Nowadays, artists that get a big push from the industry are typically related to some wave or trend, while a lot of the time raw talent goes unnoticed. Here at Emcee, we’re constantly looking for artists with a talent and passion for their craft. Boston rapper NliteN recently released !NFiNiT, and it’s one of the most authentic hip hop projects to come from the underground all year. !NFiNiT was written, performed and produced by NliteN himself, and Emcee got the chance to ask NliteN a few questions about his music and latest release.
“A lot of (!NFiNit) was done in my dorm room or the UMass Libraries. We got a couple soundrooms God bless. Most of it was written at night, or immediately after class.” NliteN has been producing for two years now, and !NFiNiT is his second official project since releasing the four track Godspeed EP earlier in the Spring.
Asking what NliteN was trying to establish with !NFiNiT, he said “The goal of this project was to create space! Creatively and culturally. There needs to be a place for people like me to express themselves intelligently but realistically, and still connect.”
NliteN explained his current college situation: “I was just making the switch from environmental science to biology…” It’s clear NliteN is inspired by science, and these influences and vibes can be seriously felt on the tape. The cover art alone has a dark, spacey feel to it and was also drawn by NliteN himself, he explains: “The cover is a constellation I that I created. I drew it, then edited on my phone with PS Express, it’s all one layer.”
!NFiNiT, standing at eight tracks covers varied moods and themes. Songs “Land”, “Drive”, “Fly”, “Dirty Water”, and “Remember Me” were accompanied by a mini-video series that teased the tracks and rolled out the weeks leading up to the drop of !NFiNiT. “The video series is a short story related to my search for that constellation.”, referring to the constellation in the cover art.
Again, with production, writing, and vocals all done by NliteN, !NFiNiT feels incredibly authentic, and it’s easy to hear NliteN’s true talent. NliteN’s raps and songwriting are especially deep and cohesive, something apparent from the opening track. The production is detailed, like on “Fly”, and usually has an interesting depth or groove to it, like on “Land”. For an artist as new to making music as NliteN, his !NFiNiT tape really exceeds expectations.
It’s always exciting hearing a young artist with a really developed base level and a seemingly high ceiling, and NliteN is one of those artists. We’re excited for NliteN not only to live in the moment of this release, but to see him grow and continue progressing moving forward. You can find NliteN’s INFiNiT here or check out the other social media links below.
Follow NliteN: @nlitenmusic on Twitter and Instagram and stream !NFiNiT on iTunes or Spotify.
Cover photo by Grace Gulick.
