Vice Verses
The Voice of New York’s Underground Has Mid-Life Crisis

June 25, 2014 -- New York, NY -- Fans and industry heads alike want to know: What happened to New York Hip Hop? While the king’s throne is being disputed, Vice Verses, the uncontested voice of the underground, has answers and he’s having a Mid-Life Crisis. After growing up in the birthplace, witnessing the inception, joining the ranks as an artist, and creating a 13 years running weekly open mic, this man of Hip Hop presents an album that bridges the supposed gap between classic and modern, clearing up our confusion.

Vice Verses grew up with Hip Hop, having witnessed its inception as a child raised in the Bronx. He was inducted into the movement at 12 years old when he received lyrics sent from jail by his sister’s then boyfriend. As a young fan of soon-to-be legends like Rakim, KRS One, and Big Daddy Kane, Vice realized he could write better lyrics than these. In this moment of clarity, Vice’s path in life was set.

No longer a 12 year old finding his voice, Vice has grown into a man of Hip Hop with a mission to enlighten the masses as he entertains, pairing classic lyricism with today’s anthemic bars. Dumify (produced by DJ Rob Flow) stands out as a personal theme song as it throws down the gauntlet, challenging other MCs to “at least have the decency to be creative with the cadence.” Yungstar delves into the sexually explicit with a dueling verse provided by producer DJ Rob Flow. In both cases, Vice’s “lyrics represent the new age of wordplay--from an intelligent artist.” While DJ Rob Flow provides the pop sample laden alternative commercial sound, the album’s other producers Oddateee, Superb, and Dama Nillz represent the underground with tracks like Let’s Go, Playtime, and Killars At Large. The entire album is influenced by his 13 years of hosting End Of the Weak (EODub), a now international weekly open mic that has no doubt shaped the lives of artists and the global Hip Hop community.

So what happened to New York Hip Hop? It’s always been here, onstage at EODub and contained within Vice’s Mid-Life Crisis.