6th Sense

6th Sense - Highing Fly
Producer(s): Nicolay, Scram Jones, Frequency
Guest Spots: Wildabeast, Mike Maven
Writer: Pat Kash

I want to get one thing off my chest: Hip Hop is not dead. Sure, Nas is calling his album that, Skillz released a song called that, many so-called "heads" are saying that. Everyone's entitled to an opinion and in my opinion, Hip Hop is not dead, is not dying, nor is it on life support. Do you realize how many dope albums go unnoticed by the majority of the Hip Hop world? A SHITLOAD. One that I almost missed was 6th Sense's "Highing Fly."

To be completely honest, I stumbled upon this album by chance. I heard that Nicolay was collaborating with another rapper to release an album after "Here" so I began searching the net for it. I came across "Highing Fly" and was pleasantly surprised, then even more surprised when I found out Nicolay only produced one track, then even more surprised when I found out this album came out in June.

There's not much I can say about 6th Sense's back story except that he's from the Bronx and has a genuine love and passion for rapping. You can hear it in his tone and style that this cat knows his shit. Not only does he know everything a rapper should know about rapping, he can actually do it too. The Nicolay produced "Make Rounds" is an underground banger and Sense rips the beat to pieces:

"I was a soul singer in my last lifetime
Now I write rhymes
Sip white wine and live my life shine
Tryin to fight time thinking over tight lines
…From life to death
It's the flames that I speak that ignites my breath
Took years for me to write this fresh
So I scribe the balance you write the checks"

Nice. Fellow label mate, Wildabeast, hops on the Scram Jones produced "No Contest" and spits classic braggadocio raps with Sense. Similar joints include "Bounce" and "Fundamentals." The latter of the two is spit over a classic break beat which Sense absolutely destroys.

There's a lot to like about 6th Sense. He's very charismatic, relatable, and just a dope MC. However, this album is not without faults. Some of the songs blend together, so if you're not paying attention while listening you would probably start to think, "Damn, that's one long ass song." Other than that, there isn't much to dislike.

"Highing Fly" shows you what true potential is. I'm looking at this album as a preview, a glimpse into Sense's world. He has the ability to make a truly great album, let's hope we'll see it one day.

Hits: Nice lyrics and content, some definite bangers
Misses: Songs sound similar, not all the beats are up to the standard Nicolay set

Lyrics: 8/10 Production: 8/10 Overall: 8/10 - HipHop11.com

Former member of The Understudies has arrived with “Highing Fly” on Northerground Music. One of the realest emcees with proverbial lyrics that can be related to right now is 6th Sense. Taking snap shots with your mind into NYC while balancing music with taking care of social and personal business. Touching subjects we’ve all faced in an artists world consumed with music. Gracing beats produced by Frequency, Nicolay and Scram Jones with veteran delivery; smooth and fitting. Asking society to finally wrap their minds around real rap and where the rest is headed. Entertaining from front to back with raw lyrics and amazing beats that’ll make you move or calm down and think for a moment. I’ve heard people recently talk about how “bounce” is a played out slang-term, when the track “Bounce” clearly defines otherwise. There maybe 2 or 3 tracks that I skip on further listens I’d say the ratio of real gems compared is about ten fold due to replay value. Wonderful album that should be in the CD deck of every hip hop fan that appreciates a De La Soul like. 6th Sense is the artist that mainstream media hyped Kanye West up to be. It is that level. It is highing fly.

-Montag Faber - Freehiphopnow.com

Despite suffering from a slight case of dyslexia when naming his album, Bronx emcee 6th Sense has created a solid album of East Coast hip hop with Highing Fly. Many have suggested that hip hop hailing from the Big Apple has been on the decline as of late, but one listen to this record could very well make them reconsider such a bold declaration.

