Truth Ali. Photo Credit: Twitter

Truth Ali is on the rise to the top and nothing is holding him back. The Bakersfield, CA native spits fire when he raps in his technical style full of metaphors. Truth is extremely adept lyrically and his deliverance is profound.

The post Scoop B Selects: Bakersfield, California’s Truth Ali appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Part in reason for why he hasn’t received his just due can be chalked up to the game and the politics of it all. When you write for someone as big as West on not just one album but four (My Beautiful Dark and Twisted Fantasy, Watch The Throne, Yeezus, The Life of Pablo), you can imagine how some will do all they can to make sure you stay with them. However there is no bad blood or ill will. With this album, CyHi believes not only will he be able to break through the glass ceiling he’s been placed under, but, change the game and show the world why if God had an iPod CyHi would be on it.

CyHi The Prynce with RESPECT.’s Melvin Taylor II

For as many rappers as you can find with bars about the flashiness that rap can bring, CyHi The Prynce, born Cydel Young, makes sure to balance his rhymes with knowledge that will put listeners on game and not just the latest trend. If you need an example, checkout his verse on “So Appalled” that got Beyonce to ensure he signed with West.

No Dope On Sundays features a heavy track listing from West to 2 Chainz, BJ the Chicago Kid, Jagged Edge, ScHoolboy Q, Travis Scott, Ernestine Johnson, and more. Yet through it all, CyHi wants to bless the youth with knowledge and instituting new street laws while telling you his story.

What do you hope to accomplish with the release of No Dope On Sundays?

CyHi The Prynce: My raps, when I’m done rapping, will have accumulated and touched so many young brothers around the world that if I said no dope on Sundays, or Mondays, or Tuesdays…that’s law. I remember growing up that what Jay Z said was law. I don’t know if it might have been law or not but when Jay Z said no more jerseys, jerseys was done. When he said no 4.0 it’s the 4.6, the 4.0 was done. So, I always wanted to say enough in my music to have that have same influence on the culture, or the youth, or one person.

If I could save one life I’m Gucci with that. That was the biggest cause of the name of the album and then it [allowed] me to mix in who I am on the spiritual level in my life and how I deal with my spirituality and my street past where I combined it to actually make it here today. If it wasn’t for my upbringing I probably would have gotten lost with all my other partners and friends that lost their lives or that are in the penitentiary that’s still stuck in the same situation. I think bringing that together embodies who I am.

One thing I wanted to do with this album, by me being stagnated by so many different things, I didn’t want to start where I’m at now with my first album.

Why is that?

CyHi The Prynce: I wanted my first album to be when I was 18, 19. So these are stories that I’ve [accumulated]. I’m not even going to rap about where I’m at now for another five years.

Nas actually taught me how to rap.

You’ve got some great artists on this album, which song stands out the most to you?

CyHi The Prynce: The BJ The Chicago Kid record is probably my most favorite record on the album. It’s so personal to me. It’s called “80’s Baby” and I can’t wait until people hear it. The concept of me rapping form a a baby’s perspective from the stomach of their mother. It’s a dope topic. My mom didn’t know she had me until she was 6 months [pregnant]. Then she had to start eating right and stop partying and smoking weed.

So I know a lot of inner city kids went through the same thing or even tougher where your mom might be on certain drugs or your dad is not around so I wanted them to understand that the baby hears what’s going on. It hears you arguing with your husband or your guy or you in the club and not reading to it. That type of stuff affects him. So I think it was a dope concept for parenting and also for my struggle and what a lot of kids went through during the eighties.

But when I heardBut when I heard Nas, Scarface, and Jay Z, I was like oh. This is really a gladiator thing.

The record “Dat Side” with Kanye is different from your normal style. Was that intended?

CyHi The Prynce: Yeah because I don’t want the word of God to be underground. I don’t just want it be shit that just us listen to. I want the world to. God said when he comes back every ear shall hear and every eye shall see. I want it to be like that as well. But also, people don’t know I’m from Atlanta. When they hear me rap they think I’m from somewhere else. I was born and raised in Atlanta. I just didn’t take to music until I heard east coast rap.

When I was in Atlanta I used to dance to our music too, so I’m when I’m hearing Master P, or UGK, or Pastor Troy I liked it but it wasn’t nothing but club music. It wasn’t anything I wanted to go home and duplicate. But when I heard Nas, Scarface, and Jay Z, I was like oh. This is really a gladiator thing. This is really a battle of the minds. These dudes are thinking on scholar levels. When I heard Nas, I definitely thought he was a scholar from Dartmouth.

