brooklyn
September 17, 2021
City The Great’s Tell-All Interview & “Day One” Single
Hip Hop artist/CEO of Certified Nation Entertainment City The Great delivers a tell-all about his new single “Day One”, his upcoming album ‘The Wordsmith’, making moves with Hip Hop legend Special Ed, and more. Listen to “Day One” and check out the full interview below.
Listen to “Day One” from the forthcoming ‘The Wordsmith’ Album
MJ: Before we jump into “Day One” let everyone know who you are and where you’re from.
City the Great: Thanks for having me. I am City the Great from East NY, Brooklyn.
MJ: You’re an artist under Hip Hop legend Special Ed. How did that come to fruition? Are there any challenges regarding age and mindset? Or is this a step towards bridging the generational gap in Hip Hop?
City the Great: Actually, my homeboy is Ed’s 1st cousin and he told me for the longest that he would connect us. Of course, at the time I didn’t believe he was Ed’s cousin. One day he came to the studio with me and took the song I wrote and recorded that day and said he was going to play it for Ed while at Funkmaster Flex’s birthday bash at BB Kings in Manhattan. Long story short he did and gave me Ed’s number…he wanted to speak with me, and the rest is history. There are really no challenges in age and mindset in working with Ed. He’s been a great mentor and I have learned a lot about the game from him. He stays up to date on the business and the culture. He also has great faith in my grind and creations. I would say without a doubt, we are in the works of bridging the generational gap in Hip Hop.
MJ: Let’s get to “Day One” which is taken from your upcoming album ‘The Wordsmith.’ The track has a cinematic anthem vibe with a hook catchy enough for the clubs and streets. It’s evident you have a knack for drawing audiences in. Talk about “Day One” from the motivation behind it to your expectation of the track.
City The Great: The story about the creation of this one is an interesting one…I was sitting on this beat for a while by Molly The Kid. I was conversating with my Certified Nation Entertainment comrade Itsonlywrite just talking about all the people that we worked with and knew throughout this journey that were kind of in and out. We laughed about how funny it is that when things weren’t going upward, they split or didn’t support, and now that we are moving, they all want to claim they’re day ones. That sparked my mind on expressing that on wax. I think what really made the song pop was my engineer King Bash jumping in and harmonizing on the hook. My expectation for Day One is to appeal to all audiences giving them that commercial feel yet true to the cultural vibe.
MJ: What can you tell us about your upcoming album and what can listeners anticipate from it?
City The Great: People are going to get a rollercoaster ride. I have been working on this project for the past 2 years piece by piece to ensure I capture the best feel in my testimony of being a wordsmith. This project will be very balanced with the right number of features and it’s going to display something for everyone that will be nostalgic.
MJ: Besides having the backing, support, and genius of Special Ed, what is your signature move, if you will, that differentiates you from other artists in the industry?
City The Great: I think what differentiates me and other artists in the industry is the soul that I pour into my craft which identifies my true being…A person being themself is the perfect form of originality. There’s a certain energy I give listeners and audiences and I have my own sound where you know it’s me and that element is never lost no matter what type of song it is that I am on. Not only that but I keep that element alive with versatility, you just never know which angle I am going to come on a track but you will always know it’s me.
MJ: Aside from the new album release prep, what other endeavors are you working on?
City The Great: I am currently working on growing my company Certified Nation Entertainment, educating, and assisting artists with their careers. I’m also working on multiple collaborative projects including a mixtape coming soon with my DJ, DJ Bad Tha Problem (proceeding the album release). I am working on a Certified Nation Entertainment collab project with the team of artists Jae Law aka Hindrix, Pengame Classic, Chambs Taylor, Jacqui Grace, and of course Itsonlywrite. There’s also a collaborative project with Chambs Taylor titled ‘CD’ (Collateral Damage). You can catch freestyle videos I will be releasing weekly as well as working with my management team Samantha Leavell of Certified Nation and legendary Kool Rock Ski on an event, For The Culture By The Culture. I can’t leave out 2022’s Annual Hip Hop & R&B Cookout in East BK…The list goes on and on.
MJ: Wrapping up, let everyone know how they can connect with you.
City The Great: Thank you I can be found on any platform as City the Great but one of the easiest ways to link with me all in one place is on my website CertifiedNationEntertainment.com.
Connect with City The Great
Instagram: www.instagram.com/citythegreat
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/therealCityTheGreat
Twitter: www.twitter.com/citythegreat_
Youtube: https://youtube.com/c/CityTheGreatmusic
October 23, 2020
G-Pak – “No Love” | @sm_gpak
Following his 2019 joint, “This Is It” featuring YNVS first lady, Brooke Lynne, Brooklyn’s G-Pak releases his new single “No Love.”
Follow Shamika Sykes on Twitter & the Gram for all of her interviews and adventures.
October 2, 2020
VIDEO: Kocky Ka – “Respectfully” | @Kocky_Ka @Kaydotti
Brooklyn welcomes its newest member to the rap world, Kocky Ka, a young and multi-talented artist from BAMAZ East New York who is making some immediate impact to this hip hop game.
Kocky Ka not only raps, but he also sings and harmonizes. He has been rapping for just two years now and has already recorded with fellow Brooklynite PHresher on his current single “Go Head”. Ka will also be on a new record with Griselda’s Benny Da Butcher.
