical.

However, it is my vow to give anyone and everyone a fair and uninhibited listen. So, I checked out his SoundCloud. After his track, “Fuck the Whole World”, faded into its final seconds, I looked like I had just seen Rihanna walk by ass naked. My preconceived notions were wildly different than the product’s extremely intriguing and surprising sound. Listening to it was was like the first scene in Pineapple Express when Bill Hader’s character is describing his inaugural weed journey: “I feel like a slice of butter melting on a pile of flapjacks.” The potent lyrics and calming production take you on this tranquil journey of sifting through life’s trials and tribulations while learning to cope with bullshit. People will usually exclaim “Yo, this shit bumps” if they enjoy a song. But not with “Fuck the Whole World”. Nope. This shit melts. Suffice it to say, I was convinced that NenJah Nycist was nice.

Of course, any dog can have his day. Any person or group with an inkling of musical ability can string together a sonically pleasing record—“Mmm Bop” was tight. Thankfully, NenJah is not Hansen. The spitter who now claims Brooklyn home after vagabonding along the East Coast is anything but one song or sound. Perusing his Sound Cloud is reminiscent of being a kid walking through a candy store: wide-eyes overwhelmed by all the options; ecstatic for all the possibilities. Some tracks will take off your shoes and spark your blunt; some will make you want to incite a mosh pit; some will just make you appreciate music. NenJah is the Basking Robin’s of music and you’ll be sure to enjoy his varied flavors.

Curating a diversified pallet is no easy task and requires dedication, maturity, trial and error and repetition. The latter is particularly important and is frequently cited as paramount for success, specifically by the likes of Kobe Bryant and Beethoven. NenJah has been honing his craft for almost 10-years and has tried his hand at every facet of the music process. This 10-year exploration is manifested through his extensive mixtape library; each one refines his sound more and more. While he is a damn good producer, rapper and musical strategist, his true love and passion is writing.

In his words, “I’ve got boxes of rhymes”. NenJah is on his 8-mile game with the amount of rhymes he scribbles in his notepad(s). There’s just something special about it: the physical connection of the pen to paper elicits this nostalgic vibe that is lost on today’s digital wordsmiths. An iPhone may be more compact and practical, but handwritten rhymes retain this special homemade quality. I don’t know, maybe I’m just a romantic. After running through his SoundCloud and Band Camp, one thing is clear: NenJah is no stranger to quality music, especially the writing component.

NenJah and his band, The Rising Sun Allstars, are working hard developing their sound and pumping out music. Through consistent recording and touring New York’s hot spots for up and comers (i.e. Webster Hall, SOBs, Pianos, etc.), NenJah is grinding his ass off to progress his career. He’s finishing up the final touches on his upcoming project, which will feature a Hip hop soul blended with other musical tastes. If his previous work is any indication of this project’s sound, I’m sure it will be nice.

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