The underground rap scene within the boroughs of busy New York City has been surging. Its resurgence, in large part, can be attributed to Bobby Shmurda’s encapsulation of the masses during the Summer of 2014. Unmatched levels of emotion and passionate displays of their surroundings had not previously been witnessed in such a showstopping manner. As the case presides with many of Shmurda’s associates, the violent crimes and aggressive lifestyles portrayed landed much of the GS9 crew behind bars.
Heavy Impact
To reiterate, Bobby Shmurda’s imprint on the New York rap scene can hardly be measured due to its monumental nature. Sure, chalk his success up to the equivalent of a one hit wonder but do so with great inaccuracy. Regardless, even if the only song that the listener has heard is the one hit, “Hot” they have heard it within multiple phases. The weight of that single created a large dent within the rap scene that still permeates to this day. Unfortunately, Shmurda and co.’s propensity for a fast lifestyle without the fear of consequences landed him in a compromising position. Thus, his well-documented rise to stardom formed a multitude of routes by which like-minded, gritty individuals could display their abilities.
For decades, New York’s diverse blend of artistry could often be traced to the roots of a boom-bap type of traditional and lyrical style. As is the case with any genre, progressional strides and changes are bound to be made. Much to the tune of Chicago’s drill scene, Bobby Shmurda and his GS9 associates brought a quick hitting approach and pizzazz unforeseen to the streets of New York. Simply, not to deem one particular style as greater than the other, as long as individuals try new musical mechanisms there will always be a shift. Some would deem the shift as detrimental, others view it as refreshing. No matter your stance, the fact of the matter is as time elapses new variations and types of musical output will constantly emerge.
Bending the Block
One of the lone rising stars to arrive from the muck of GS9 indictments goes by the name of Corey Finesse. His hunger combined with patient sharpening of his skillset caught the attention of crucial players within the hip-hop hemisphere. With financial backing and the forming of an ambitious relationship, Junior Galette chose Corey as the frontman for a cleaner GS9 type of collective donned, “Nula Entertainment.” Of late, Finesse hopped on the remix to Sheff G’s bass-rattling underground hit, “No Suburban.” As a direct response to another underground star, “22G’z” single, “Suburban” Sheff G clearly claimed the crown of victory in this bout.
The rebuttal offered by Sheff G titled, “No Suburban” created a major stir within Brooklyn and hosts greater than three million Youtube video views to this day. With a unique inflection and seemingly British type accent, Sheff G’s captivating presence has lifted him to levels of superstardom that many can only aspire to ascertain. “No Suburban” produced by a London teenage beatmaker, AXL Beats captures multiple new verses of slang and lingo. AXL makes his signature mark on the track with booming drum kicks and claps along with signature church bells.
“I ain’t playing with you Gerber’s, Frost gon’ roll ’em like he Herbert,
Any season know it’s scorching, Moving on em Steady scoring.” (No Suburban)
Glaringly, Sheff G’s striking confidence and charisma propelled his presence onto the radar of countless rap connoisseurs. Much like his contemporary, Corey Finesse, Sheff G represents many walks of life in terms of Jamaican, Haitian and West Indian culture. His father holds Haitian roots and his mother reigns from Trinidad and Tobago. Remarkably, Corey Finesse hopped on the No Suburban song to create a stunning remix. Within the video, the participants donned several blue color variations and brought out a substantial populace of people accompanied by about five cameras (including drone footage.)
Undoubtedly so, Sheff G incorporated remnants of the Chicago drill scene into his catalogue. The fast paced slang delivery and intimidating wordplay can be specifically attributed to influential artists such as G-Herbo and Lil Bibby. Sheff G received much of this influence by the resemblance of chosen lifestyles. His Caton collective identifies with artists of the Chicago drill movement, in terms of respective upbringing and they relate with their means of survival. In particular, Sheff G’s Moving Gang faction answers to no man and are strongly interconnected. Thematically and sonically, these battle tested soldiers consistently prove their dominance amongst the ranks of New York.
Sheff G, One to Strike while the Iron is Hot
With minimal output, Sheff G and his conglomerate focuses upon dropping tracks that deliver quality. Evidently, while others chose to oversaturate, Sheff G comfortably sat back and observed in order to plot his ultimate rise and ascension from the depths of the underground. Ruthless nature and infectious charisma catapulted his team and caused them to gain traction in the streets, which continually allows his music to really bubble.
So Dope Entertainment, a major player on the New York scene, boosted Sheff G’s presence with video and audio production. Together, their collaborations boast tremendous superiority amongst the likes of peons and lesser artists. Recently, Sheff G and frequent collaborator, Sleepy Hallow could be seen roaming the New York streets with Nula Ent. originator and President, Junior Galette (via Snapchat.) As a possible foreshadowing attempt, Sheff G and Corey Finesse may be intricately linked and inked to the same label in the near future. Only time will tell.
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