His slogan is “TABO” which means “this is a big one”…referring to every record is a HIT.
His latest single, “Respectfully”, pays homage to his hood as the visual, directed by star videographer Kaydotti, captures the artist at his best, living his best.
“Respectfully” is out now on all digital music services and stay tuned for more from this rising rap star.
Follow Shamika Sykes on Twitter & the ‘Gram for all of her interviews and adventures.
February 24, 2020
NWD Reese – “Problem Child” | @NWDREESE
Following his “Can’t Wait” single, young Brooklyn rapper NWD Reese releases visuals to his new single “Problem Child”.
Directed by Hondo, Reese discusses his past as well as his future in great detail. From the loss of childhood friends and struggles of life to his wishes for future success. He ties it all together with a catchy hook while sticking to his natural melodic flow. Unlike many other rappers, Reese has no cap in his rap, making him a relatable “Hood Hero”. As far as I can tell, NWD Reese is growing into his flow and has no plans of letting up on the competition.
Follow NWD Reese on Facebook, Twitter, the ‘Gram & Snapchat.
Follow Shamika Sykes on Twitter & the ‘Gram for all of her interviews and adventures.
February 20, 2020
Shameless Plug ‘Honey Cocaine’ EP
Shameless Plug is back with yet another EP release titled ‘Honey Cocaine’. If the title isn’t enough to entice listeners in, the 7 tracks of verbal stimulation will.
The Brooklyn thoroughbred steps out of his gritty, hardcore shell and revels in lust, love, and the addictive moves of fine women. In “Kitty Up” Plug commands playtime to reach pleasurable levels of erotica, in other words, ladies step up your ‘kitty’ game. “Private Dancer” is an explicit tale of how curves and intriguing allure of women overwhelm and arouse Plug’s physical and mental state.
“Standby” switches up the vibe a bit with Plug letting past desires and flings know they’re on standby. Now that he’s taking over the boroughs of NY and cashing in on industry checks, thirsty chicks are sweating and chasing his every move. Not entertained, Plug leaves them on standby. In “Poof Be Bone” he sends out a similar message but this one is not just for the females. He’s calling out everyone who’s clout chasing and coattail riding in attempts to rob his stance.
“Delete” is a soulful, lyrical serenade about loving a divine goddess down. The sensual flow and horns magnify Plug’s vivid devise. She might just be the one to have him delete numbers off his phone. “Mitchmatch” is an all too familiar reality of an artist in a relationship with a woman who loves when he’s home but hates when he leaves. The dilemma is real but rarely talked about in the industry, which leads to “Royalty”. Plug embodies the ups and downs of relationships and the ongoing debate and often the ongoing back and forth tennis match of breaking up to make up.
Overall, Shameless Plug delivers an EP that can be embraced by multi-genre listeners while exceeding expectations from his fans. He continues to reign as an eclectic and consistent wordsmith with a natural talent for curating timeless gems. Stream ‘Honey Cocaine’ and connect with Shameless Plug below.
Shameless Plug ‘Honey Cocaine’ EP on Spotify
Shameless Plug- Instagram @Shamelessp5050 & Twitter @Shameless_Plug
January 10, 2020
Shameless Plug ‘Bar Mitvah 2’ EP
Shameless Plug, a prominent emcee representing Brooklyn, returns with ‘Bar Mitvah 2’, a follow up to his last EP ‘Bar Mitvah’. The 4-track project will have Hip Hop enthusiasts head nodding throughout its entirety. Plug’s ingenious lyricism flows over a perfect blend of soulful and boom-bap cadences.
“Masters of Flow” serves as a brief introduction to Plug’s losses, illnesses, personal struggles, and beating the streets. He declares he is who he is today from it and “feels better when you start from zero.” “We Run Tings” follows suit stressing how struggles and downfalls shape us while acknowledging chance takers who put food on the table.
“A Cops Gun” is a pivotal hair-raising track, delivered with alarming yet actual and factual wordplay. Plug describes an all too familiar tale of police gone mad with gunfire robbing folks of innocence and freedom.
Plug takes it home in “Dome”, with a stern reminder of who he is and how he moves. 365 he’s making it happen not allowing anyone or anything to interfere. Stream ‘Bar Mitvah 2’ and connect with Shameless Plug @shamelessp5050.
December 10, 2019
Eddie Kaine “Everything’s A Go” Video
Eddie Kaine returns with the third single/video release, “Everything’s A Go” off his latest album titled ‘ARUKU.’
The Brooklyn, seasoned artist flows over heavy-hitting beats and cadences to stress his point that when it comes to music and concrete quadrants, ‘everything’s a go.’ In front of cornerstones and infamous Brooklyn blocks, Kaine spews his lyrical, truth-based sermon reminding fake thugs and weak rappers that he sees through their bullsh*t.
The catchy hook leading into a rendered 70’s climax, heightens both the raw emotion from Kaine and the hair-raising chill of his deliverance. Watch “Everything’s A Go” and connect with Eddie Kaine on Twitter and Instagram.
Stream Eddie Kaine’s “ARUKU” album here on Bandcamp