As a rapper, 6th Sense does an adequate job- while he doesn’t necessarily bring anything amazingly new to the table in terms of lyricism or concepts, he is no slouch on the mic and can carry a song with his voice. While his song content usually doesn’t stray far from the usual “I’m-doper-than-you” rhetoric, there are moments that work; the amusing “Stopfuckinwitme” cleverly ties his rhymes to samples of Richard Pryor’s live standup.

More often than not, however, the saving grace on Highing Fly comes from the production end of the spectrum. Nicolay swings through to contribute the excellent soulful groove of “Make Rounds,” but it’s producer Frequency, who handles the bulk of the album’s tracks, who really shines throughout the record. From the chipmunk soul of “Wait” to the cheerily ethereal tones of “Step Out,” Frequency provides a clean and soulful tone that drives the entire course of Highing Fly. Over weaker production, 6th Sense might eventually become tedious to listen to, so it was wise for him to pair with such a talented producer.

All in all, this album would best be described as adequate; there’s nothing on here that truly stands out, but by the same token, there are no low points. If 6th Sense rises to the occasion in the future and matches the caliber of the production he’s given by his team, he very well could do better in aiding to put New York back on the map.



– Sean Kantrowitz - Okayplayer.com

Rapper 6th Sense is giving his backing to Obama.
Thursday, June 5, 2008
From Obama girl to the latest rendition of the Grateful Dead, Barack Obama has received backing from a great number of artists.
"6th Sense" a rapper from just outside New York City is one of the latest to sound off. In the video 6th sense says he wishes he could "ignite the people like Obama".

Link:
http://www.z100.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104659&article=3786441

and

http://www.power1051fm.com/cc-common/news/sections/newsarticle.html?feed=104655&article=3786441
- z100.com & Power105.com

Words by: Hallway Jay
Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Okay to start the year off I’m going to let everybody know that “It’s Coming Soon”. The aptly named title to 6th Sense’s upcoming Notherground Music/ Rawkus 50 release is sure to open some eyes in the industry. With the entire album produced entirely by 6th and Frequency we see that not only is quite the assassin with the words but as well with the production.

Honestly this should be of no surprise to anybody since my first 6th Sense sighting was on the keys on Snoop’s album “The Blue Carpet Treatment”. Yet following his Mick Boogie assisted mixtape “Go For It”, we see a more in depth 6th where he takes us on a journey through 12 tracks of “Future Music”. The first track, “It’s Coming Soon (intro)”, is Sense’s extent of trash talking where he shouts “Come hang with a broke rapper, truth be told we are way more fun”. After which we see “Future Music” which is by far a synth heavy masterpiece with the first few bars “Stevie loved the synthesizer/ so do I/ but I feel like I’m the simplifier/ that’s no lie/ If you need to come and get the fire/ come by/ best believe I’m take it higher/ I’m so fly/”. Sixth takes this track to another level with the chorus being completely off the wall. Followed with a Frequency produced “Frenzy” of Ooohs and ahhs underneath of an explanation of where the industry is going an how he is planning to handle this onslaught of monetary madness that can be defined as the Music Industry. Slated as the clean-up batter track four turns out to be more of home run hitter than your average player. With a heavy hitting uptempo beat smothered in horns “Live!” is a very fitting title as the chorus is the best explanation for this:
“Here we go lets proceed/ Best believe that I’m gon do it (do it do it)/ Make way cuz I’m coming through/Each day I’ma start a new/ It’s a new dawn/ It’s a new day/It’s a new life for me/ Its new life life life/ Sing it wit me / It’s a new life for me”

If anything that we can see a sheer consistency with Frequency as another sample is cleverly laced over the intro of track five as “I Wanna Tell Ya” is a braggadocios, almost two minute long, bashing of what 6th’s opinion of what you think he is. Followed by “Run It By Me” is a nice uptempo piece produced by Frequency that is a nice track that keeps the album very consistent as far as production. Overall I must say that this album is a nice listen all the way through. The tracks catch the audience into a trance and with “Pop It Off” you see a very smooth laid back track that makes me feel like summer time in the city, again this a cut from Frequency. Tracks five through seven show the range that Frequency possess’ that may have been questioned after the first two pieces that we have seen. With track eight I feel as if you see the a purely powerful track and quite possibly the most in depth lyrics that you’ve seen thus far. Along with assist from Rayel on the hook and Notherground beast Jelani we see a “dilla-esque” track full of beautifully orchestrated keys and mello backdropped laid over by the such lyrics as the hook states:

