JUDGING BY HIS NAME, YOU CAN PROBABLY TELL THAT NME (ENEMY) IS NOT YOUR AVERAGE RAPPER. THE NAME NME IS AN ACRONYM FOR NEGATIVE MENTAL ELEMENTS, DERIVED FROM HIS THEORY OF MAN…’ONCE MAN UTILIZES ONE’S NEGATIVE MENTAL ELEMENTS, MAN BECOMES MAN’S WORST ENEMY’. N’S MISSION IS TO CHANNEL THE NEGATIVE ENERGY HE’S EXPERIENCED IN HIS LIFE INTO POSITIVE, THROUGH MUSIC. THE 27 YEAR OLD MC WAS BORN IN BROOKLYN, NY TO PARENTS OF BAJAN HERITAGE. TRYING TO ESCAPE THE HARSH REALITIES OF THE NEW YORK STREETS, HIS FAMILY DECIDED TO LEAVE THE BIG APPLE IN FAVOR OF BROADER HORIZONS. AT A YOUNG AGE NME ARRIVED IN KISSIMMEE, FL, JUST OUTSIDE OF ORLANDO. GROWING UP WAS A TOUGH TRANSITION, TRYING TO STEER CLEAR OF TROUBLE AS THE STREETS KEPT CALLING. INSPIRED BY FRIENDS & A LIFE-LONG LOVE OF THE HIP-HOP CULTURE, N STARTED WRITING RHYMES AT 18. THOUGH HE STARTED RAPPING MUCH LATER THAN MOST OF HIS PEERS, THE YOUNG MAN’S POTENTIAL WAS UNDENIABLE. BY 20, HE OFFICIALLY TOOK HIS DREAM SERIOUSLY AND BEGAN OPENING FOR MAJOR LABEL ARTISTS, GUEST STARRING ON LOCAL DJ MIXTAPES, & APPEARING ON LOCAL RADIO STATIONS. IN 2005, NME STARTED HIS OWN INDEPENDENT RECORD LABEL ENTITLED ‘GRAY SKYZ ENTERTAINMENT’. SINCE THEN HE’S RELEASED SUCH STREET CERTIFIED PROJECTS AS: ‘THE STORMWATCH SERIES 1 & 2’, ‘MOST HATED’, & ‘ORLANDO’S SENTINEL’. WITH MORE PROJECTS IN THE WORKS AND ON THE WAY, THE FUTURE LOOKS BRIGHT, EVEN DURING THE STORM. THOUGH HE’S COME A LONG WAY, NME INSISTS THAT HIS JOURNEY HAS JUST BEGUN AND CLOSES WITH ONE STATEMENT: ‘IT’S A MOVEMENT; MOVE WITH US, MOVE ON, OR MOVE OVER!!
Where can we hear your stuff? Be on the lookout for my street album entitled ‘Orlando’s Sentinel’ in a hood near you today. You can also check me out on myspace or the Gray Skyz Ent. website.
How did you get that name? The name NME is an acronym that stands for Negative Mental Elements. It’s derived from my theory of man….’Once man utilizes one’s Negative Mental Elements….Man becomes MAN’s worst NME’. Just a symbol to remind myself not to give in to life’s negativity ; but to channel it into something more positive. That’s the reason I make music.
What has been your biggest accomplishment? I would have to say, starting my own independent label, ‘Gray Skyz Entertainment, LLC’. I got a lot of people that believe in & depend on me. I gotta make this work…..for them.
What has been your most difficult challenge? Besides dealing w/ the loss of my grandmother in ’01, it would have to be trying to OFFICIALLY make it in this industry & get to the top. It’s stressful at times, and hard work, but with faith & perseverance, there’s no stoppin ya boy!
What makes you different? I’ve been told that I stand out because of my fierce delivery, original flow, potent punchlines, swagg & lyrical ability. Not taking nothing from anybody else, but I don’t write, so it sets me apart from some other rappers. There are a lot of us that don’t these days, , but I think I take a lil bit of a different approach.
What projects are you working on? I am currently promoting ‘Orlando’s Sentinel’, which is out now. Get @ me for your copy. I’m also working on a new mixtape due out later ths year, along with projects from other artists on my team like, Young Haz & Hittman.
Where are you from originally? I was born in Brooklyn, NY. My fam moved to FL in ’89 to evade that kind of environment, but you can only run so far, I guess.
How Long have you been making music? I’ve been rappin’ since 18, but taking it serious since I was 20. Been about 7 years in…..
What artists inspire you? B.I.G, Pac, Big L, Jay-Z, Nas, Lil Wayne, Jadakiss, T.I, Ludacris, Young Jeezy, and all my independent cats with the hunger to do it!
How would you define your style of music? Worldly Block music. Classy, yet street. Best of Both worlds….
What teams are you affiliated with? Gray Skyz Ent. & The Rat Pack
Who are some artists that you have worked with? Young Haz, Hittman,JenLee, Rapture, Jemstar, Agony, Young Grizz, Streets, Adept, G-Sharp, Pabey, Megga, Sonny Chulo, Ooh-Jae, Bravo, Desert Eagle, Twan D the Student, Klep, D’ville, Warhedz…..should I go on? lol.
Who would you like to collab with? Anybody real who wants to make good music.
Where do you see the future of music? Digital baby, digital.
Where do you see yourself in 1 year? Hard 2 say these days. Hopefully older, smarter, & better at the LEAST!
Describe yourself in one word: DANGER
Any shout outs? Shout outs 2 my whole Gray Skyz camp, The Rat Pack, & Redefine Musik Prod. Big ups to Fidel Cashflow & Pure Cash Mag 4 the chance to do this interview. Y’all do it real big for us independent artists. We need y’all! To all my kinfolk out there, keep grindin’, LET’S GET IT!!
Web Site URL: www.grayskyzent.com (under construction)
MySpace URL: www.myspace.com/grayskyzent
Management Contact Info: Diggs – 321-437-4754, NME – 407-791-7766, or [email protected]