Combining that boom bap feel with ill emceeing skills that will hold her own in any cipher, meet the very lyrical, message-driven around-the-way sister with real street soul you can only feel from a boombox. Rewind your cassettes and prepare to re-live the golden era with your hostess, Nitty Scott MC.
How would you define your sound and style of rap?
I guess I’d say that my style is very lyrical, and very East Coast. I don’t think I’ve coined a specific sound just yet, but right now I call it ‘street soul’; it definitely combines that boom bap feel with a modern day twist. I keep it skills-based, straight emceeing and storytelling.
Tell us about your journey thus far.
When I was 14 living in Florida, I switched from writing poems to penning rhymes over instrumentals and made my first homemade demo. By 17, I was determined to pursue a real career as a hip hop artist, so I took off to New York City. I graduated high school up there and for about three years sort of just struggled and held down a bunch of different jobs while trying to get involved in music. I finally met my manager, Jules, in early 2010, and we got to work a few months later. Now, since the viral spread of my ‘Monster’ freestyle in October 2010, I’ve been featured all over the place, performed all over the country and gained hundreds of fans. What’s so crazy is that I feel like I’ve been pursuing this forever, but I’m really just getting started.
What’s your most memorable moment to date?
As of right now, I’d say that being a part of the 2011 BET Hip Hop Awards Cypher changed my life. For one, I was sharing a stage with well-established, platinum-selling artists my very first year in the game, and that was a big accomplishment for a rookie. Secondly, I know that my being there didn’t just benefit me, but broke barriers for others. I was a young, minor, unsigned female with no personal or political connections to BET who could still be put on that platform because of talent and hard work alone.
You’re a member of The Boombox Family. Fill us in on this movement
The Boombox Family is a progressive music movement that focuses on message-driven hip hop. Anybody who is a fan of Nitty Scott is automatically considered a member of The Boombox Family too. I specifically chose the word ‘family’ instead of ‘crew’ or ‘squad’ because I wanted to embody the concepts of unity, loyalty and that grassroots appeal. Oh, and we say “Viva La Boombox!” and sh*t.
How important is a message in your lyrical content?
My message is the MOST important thing in my lyrical content, period. When you have the ability to influence young minds and the masses, that power is something that has to be used carefully and responsibly. Plus, what good would my position be if I couldn’t spread knowledge or impact lives in a positive way?
How would you say being involved in ciphers has helped you up your game?
Well, the nature of any cipher is very competitive, so naturally, you gotta go hard or get eaten up. It forces you to tighten up your punchlines, your delivery, everything. Ciphers are also the reason that I chose to stay away from the ‘girl raps’; I like to be able to hold my own in a circle of dudes, so I spit in a way that’s unisex and not all handbags, boobs and hairspray.
What are you currently working on and where can we get more info about your projects?
Right now you can get your free downloads of The Cassette Chronicles and DOOBIES x POPSICLE STICKS on NITTYSCOTTMC.com. I’m currently gearing up for the release of my debut EP, The Boombox Diaries Vol. I, which will be a more personal introduction to Nitty Scott, MC. It features all original music with production from !llmind, J-57 of The Brown Bag All-Stars, Jet Audio, Yuri Beats and more.
Any advice for upcoming sisters trying to come up in the game?
I’d tell my sisters trying to get in the game to simply represent the best brand of all: yourself. Instead of trying to mimic a successful formula or trying to cater to what you THINK people want to see and hear, be unafraid to create your own lane and embrace who you really are. It keeps you authentic and adds diversity to female rap as a whole.
Verbalz: Naboth RIZLA Rimayi
Visualz: Photo Rob