“Symphony’s used to be sweet to me/ Now it seems that we’ve gone to far/we’ve gone too far/ Simply we delete/ and keep what secretly is our shining star/ Our shining star”

Sixth adds such a great combinations lyricism with a sense of smooth overlaid greatness that we see why he is such deserved of great accolades. The Mike Maven assisted 6th produced track is under the same umbrella as “Pop It Off” with a very smooth track dedicated to the females. This is followed by the melody’s of “Let’s Play feat. Jelani and Wildabeast”. This is the Notherground family track right here where each member goes back and forth as this is literally like a game of “horse” on the track where each tries to out do the next. “Beyon My” and “Midsummer Night’s Dream” are like the set up and the closer as the album ends as smooth as a sunset. Overall a great buy, notice I said “buy”, I urge those of us that love hip-hop to please go out and purchase that music and support your artists because without good hip-hop then the balance is never going to readjust itself. So go “Buy the Music” and show some support for the artists. Until then these are the lessons we bring/ Education Separates the Peasant from the King. Hallway…
- illRoots.com

R.M. London w/ 6th Sense

In today's overly saturated music market it has become a rarity to find an artist that not only pushes the boundaries of music creatively, but captures the essence of the artform and makes it their own. As I popped in my first taste of the Rawkus Certified 50 I didn't know what to expect. However, after my first spin of "It's Coming Soon" a New York bred MC named 6th Sense shattered any pre-concieved notions I had and showed me there are still artists out there who can satisfy the 'indie' craving for rapidfire lyricism and still satisfy my love for crisp and whip-breaking production.

Tonight we sit down with 6th Sense and talk about the Rawkus 50 experience, his album and new Mick Boogie Mixtape, the Notherground movement, and why his next solo album will likely be his last...


Rhymehouse: You were recently apart of the new Rawkus Records experiment where they signed 50 artists and released digital albums on the label. What are your thoughts about the entire project and the end result?

6th Sense: I think it's cool. Checks are about to be sent out. Truthfully, there is no end result, people'll be checking for all the albums for who knows how long.

Rhymehouse: Did you think it was a total success? Innovative?

6th Sense: It's too early to give a final word to the whole process. I definitely applaud Rawkus for making a move in the realm of artist development that every other label is straying so far away from.

Rhymehouse: Do you believe that digital albums are the new wave of releasing music for the industry? You think it will kill off the Compact Disc?

6th Sense: The trend of digital sales would certainly indicate that digital albums are the new wave of releasing music. I personally think there are extreme advantages of releasing music digitally. You're not going to see much illegal downloading. I can't speak to broadly but all I know is that there has been zero illegal downloading of the albums we released digitally. That's "It's Coming Soon" and Wildabeast's "Many Levels." I definitely think the CD is going to be outta here sooner then most think. To be completely honest, I don't know if we at Notherground Music would consider the CD format for the future, only for collector purposes I would say. There are other mediums we are currently exploring for future releases, but I don't want to go any further than that, because, hey, it's a secret.

Rhymehouse: As a working artist-- What are your feelings about filesharing, bootlegging, and people sharing records over blogs and the internet? Does this help or hurt an artist in the independent realm?

6th Sense: Sharing is caring... only if you care. Blogs are cool. Support your artists.

Rhymehouse: What is your usual creative process when recording a new album?

6th Sense: I don't even know if I can truly answer that question. It's just that the process is always different. The vision musically can determine the process towards creation. All I can say is that a lot of work is done... tons.