What was the first song that had you think along those lines?

CyHi The Prynce: Nas actually taught me how to rap. Check this out. I had a friend that taught me how to rap and people were saying I became just as good as him if not better. So we had to battle and he rapped a Nas rap. He went ‘How you like me now? I go blaow, It’s that shit that moves crowds making every ghetto foul, I might have took your first child, Scarred your life, or crippled your style I gave you power, I made you buck-wild.

From there I went damn bruh you gone talk to me like this? So what he did was rapping a lot of Nas raps and Jay Z raps to me and back then we didn’t have the internet. We didn’t know. So I thought he was the greatest rapper alive. All in my mind I was like, how do I match that? And I’m only 14 at the time. So I’m trying to figure out how do I match the lyricist of the year thinking it’s this random dude in my classroom.

Image credit: Sony

So a few years later I’m in the car with one of my partners and he plays the song. I’m like oh you know my partner! My partner, in the car, like this Nas. You don’t know Nas. I”m like bruh that’s my partner. He’s like no, that’s Nas song. So when I heard it. By this time, everyone was saying CyHi was the coldest rapper in our area, i was just blessed that this dude was rapping. This was the year he won lyricist of the year. So I’m battling trying to be lyricist of the year and be better than him at 14. That’s probably why y’all see me today and think CyHi is crazy because that’s who I as going for. Shoutout to Nas.

Anything else on Nope Dope On Sundays?

CyHi The Prynce: Nope Dope On Sundays is coming November 17th and it’s something that I want to give the people from my hood and my city to help nuture those guys and big them up. The album is full of G.O.O.D. Music artists, Pusha T is definitely on the album. It’s one of those albums that you’re going to play throughout your day and all your life. It ain’t gonna be one that’s just overnight. This is definitely a classic. 

For more on CyHi The Prynce and Nope Dope On Sundays stay up on all things Respect Magazine.

Suggested Articles:

Sam Austins Releases ‘Angst’ EP

Breanna’s Sports Mixer Fundraiser a hit with Larry Johnson, Nelson Figueroa, Jim Duquette, Chris Shearn & Brandon ‘Scoop B’ Robinson

The post CyHi The Prynce Delivers “No Dope On Sundays,” Talks New Release appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Image credit: Sony

This Friday will see the official release of CyHi The Prynce‘s long, long, long-awaited debut album, titled No Dope On Sundays. It would be an understatement to say how much the Atlanta emcee deserves it, following years of hard work put in as a songwriter and collaborator under Kanye West‘s G.O.O.D. Music imprint.

Thanks to NPR, fans are now able to enjoy the album a few days early. The project sees 15 tracks and a slew of high-profile appearances from ScHoolboy Q, BJ The Chicago Kid, Jagged Edge and more…G.O.O.D.’s Pusha T, Travis Scott and — of course ‘Ye contribute as well.

Enjoy No Dope On Sundays over at NPR and pre-order via iTunes.

Suggested Articles:

CyHi The Prynce Releases “I’m Fine” (Ft. Travis Scott) & “God Bless Your Heart,” Rips Freestyles

Country Grammar Vol. 8: The Patience of CyHi The Prynce

The post Stream CyHi The Prynce’s New Album ‘No Dope On Sundays’ appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

“I’m Fine” is a very upbeat tune with a trap feel and even ends with a prayer that further solidifies the message CyHi intends to send with this album. “God Bless Your Heart” speaks to the essence of CyHi’s ability as an emcee as he provides bars of knowledge of the soul inspired track with horns reminiscent of a jazz tune.

Despite the new releases, this couldn’t be a CyHi The Prynce post without mentioning how legendary he is when it comes to his freestyles. This week we received two of them that will hold you over until his album is released next Friday.

The list of features for Nope Dope On Sundays include 2 Chainz, BJ the Chicago Kid, Estelle, Jagged Edge, Kanye West, Pusha T, ScHoolboy Q and obviously, Travis Scott. 

For more CyHi The Prynce keep an eye out for Respect Magazine.

