NISH is on the cusp of introducing himself to the world with the release of his debut project “No Tomorrow Oratory Compilation” (NTOC) set for Summer 2016. In many ways though, NTOC has been in the making long before this. Always deliberate and strategic, NISH tags the phrase No Tomorrow to represent the culmination of his lifelong effort and unwavering determination to breakthrough and sustain a living as a Hip Hop artist.
Born and raised in Trinidad and Tobago, NISH became a fan of Hip Hop during countless summers with his family in Brooklyn, NY and later in Miami, Florida. His time in the US introduced him to independent artists who were producing their own music and posting it on the internet. His cousin in Miami would take him to the studio and young NISH got acquainted with hearing himself on a mic. He reveled in the Hip Hop of the late 90’s while in the city and fell in love with the culture.
Growing up, music was NISH’s refuge from what seemed like a restrictive school system and culture that concentrated too heavily on his academic success. Comparatively, the art forms that were ultimately his true strength seemed to receive little encouragement. His very name is an acronym for Naturally Intelligent Superior to Hate, a proclamation of his belief in his innate ability despite society’s early judgment of his rank and destiny when compared to his peers.
As a youth, NISH experimented with writing poetry. His early talents, however, were not limited to lyrical ability. At 17 years old, while attending St. Anthony’s College, he was given the opportunity to move to Long Island NY and finish his education at Ward Melville High School. There, he established himself as an invaluable member of the school’s soccer team and attracted the interest of several colleges in the USA. However, an unfortunate injury during that year ended his athletic dreams abruptly and ultimately changed the course of his life.
“We all have choice, but we don’t all have vision. – NISH”. Vision is something NISH never lacked. In the face of discouragement and disappointment, he returned to Trinidad and became passionate about gaining an understanding of the world and his place in it. Often underestimated by his peers during this time, he would isolate himself, spending days and weeks on end with nothing but good books and music as he (unknowingly) perfected his skills in poetry, story-telling and music. Around this time, NISH also became engrossed in music video production. In retrospect, it is clear that he saw the value that this skill would eventually afford him i.e. the ability to independently produce his own music videos. In his own words, “Increasing your fascination can lead to emancipation. I’m calculating my future with psychic evaluation.” A glimpse into his ever-elusive and clairvoyant mind, many of his lines would prove to mirror his experiences both before and after they were written.
It is therefore not surprising that he jumped at the opportunity in his early 20’s to work for one of Trinidad’s premier videographers, Mr. Jason Riley. NISH honed his skills under Mr. Riley’s tutelage before going on to work for Gayelle TV and Video Professionals Ltd. Following this, he began to offer his services freelance and eventually formed his own videography company, Creative Focus Ltd. By his mid-20’s, NISH seemed to be settling into a successful career as a self-employed videographer, but his rap dreams were never far away. He began to focus on writing new music and formed strong ties with other like-minded musicians in the country such as J. Scoona, ProMattxz, Jamarkie, Celeste, Arie, Kye De Vere, Izac King, Jesarai, and V-Max to name a few.
Shortly before the release of his first original song, Tables Turn, NISH began coining the term CROWNLIFE. The concept was in its infancy at the time but would eventually go on to continuously represent everything that NISH believed in and fought for in the pursuit of his rap dreams. To live the CROWNLIFE is to seek to realize your full potential, to manifest your deepest desires, to become aware of your personal legend and to have the freedom to pursue and achieve it. It is meant to be both a reminder to himself and a message to other like-minded persons who might be in need of encouragement. It is unlikely that you would hear a verse from the rapper without an honorable mention of the term or its signature symbol, 2 peace signs joined together to double as a crown and a capital W for World Peace.
In September 2012, NISH released the single Tables Turn featuring rapper, V-Max and produced by J. Scoona. The hook proclaims, “It’s all I know, you learn you grow, and it made me who I am.” Thus began his penning of the NTOC, the project that is the result of all the triumphs and setbacks that he has experienced thus far. In 2013, he gained momentum releasing hits like Us Against The World, Lord Have Mercy and Running Out Of Time. In all his singles, the theme remained constant. NISH was ready to throw in all his chips and present to the world his unique vision and perspective. In 2015, he would release 2 well-received, impeccably produced music videos, “Alive” and “All Night”. These hits not only displayed his versatility (he edited both videos himself), it solidified him as a force to be reckoned with. His storytelling abilities easily transcended to his video productions. The video Alive for example perfectly captures the fun-loving, exciting lifestyle of West Trinidad while mirroring some of the darker sides of life in Port-of-Spain. The video features a plethora of scenes, from the nightlife in the city of POS to the beaches on the North Coast, yacht parties off the West coast, Carnival celebrations, concerts, and much more. NISH managed to capture the essence of the Trini experience, using shots so diverse that only a truly gifted storyteller would be able to combine them in such perfect unity.
There is no doubt that NISH is about to drop an atomic bomb on the world, a long time coming and finally here, the NTOC. The apocalypse to end one era of his life and to make room for the beginning of an unprecedented future.
