Ciph Boogie

Brooklyn born- Canarsie representative by way of Bed stuy.. Lyricist/songwriter poet/ Orator I go by many names but the one I'm most recognized by is simply Ciph Boogie. - I am P.R Agency

From Brooklyn, NY, hip-hop artist Ciph Boogie has been working hard to secure his spot as one of NYC's premier artists. With appearances on tons of mixtapes to his latest release Sometime in NYC Vol 1, Ciph Boogie brings the love of New York City as well as a personal attachment to his music. Even though he is not a fan of the 'Underground artist' title, Ciph Boogie is someone who is making waves in the local scene and is ready to erupt. - Shakefist Magazine

We’ve had months of brutal competition, but only one artist could be named the Grand Prize Winner of the ESPN “Main Event” Competition. DIVE, Konsept, Fight The Fear, FlyRydaz and Ciph Boogie competed for the chance to be named the ultimate victor and have their music featured on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights.
Now that the dust has settled, we are proud to announce that Brooklyn native Ciph Boogie defeated his opponents and earned a feature on Friday Night Fights‘ “Images Of The Year,” a segment that recaps the best boxing fights from 2012. - Our Stage

OurStage hip hop acts Ciph Boogie and Skweeky Kleen squared off during the April round of the ESPN “Main Event” Competition. The rappers spent two weeks going toe to toe for a chance at the Grand Prize. In the end, Brooklyn native Ciph Boogie came out on top, successfully scoring a placement on ESPN’s Friday Night Fights. Tune in to ESPN2 this Saturday at 10:00 to hear his winning track featured on the show, and stop back in August when all the Main Event champs will return to battle for a feature on FNF’s “Images of the Year”. - Our Stage

Check Ciph Boogie on the cover on Red Bull's website - Red Bull USA

Ciph Boogie

After featuring Ciph Boogie’s official video for Never Waste Your Time, off his latest EP Sometime In New York City Vol. 1, we decided to be curious about the MC and ask him a few questions about music, New York, John Lennon and more. While he is quite busy promoting the project but also working on the follow-up, Ciph Boogie kindly took some time to answer those and give some insight into his artistic universe. It is now a great pleasure for me to introduce you to the MC. Without further delay, here is Ciph Boogie, in his own words…

Read The Interview After The Jump…

First of all, could you introduce yourself? Who is Ciph Boogie, how/when did you start making music?

What’s going on peoples!! As you know my name is Ciph Boogie. And who is Ciph Boogie? Well Ciph Boogie is many things. He’s first and foremost a fan of music. He is a student of music. He is an artist who takes his craft very seriously and believes in elevating and evolving in his craft. Ciph Boogie is a lyricist who believes in the power of words to get his message across.
I use the power of words to get people excited, to bring emotion out of them whether it’s happy or sad. I was always rapping from a young age, I started rhyming when I was 15. But my actual 1st original record I ever made was in 2003, it was a demo record called “Just let me know” featuring my boy Newdy.

Like many hip-hop legends, you are from Brooklyn, New-York and have the famous “New York State of Mind”. Do you think your music would definitely sound different if you had been born/lived in another city?

Honestly I don’t think it would sound different. I mean, I am blessed and very happy to be where I’m from, as you said there are many Hip-Hop Legends from my hometown. But to me I just feel like everybody has a story to tell, whether you’re from Bed-stuy Brooklyn, or Liverpool England. There’s a ghetto in every hood. It just depends on how you get your story out there to the world. And make that connection with the people. Music is universal.

You just dropped your new EP, Sometime in New York City Vol. 1 and it is greatly inspired by John Lennon and “human experience”, which I find very interesting. Could you tell us more about this project and its concept?

Thank you for the interest, I really appreciate that. I was always a John Lennon fan. I admire his work a lot he’s one of my favorite Beatles and his solo work is just amazing. On top of that he lived in New York and had a great love for NY. And also I have a great love for NY just as well. So when it came to start working on this project, I knew I wanted incorporate John Lennon somehow. I wanted to incorporate him in a way where it wouldn’t be whack to the Hip-Hop world and pay tribute to the man and his artistry. So I did my research and came across this album of his entitled “Some time in new York city” which was released in 1972. The album was a very political album and didn’t really do well because the public were expecting real Beatles type of material. Instead he made a very political album taking a stand against the Nixon administration and the Vietnam War. But overall my version of the album is more so a look of me as an artist in New York City. I wanted the album to show the boldness that a New Yorker is known for having. I want people to know this is a New Yorker speaking to you. When I say I’m inspired by the human experience, I am referring to life. Everyday life is an experience whether it’s good or bad. We are humans and from my experiences in life human beings aren’t perfect. And I want to capture the good and bad sides of humans in my music. - Word is Bond

In an interview with #BodegaRadio on PNCRadio.fm, NY Emcee Ciph Boogie discussed his upcoming EP Sometime In New York City Volume 1. “[It’s] based on the John Lennon album of that name,” says Ciph. “John Lennon’s project was more of a political album but My project isn’t that serious like that. It’s just more of my artistic view of New York City as an artist in New York.”
As part of a running theme throughout the episode investigating the relevance of traditional marketing strategies in a volatile music sales environment, Boogie also commented on his release plans for Sometime In New York City Volume 1. His previous project, Black Mambo was distributed through digital mediums and he plans to continue in that fashion. “I already have the lead single [“Never Waste Your Time”] out on iTunes,” says Ciph. “You have to figure out when to do your thing. Just giving the people a teaser and following up after.” - Brooklyn Bodega