The post CyHi The Prynce Releases “I’m Fine” (Ft. Travis Scott) & “God Bless Your Heart,” Rips Freestyles appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

Image credit: Sony

Let it be known: anytime Atlanta’s CyHi The Prynce opens his mouth to deliver raps, it’s a damn holiday. Following his severely ground-breaking BET Hip-Hop Awards freestyle comes a brand new track titled “Dat Side,” which features assistance from his G.O.O.D. Music boss Kanye West. Unsurprisingly, both artists black out over Edsclusive’s fairly minimal-yet-still-effective production:

Got two b***hes bumping clits, that’s a cat fight
I’m riding ’round with the stick, that’s that act right
In here with all my jewels like I’m a Rabbi
Zone 6, East Atlanta, I’m from that side
Uh, I asked the plug for a kilo
He hit me with a brick like I’m Deebo
I charged the high for the zero
But we gon’ keep that on the D-low
Assault rifle with the peephole
It go A-B-A-B-B-B, Mortal Kombat cheat code…

Stream “Dat Side” below (the single is also available for purchase here). We need No Dope On Sundays pronto.

Suggested Articles:

Country Grammar Vol. 8: The Patience of CyHi The Prynce

CyHi The Prynce Drops Visual for “Legend”

The post CyHi The Prynce Connects with Kanye West on “Dat Side” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

The 1995 Source Awards was littered with ill sentiment and tense acceptance speeches. Although Death Row sent the most lethal subliminal shot, almost leading to very real bullets, Andre 3000 of the then fresh faced Atlanta-based duo, Outkast, delivered the night’s most prophet statement:

“The South’s got something to say.”

At the very time of this declaration, CyHi The Prynce was a budding adolescent in Atlanta. Here he was exploring the forbidden secular genre that was Hip-Hop and the omnipotent power that was the catalyst of the award show’s tension. This discovery led him to hone his skills as an artist eventually earning him a divine placement on Kanye West’s iconic G.O.O.D. Music record label.

Even though CyHi has acquired writing credits for several legendary songs as well as producing critically acclaimed mixtapes, as one of G.O.O.D. Music’s first signees, his debut studio album has been long overdue.Because of this, it was exciting for fans to hear that after clearing up the numerous label confusions which have blocked the previous release dates, CyHi The Prynce is set to finally drop an actual album later this year.

In an interview with RESPECT.’s Country Grammar Series, CyHi spoke about his storied musical tenure and the release of his upcoming album, No Dope on Sundays.

RESPECT.: “It’s well known that you grew up in a strict Christian household that didn’t allow you to listen to Hip-Hop. Coming from that, how did you get your first taste of Rap?”

CyHi: “I always loved music, because I always did different types of music besides Hip-Hop. But what got me interested in Rap, was the fact that I use to write poems to work on my diction because I couldn’t read that well. But then a guy from Philly moved to my school in Atlanta, you know they’re super rappers up North, he introduced me to some artists from up there. They were wordplay driven and used metaphors and things like that. It intrigued me. But what really got me into it was, like I was saying, a lot of up North guys were moving down to my school and there was this guy from New York who was battle rapping and getting so popular. He was untouchable. He was like Goliath. So my friends had got me, David, to go home and write some of the best raps I could think of at that time. I came back to school like two weeks later and destroyed him. That’s when I knew that Rap was for me.”

RESPECT.: “Being one of the core members of G.O.O.D. Music, how is it working so closely with Kanye and in an environment like that?”

CyHi: “It’s great. I’m able to share ideas and see how they put things together with some of the greats. I get to see how we’re similar and different. It’s been great working with them, especially being part of so many legendary projects and studio sessions. Like, I’ve seen every superstar you can imagine in the studio, outside of Michael Jackson or Prince. But other than that it’s a great experience and you learn a lot of things. Things you’ll see when it’s time for my album to drop and experience that growth.”

RESPECT.: “So with your album coming out soon, No Dope on Sundays, and the anticipation leading up to it is there a scheduled release?”

CyHi: “There’s a ‘release month’ which is coming up. So it should be out within a month. I haven’t finalized it, I got like two more signatures, but other than those two more signatures you’ll have it in less than two months. I guarantee it.”

RESPECT.: “Does this release take a lot of pressure off of you as an artist or add to it? What’s your mental state going into the release of this highly anticipated album?”

CyHi: “You know me, I’m just ready to put my score down on paper. Being signed to Def Jam and being in a messy situation with them, you know, I used to put out mixtapes and they would have 3 to 4 million digital downloads, but I never did it professionally where a label could really see the numbers. There’s not accounted sales or streams. But, now I can put my numbers on the paper so everyone can see my worth. But, I mean, there’s really no pressure because I am the best Rapper. When you really look at it from an off the mic freestyle to a radio standpoint to an artist being featured on a song and sticking to the subject matter of the song, I am the best. So now it’s just about being able to put down my score.”

RESPECT.: “What can listeners expect from your album?”