Rhymehouse: Sonically, on your new record "It's Coming Soon" you teeter back and forth between what fans would call "mainstream" and "underground" and show a lot of versatility-- What was your purpose on this album?

6th Sense: Well I produced the majority of "It's Coming Soon." Each song was sort of a capture. The direction and sound of each track is kind of making a point that in the future, this type of song will be even larger and have more grandeur. Almost every song deals with that feeling of being on the brink, a tipping point. It's the only way to describe the mindstate of the album.

Nothing was really forced per say. We've always made records that can cater to the masses, the everyday people. The people that appreciate good music and good hip-hop. When Frequency brought the beat to Run It By Me to the studio, it was obvious it was minimal. It sounded current but it had that quirky shit to it that Freq knows I love. Everyone in the studio had the mean crunchy face. We knew what time it was when it came to making that track. It's one of my favorites. The first verse is a glimpse into the future. The second verse brings it all home.

Rhymehouse: What was the difference between this album and your debut "Highing Fly"?

6th Sense: I produced the majority of this one. This one was for real.

Rhymehouse: What song off of "It's Coming Soon" would you say represents you as an artist the best?

6th Sense: I haven't made the song that best represents me as an artist yet. As far as "It's Coming Soon," the production on Future Music gives a great glimpse into my own style of production, with no samples. Frenzy gives a great look at how I view the industry, got some great word play too. There's a lot of gospel being spoken on I Wanna Tell Ya & Run It By Me. I love the picture painted on Midsummer Night's Dream... damn I'm feeling myself, but shit. Ha.

Rhymehouse: You also have a huge buzz going around off the "Go For It" Mixtape with Mick Boogie-- How did you get hooked up with Mick and what does the Mixtape expose to heads who might not know who 6th Sense is?

6th Sense: I'd say it started with a freestyle I had done for a Cornerstone Mixtape. Mick Boogie & Terry Urban were the DJ's hosting that month's mix. My man Evan Frank, part of my management team, told me Mick liked the freestyle. We went ahead and Mick was down to do a whole tape.

The tape to me is great. A lot of people are enjoying it more than the album, and I don't blame them... plus it's free, ya know? 23 original tracks, you got Peter Rosenberg from Hot 97 interviewing me throughout the tape, you got tracks from Wildabeast, Jelani. You got me rhyming over Thom Yorke, Beck, John Mayer. The whole thing is ridiculous, and there's so much on there that no other group of artists would dare try.

Rhymehouse: What did you touch on in the Mixtape that no artist would try exactly?

6th Sense: The whole approach is something fresh. We got our own lane, straight up.

Rhymehouse: Wildabeast, Jelani, and Frequency are also featured on the tape and are apart of your Nothaground imprint. How did you all come together and what is the crew all about?

6th Sense: Wildabeast is the Hood Hippie. He's got an album on iTunes through the Rawkus 50 called "Many Levels". I produced 9 tracks, and Frequency did 1. We have a video dropping for the title track, "Many Levels" directed by Adam Hall that is gonna blow people's heads off... literally. Will also has a project dropping soon called Wildahead Portibeast where he's rhyming to Portishead music. There's a track for people to preview on the Go For It mixtape. Jelani is the Hood Preppie, the son of Dapper Dan. He's got a free digital album dropping very very soon called "Wait, You Can Rap?!?!" It's 12 cuts, and I think I produced 9. A joint of his called "The Proposal," it's produced by me and features myself and Wildabeast, was just got put on a Cornerstone Mixtape by DJ Premier. We're going to be doing a video for that song real soon.

Frequency makes beats. Me and him got maybe 40 songs all together in the stash. He's kind of a big deal. He's working with Trackmasters right now. Him and I did "Think About It" for Snoop Dogg on The Blue Carpet Treatment, and we're keeping our fingers crossed right now with sample issues as far as him having a track on Ego Trippin. He should have some stuff on Lil Kim's next album.