On ESPN, Friday nights are for fighting and we’re helping the network define its soundtrack with another round of the Main Event Competition. As we type, OurStage artists Skweeky Kleen and Ciph Boogie are duking it out for a chance to be crowned “champ” and to have their music featured on an upcoming edition of Friday Night Fights. Head to the ESPN “Main Event” Competition page and vote for your favorite band by April 30. We’ll be featuring a different match-up every two weeks, so be sure to check back in to make your next pick. Each “Main Event” champ will take part in a final vote in August to decide which song will be featured on FNF’s “Images of the Year.” - Our Stage

Boogie believes Lennon should recieve accolades as a hip-hop pioneer, in the same regard as DJ Kool Herc.

"He's really had a big impact on hip-hop," Boogie told SOHH, referring to Lennon. "I feel like if he was still alive, a lot of the Talib Kweli and Nas' would have done songs with him. I think if he was still alive, they'd do songs with him. He stood for a movement. He was such a dope artist. It's like, how could you not? The songwriting, the honesty, the choruses, he was really about rebellion. Lennon was everything that hip-hop stands for. How could you not see that? He's really like what hip-hop embodies, like close to what Kool Herc is. I hope I don't get shot for [saying] that. He embodies what hip-hop is, it's the whole rebellion against a system mentality. I couldn't think of anybody else to get a bigger inspiration from." (SOHH) - Sohh.com

Ciph Boogie’s Some Time In New York City Vol 1 EP sounds like a throwback to the golden age of hip-hop in New York City with some modernity thrown in. Ciph’s flow and lyrics are definitely a plus all throughout the EP, which opens with the song “It’s On.”

“It’s On” has that great epic opener feel that every good rap release should have. If you’ve ever listened to rap you know exactly what this track should sound like, and it doesn’t disappoint. The hard kick drums add a lot of great weight to Ciph’s rhymes on the first track, and help make it one of my favorite’s off of the EP.

The beats on the EP use a lot of synth and simple drum sounds to great effect. No song exemplifies this better than the appropriately named “Let The Beat Breathe,” which mixes in church bells and an electronic-style groove in the background. “Let The Beat Breathe” is one of the standouts on the EP and certainly worth a listen.

It’s obvious that Ciph is a big Jay-Z fan, using different Jay-Z style memes all throughout the EP. On the song “Built To Win,” he quotes Jay-Z in the beginning when he says “once again it’s the life!” He quotes Jay-Z on an earlier song as well, setting off every one of his rhymes with the phrase “solemnly swear,” which Jay-Z uses as part of the hook on “Allure.” It doesn’t overshadow the EP and just comes across as a nice tribute to one of the best rappers to ever do it — and quite honestly, Ciph couldn’t have chosen a better rapper for inspiration.

The song “Never Waste Your Time” ends the EP on a strong note. I really enjoyed Phil Geston’s vocals on the hook and Ciph’s rhymes went along well with the theme of the track. It’s refreshing to hear an artist that’s hungry to become better and it comes across in every track of the EP. He’s not great yet, but if he continues to work hard, he can definitely improve upon this effort.

7 Golden Eggs - Buzzlegoose

Never waste your time, sometime in NYC; catchy right?

Brooklyn native, Ciph Boogie recently presented the people with his album, “Sometime in NYC Vol. 1”, powered by the single, ‘Never Waste Your Time’.

The album is inspired by John Lennon, one of the founding members of one of the most revered groups to grace a stage, The Beatles, and possesses that “New York state of mind”, that many emcees have referred to, such as NAS, Kool G Rap, and even Rakim to name a few. “Sometime in NYC Vol. 1” takes the time out to represent a number of things about Boogie. This body of work represents New York, Brooklyn, and more specifically, growth.

“If you grow as a person, you grow in your music,” said Boogie. “You see more life situations. That’s the way you grow in your music. Definitely, I have grown a lot since my debut project, “Black Momba”, however, my next project; we’re going to get personal. This project was very “Brooklyn”. My next project, we’re getting personal.”

The highly disciplined emcee always displays his work ethic, being the studio head. Recently, Boogie was working alongside David E. Beats, the guitar toting D.C. native, and is already working on the release of that personal album. “You’re only as good as your last hit,” said Boogie, sharing the influence from the 50 Cent inspired philosophy. “You have to keep going and keep people interested. I want you to listen to the work and be able to know Ciph Boogie. I want you to feel “Brooklyn”. I feel that you will feel my work, because I make it relatable for the listener.”

Now Ciph Boogie is 100% focused on promoting himself as an artist. Dealing with the ups and downs of the NY life, while staying true to the “good life”, Boogie has the fourth quarter (seemingly the biggest three months in Hip-Hop) in his views, as shows are coming up, and the powerhouse push of “Sometime in NYC Vol. 1” are put into play while working on the next album.

“The intent is to evolve, continuously as an artist.” - profanity magazine