CyHi: “This isn’t something off the wall by someone who hasn’t experienced anything. I didn’t have to make this hieroglyphic ass project and concept. When you hear it you’re going to be like: ‘Oh this is a motion picture, and he just took the audio from it and made an album.’ So, that’s what I think No Dope on Sundays will illustrate. All the powers I have acquired through my journey in music projected on the highest level.”

RESPECT.: “So, what do you want this album to do for your career being as this would be your first album, but you’ve been solidified as an acclaimed artist?”

CyHi: “I don’t look for it to solidify myself in the eyes of my fans. I want to change lives. I want to go through a lot of stories that you guys have never heard. It’s funny because what you will hear on this album is from ages 18-21. You won’t hear about the life I’m living now until ten years from now. I never got to tell y’all my story, I only got to give y’all dope mixtapes or songs. You never got my story and I think my story can change lives. But also what I mean by ‘putting my score down’ or ‘numbers on the board,’ is acquiring funding to change the things I want to change within our communities. I need funding to do the philanthropy work I want to do. So when I ‘put the numbers on the board,’ and people see how many people I can affect that just brings more resources to my access to impact the things I want to impact. So, on both sides, I need both to do well.”

RESPECT.: “One of your more popular recent releases is the song ‘Nu Africa.’ It seems as though that song is coming from the standpoint of Black ownership. Is that something your philanthropy will focus on?”

CyHi: “Yes that too, but really being able to have that influence within the school systems and discuss with the ‘higher ups’ about how we can change the community. And also be a person who can galvanize the community and bring them to your door step as well. I’m not into the cliché giving out turkeys on Thanksgiving and Christmas, that whack to me. I want to do stuff that will affect the neighborhood, like make the Dope Boy’s pay for the parks in the hood. Or put a carnival together for the kids and have them all come out. Make them partner with Kroger and have a food drive during the carnival. And I want to do that on like June 18th, or some random day. So these are the things I’m interested in doing. But ultimately it starts with the music. It starts with that message and then it will branch off from there. That’s why I need everyone who’s been supporting me to support me and kind of help me. I’m not this guy that’s going to take all the money I’m blessed with and keep it. I want to give it away…. I want my legacy to be built on how much I can give away to the community, not only through monetary means but spiritually as well.”(press photo)

The career of CyHi The Prynce can be likened to the biblical story of Job. CyHi’s skills and aid in the creation of multiple masterpieces have placed him a sphere of “blamelessness,” allowing him to prolong his career and avoid the temporary victory that is fame. But despite this steadfastness, like his biblical counterpart, CyHi’s faith in this musical journey has been tested numerous times. The shelving of albums and label tensions have led to a delay in the popular recognition that CyHi deserves. Yet, even in the face of this adversity, CyHi has managed to stay true to his intended purpose. And because of his patience, this M.C. will undoubtedly be rewarded.

The release of No Dope on Sundays will give the world of Rap a tangible product of CyHi’s talent. It will create accessibility to his support system, reaping him benefits that are two times the recognition he is used to. Through this album, CyHi will be able to solidify his legacy by generating a platform in which he can contribute to communal uplift. No Dope on Sundays will also further solidifying the fact that despite the region’s somewhat loathed melodic direction, The South still has something to say.

Listen to CyHi The Prynce latest single ‘Movin’ Around’ ft. ScHoolboy Q:

The post Country Grammar Vol. 8: The Patience of CyHi The Prynce appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.

TOUR DATES:

4/4 — Gainesville, FL — University of Florida
4/6— Atlanta, GA — Georgia State University
4/7 — Morgantown, WV — West Virginia University
4/8 — Lewisburg, PA — Bucknell University
4/9 — Kingston, RI — University of Rhode Island
4/10 — Slippery Rock, PA — Slippery Rock University
4/12— Boone, NC — Appalachian State University
4/13 — Champaign, IL — University of Illinois
4/14 — Louisville, KY — Palace Theatre
4/15 — Madison, WI — Orpheum Theatre
4/19 — Anaheim, CA — House of Blues
4/20 — San Diego, CA — Open Air Theatre
4/21— Los Angeles, CA — Hollywood Palladium
4/27 — Oklahoma City, OK — The Criterion
4/28 — Dallas, TX — South Side Ballroom
4/30 — Houston, TX — Revention Music Center
5/2 — Nashville, TN — Nashville Municipal Auditorium
5/8 — Atlanta, GA — Coca Cola Roxy Theatre
5/10 — Grand Rapids, MI — 20 Monroe Live
5/11 — Detroit, MI — Fox Theatre

The post CyHi The Prynce Drops Visual for “Legend” appeared first on RESPECT. | The Photo Journal of Hip-Hop Culture.