Let me say this though. Notherground Music is a movement. And I'm not just saying that to say it. It's WAY more then just the people I spoke about. There's a ton of artists that ride with us. People out there with the same goals. There's the DJ's that support us. There's the movers and shakers that speak on our behalf in their travels... because they want to. They want to incorporate us into what they do because we share mutual admiration. Notherground Music is an operation built on love and we got love for everyone riding with us.

Rhymehouse: Along with rippin' Mics you also produce AND you have a degree in Music Business. Out of the 3-- which would you choose as your career for the rest of your life if only one shot was available?

6th Sense: Doctor.

Rhymehouse: haha

6th Sense: "I'm a jack of all trades, I'm just trying to be the king of one."

Rhymehouse: As a industry major and a guy that has been involved in the industry since a young age-- what are your feelings about the direction of the hip hop industry as a whole. What are you going to do to change or add to it and how can hip hop fans come together and help the cause?

6th Sense: Hip-Hop needs to usher in a new wave of cats to breathe life into it.

Rhymehouse: What upcoming projects can we look out for from 6th Sense?

6th Sense: On the production tip, I just did this Joe Budden remix. Look for a couple beats on the Mick Boogie & Lil Wayne Hello Brooklyn mixtape. Did some tracks for Haffa and Billionz, both artists of Scram Jones' Beast Music. I'm working on some stuff with Nature. Got a lot of work about to happen with a lot of great underground artists, but I don't want to put it out there just yet.

On the non-production tip, I dropped some bars to Teyana Taylor's "Google Me" track, look for that on your mixshows. There's gonna be an "I Wanna Tell Ya" remix with some great MC's rhyming along side. My next album is going to be my last. The title is "Realizing What It Is."

If you noticed the theme of "It" in both "It's Coming Soon" and "Go For It", that's because I eventually want to drop an album called "It". "Realizing What It Is" will be my last solo album I make. If I get to continue on, I will drop "It". I think that's all for now, I'm sure I forgot something.

Rhymehouse: So, 3 albums and out like Lupe. Why would you want to call it career after such a short career?

6th Sense: I've been doing this since I was 15. I consider Go For It like an album. I got two albums that never saw the light of day. I'm sure as time goes on some fuckwad will see to it that they do. I DID say solo albums. I'm not gonna stop making music. I mean, look at Wildabeast's and Jelani's albums. In some ways I almost feel they're mine because I have such an attatchment to them. I'll always be working on projects, always. And I'm not going to stop rhyming. The career is massive and is only going to prosper.

Rhymehouse: There are TONS of artists and MCs to peep out there now-- tell all the hip hop heads why they should check out 6th Sense and Notherground--

6th Sense: In light of this interview, I don't think I got to answer the question. The music should do all the explaining for me.

Rhymehouse: Outro...

6th Sense: http://notherground.blogspot.com-- that's for everything. Seriously, everything. Also we're going be having Notherground Radio start up very soon, streaming from the UK out to the world. NothergroundTV is always coming with new episodes.
- Rhymehouse.com

illroots.com: First off I have to say thank you for time out of your day my good friend.

6th: Your Welcome and Thank You.

illroots.com: [Laughs] So, How did you get the name 6th Sense?

6th: I mean I came up with the name when I was like 15 and its just like music is my sixth sense. You know I guess as time has gone on I’ve grown into the name more and more.

illroots.com: Musically, your biggest influences?

6th: Stevie Wonder, Miles Davis & John Coltrane, and REO Speedwagon.

illroots.com: Wow, that’s an eclectic mix.

6th: Naw I’m kidding [Laughs]

illroots.com: [Laughs]

6th: and J Dilla too and Kanye West.

illroots.com: One song that would summarize your entire life?

6th: One song to describe my entire life?, um……..damn

illroots.com: I play for keeps..

6th: One song for my entire life?……hmmmm. I don’t know that’s a tough one.

illroots.com: Un Song, A..Song

6th: I don’t know man that’s a tough one. I’m have to get back to you on that one.

