Album Notes

At some point in every man's life he inevitably arrives at a personal crossroads; he must decide whether to blindly follow the crowd or bravely take the road less traveled.

He might have been like everyone else - regurgitating those typical themes notorious in today's music world - but N.I.F.T.Y. (Nubian Intelligence from the Yahweh) opted to take his music to another level. He decided to attain a lyrical elevation whose effects combined heightened knowledge with head-banging intensity. Born Chesley Christian in Toronto, he quickly realized the power he held in his hands whenever he grasped a microphone. The spell it cast could either spawn mindless slaves of negativity or liberate souls to reality.

Without a shadow of doubt, N.I.F.T.Y. is the full packaged artist that this industry has desperately been waiting for. The substance and intricacy of his lyrics integrated with his emotion filled vocals and soulful melodic production make him the well-balanced emcee that he is. Moreover, N.I.F.T.Y's live performance is nothing short of phenomenal; He possesses a character that demonstrates an exquisite blend of energy, authority, and interactivity with his audience. Though he has been compared to Jay-Z, N.I.F.T.Y. is quick to point out that both his style and his subject matter differ from the Roc-a-fella artist. From young to old and underground to mainstream, N.I.F.T.Y.'s music is not something that is heard, but a force that is felt.

With God as his spiritual compass and inspiration, N.I.F.T.Y. came to the realization that not only hip-hop, but also the world itself, needed a change; it lacked balance and craved an alternate choice. He explains, "I want to make hip hop uplifting, so people can realize that they can have a content life minus the negative influences."

In addition to working with such affiliated production companies as Red Kharpet Productions, N.I.F.T.Y.'s hidden talent as a producer is revealed on his first ground breaking single, 'That's Me'. He has already toured across Canada, performing alongside classic artists such as CL Smooth, Jeru The Damaja and Thousand Foot Krutch. In less than one month, N.I.F.T.Y. single-handedly sold over 700 copies of his 7 track EP entitled, The Preface. He has made appearances at various high schools in the country to give motivational speeches related to peer pressure and drug abuse. In an ordinary artist, such tireless ambition might lead to exhaustion, but 'Nif' endures. The Toronto native has enjoyed growing recognition from the entertainment industry, not only as gifted subject matter for major print media like The Toronto Star and FEED Magazine, but also receiving nods from the VGM/Shai Awards Committee with a nomination for Best Rap/Hip-Hop Recording of the year.

The recently crowned winner of the Just Entertainment Demo Showcase refuses to rest until his vision is achieved -"The Preface is just the beginning, my book hasn't even started yet" - N.I.F.T.Y.