In its second week of release, the latest Emcee NICE record, Praise, has landed on over a dozen different charts, dominating the christian/gospel releases but also crossing spiritual boundaries to land high on charts like Rap Album Sales, and Emerging Artists. Check out our interview below where Emcee NICE tells his story, his non-traditional approach, and working with Gospel legend Richard Smallwood.
How did you get into Christian Contemporary Hip-Hop?
Before I became a notable songwriter, I started my rap career as a gospel rap artist while attending bible college in California. At the time there was no real lane for Gospel Hip-Hop and the church had mixed feelings on progressive gospel music and groups like “SFC” (Soldiers For Christ). However, what I learned and motivated me to do gospel hip-hop was that God would create a lane for me if I stayed diligent and passionate.
As I was trying to find my voice, there was chaos happening in the church that had me questioning my faith, so I not only left bible college, I also left the church and believed for a while that there was no real difference as I pursued a career in hip-hop. My objective was to create a fan base and then slowly implement the word of God in my music without being intrusive. It was a journey that led me in various directions with no real “gratifying success” on the gospel front and many record labels were not feeling the spiritual message and my hip-hop with no curse words so I felt gospel rap would go nowhere, until the likes of Kirk Franklin that made you stomp or Lecrae slanging Jesus Beats and Ty Tribbet, Canton Jones, Sevin, they all blew the doors wide open in which gave me an opportunity to return to my roots and give me testimony.
How did you and legendary Gospel Singer Richard Smallwood hook up to co-produce this project?
Well the productions started off with super producer Sam Peezy from Alabama, when we set off to do my gospel hip-hop album “Praise” we wanted to mix both traditional gospel and non-traditional and in listening records Sam Peezy broke out the Richard Smallwood “Angels” record and right away we knew we had to do it. Once we did a rough, I personally reached out to Mr. Richard Smallwood to get his blessing on the track and man I tell you, the Lord was looking out because Mr. Smallwood actually loved the record he inspired and our unique ability to take it extremely modern combined with earth shaking drums and the famous melody of Angels watching over me.
Tell us your story.
I am a multi-platinum producer, songwriter, author, actor and entertainer from El Paso, Texas. I co-produced 2 Pac’s “Thugz Mansion” feat. Nas (acoustic version) on both “Better Dayz” and “God’s Son”. In the past 10+ plus years I have been the known, unknown, lol because not a lot people know who I am but you heard my work. I was a lead vocalist/rapper of a group called KansasCali, we did six soundtracks most notable Academy Award winning film “Crash”, our song “If I…” was on the “Inspired by Crash” soundtrack and our music video was featured on the dvd in the special features during it’s Oscar run. Other notable soundtracks were “Mr. & Mrs. Smith” (International Soundtrack), Jamie Kennedy’s “Kicking It Old School”, Orlando Bloom’s “Haven” (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack), ESPN’s “Once Upon A Lifetime” and more..
Was also on the Tribute to Prince album with founding member of Prince and the Revolution “Doctor Fink” with our version of “Pop Life” that Prince absolutely loved. We also did a theme song for the NBA and wrote music for shows on TVOne, BET and a few others.
I am also the co-star of an animated 3D music series called “Da Jammies” on Netflix and The Genius Channel on Comcast/Xfinity, Amazon Prime, Roku and Apple TV. I play the character “Novelist.” Another unique thing about Da Jammies is that I am also one of the shows Creators along side William “Dolla” Chapman II. Our show is executive produced by Producer “Ralph Farquhar” (Proud Family, Real Husbands of Hollywood) along with “Galen Walker: (Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). The cool thing about all of this is me and my business partner Dolla was mentored by the later “Peter Keefe” who created “Voltron” not to mention if I wanted some advice I could reach out to my uncle “Ronald Husband” who was the first black animator ever at Disney.
I am also an author, I have a book in the marketplace called “50 Shades of L.O.V.E. – (Learning Our Various Emotions). It is a book of 50 pieces of poetry that give people insight on my perspective of love in which I believe is about “the commitment to learning” I feel like everything we do in life, we have to learn, whether it’s talking, walking, running, driving and or learning a new job. The more experience you gain the better you perform. Why should love be any different, if you commit yourself to learning a person, then you have committed to loving that person, it is when we stop loving we stop learning. My next book, “50 Shades of L.O.V.E. – (The Art of Communication) will be out early next year.
So you are climbing the charts selling both singles and an album, tell us about your non-traditional approach – for all the Naysayers – how are you selling so many records without the likes of iTunes & Amazon?
Without giving the “secret sauce” away hahaha! My teams non-traditional approach is what we call the “Direct to Consumer” utilizing digital street teams and going where that traffic is outside of your traditional outlets affording the consumer to be a part of the movement and build from the beginning. Since we are doing faith base music, part of what we do is go to those digital communities, co-mingle with the like minded all over the United States and turn them onto to what we have moving and our success shows by way of the charts. We turn no radio interviews down whether you have 4 listeners for 400,000 we believe in the laws of numbers and logic. We turn no blog interview down wether you are an up start or established, the name of the game is have many backlinks created for your brand. My team also has built pages on many digital domains that cater to my genre. We are a firm believer that the more eyes you can put on your product, the more opportunity you have for success. On a smaller scale with what TechN9ne is doing and it’s obviously working. I am traveling to Dallas, Atlanta, New York inspiring minds and delivering God’s word!
“My team’s non-traditional approach is what we call the “Direct To Consumer” approach, utilizing digital street teams and going where the traffic is outside of your traditional outlets, affording the consumer to be a part of the movement and build from the beginning” – Emcee N.I.C.E Artist
What are you planning next to keep momentum going?
To keep the momentum we have put together a solid radio and fellowship tour that will allow me to share my music with all walks of faiths. I am also planning to drop the music video to “I Got Angels” on Black Friday. The video will be unique because I stepped outside of the box with having students from New Mexico State University produce, write and direct it. All lead by producer and student Desiree Ramirez (from El Paso, TX), Directed by Kwanshun Sherwin Lau and DP Carlos Tejada. I have always been one to give people an opportunity so in speaking with Desiree she was telling me about her plight as an African-American Latino woman who was having a hard time being taken seriously I was introduced by Radio Personality, “Famous Loza”. So Desiree took the bull by the horn and ran with it and video is going to be amazing. It was shot on 2 Red Dragons and the premise behind it is that even though we deal with everyday burdens of our life there is always “Angels watching over us” to give us some clarity and direction in life. It’s going to be Holy Fire! We shot at the Children’s Hospital in El Paso where I also went to the 9th floor and visited a few sick kids, we were in downtown El Paso, Chapin High School, Logan Heights and topped it off in the forest of Bluff Springs with the waterfall in New Mexico just past white sands.
We saw you submitted for a Grammy, what would you do if you won?
Yes indeed I am on the first Grammy ballot trying to get to that second one! If I won, man that would be another momentous boost for Gospel Hip-Hop and Gospel music period. It would mean so much for the future generation as it has also been a life long goal of mine. So I would probably cry for real! Well at least on the inside for certain. haha! However I do want to petition the Grammys next season about creating a space on the ballot for Gospel Hip-Hop. There are plenty of artist in the genre that not have it competing in the contemporary categories with pop and r&b gospel.
Anything else we might like to know?
Yeah, “I Got Angels” watching over me! Stay tuned we are about to do unprecedented things and forever change the standards on our “direct to consumer” approach. I tell you what, I win the Grammy, I will be back to give you a play by play. Stay tuned in on all of my social media Twitter and IG: @EmceeNICELA – FB: /EmceeNICEMusic – Pinterest: @EmceeNICE – Home: www.EmceeNICE.com also shout out to my team BJ Luster from Major Turnout, Management Vonzell, EP Frank DeRozan and Tally. Also want to thank those that participated on the record First Lady & Co-Pastor Sibrena Sinegal, Cynthia Stuart-Speed, Elia Esparza (from El Paso), Stripped, Rahkua, Alonda Rich, Selah Avery, Raphael Leraux, DJ Cube and King Philip of (ULP Productionz) Orlando and Alfredo of Beacon Hill Recording Studios in El Paso, Texas and most importantly my mother and God!
Emcee NICE Climbing the charts for the second week based on his direct-to-fan hit co-produced with legendary Gospel Singer Richard Smallwood by reporting online and live show sales as a Dropkick CD artist.
My Silent Bravery’s new single hits the Hot Singles Sales chart with a feature article on billboard.com this week by reporting online sales direct-to-fan as a Dropkick Smart artist.
Kings X2 Debuts on the Hot Singles Sales charts by reporting live show sales as a Dropkick CD artist.
Syreeta Thompson Trumpetlady remains on several charts her 6th week on Billboard using the IHM Dropkick Record Release Plan to help build momentum for her latest title Evolution of a Winner.
Rupam Sarmah is #1 on the Heatseekers- Middle Atlantic Chart as well as being on five other Billboard Charts this week using IHM.
Art Tawanghar’s latest release has been #1 on the New Age Album sales for 14 weeks with a total of 15 weeks on several different charts this week using the IHM Momentum Plan.
Grant Maloy Smith stays on the American/Folk Album Sales chart for the 16th week in the second phase of his IHM Momentum Plan by reporting online mail order and digital download sales direct-to-fan as a Dropkick Smart Artist.
Leon & The Peoples’ second week on the Hot Singles Sales chart this week using the Dropkick CD artist platform to record live show sales numbers.
G.H. Hat stay on the Hot Single Sales and Dance Club Songs charts by reporting online sales direct-to-fan from their official website as a Dropkick Smart artist.