[Just for Everybody to know he texted me later with “That’s What Friends Are For” and for those that don’t remember this song I took the time out of my illustrious schedule to find the video..Shout out to Dionne Warwick…lol]

illroots.com: I stumped him…Yes…

6th: Yea right off the back.

illroots.com: Um…well that’s a great interview[laughs]

6th: yea well thanks for the interview that was good, now onto the lightning round.

illroots.com: [laughs] Yea right now we’re going to double Jeopardy. Okay from your first
album till now, how do you feel you grew artistically?

6th: I actually did an album when I was 16 or 17, it was called Stew Music and then I did an album with a group called The Understudies and that never came out, the label folded before it got to see the light of day. Then I recorded Highing Fly and then the new one is called Its Coming Soon and I just say lyrically the newer stuff now, I guess I’m using lesser words to create a deeper meaning. As well I guess I’m very song oriented especially if I’m producing something that I’m recording too. Overall it just feels more comfortable in your own presentation so to speak, your not trying, you try less and less. It’s just more pure.

illroots.com: Okay well, I saw that the majority of your album is produced by you and Frequency, how did y’all meet up?

6th: I met Freq maybe 6 years ago almost 7 years ago and we’ve just grown through the music. You know developing our sound and just making it better and better.

illroots.com: Okay before meeting him you were?

6th: I guess I was going to high school and I was wood shedding lyrically. I was around a bunch of older dudes , I was young and they put me through a lyrical boot camp so to speak. It was really about the craft and learning how to expand your shit. You got to pay dues and show to prove, so I was really just getting my feet wet before all that.

illroots.com: I noticed you’re a producer as well as writer, You know there’s very few who have used that combination and had a lot of success on a major level. There’s more people popping up now like your Kanye West’s and so forth. Where do you see yourself stepping into that mold? More of a producer? Or a Writer?

6th: I’m not sure you know. That’s really going to be wherever God takes me really. You know I have to honestly say that I’ll never stop doing one or the other because truthfully one hand definitely feeds the other when it comes to that and I think other people respect the production because I can rhyme. As well, I know what the fuck I’m talking about. Even today you look [at] a lot of these producers and their doing the chorus’ and shit so I do that from time to time and I certainly enjoy it.

illroots.com: Most Underrated Emcee Ever?

6th: Ever, that would have to be Black Thought.

illroots.com: GOD BLESS YOU….

6th: I’ve said that a number of times, it’s just simple, like simple as that. My man Carlos once told me “I don’t think I’ve ever heard him mess up”. You know like technically or whatever you know he never had a line that was like “You I don’t know about that line” or “it really didn’t rhyme” or something like that. It’s just the fact that my man does over 200 songs a year and body’s every emcee in the game, he’ll come through with the band and crush you.

illroots.com: That’s so true….Thank you for stating that.

6th: Your Welcome and Thank You Black Thought.

illroots.com: Aight so the new album Its Coming Soon, I’ve heard, its definitely a step above other albums that I’ve heard I’ve listen to over the last few weeks.

6th: Thank You.

illroots.com: What’s your process as far as song making?

6th: With this album I have to be honest it was just to get it finished in time, so that they say “You have your whole life to do your first album” and you know this one definitely had a deadline for it. I said let me make the best album to capture this timeframe. I wouldn’t say disappointed but all the beats for this album are done and you can tell like Kanye keeps all the beats for himself and I might have done the same thing. In the same token I enjoy making beats on the spot creating a song right then and there, I didn’t do that for this album the beats were already done. Frequency had brought some tracks by me and I know “Run It By Me” we did that night. You know the thing about Biggie is that he would never rhyme the same way, it was always about the song, that’s why Biggie is the shit and why he’s better than just about any other rapper that has come from New York. I was just looking to have fun basically, you know the tone of the entire album is this idea that we’re on the brink of something here. A lot of the songs basically have this feel like we’re about to have something happen. Each song is basically the embodiment of a sound or an idea that is going to be expanded upon in the future.

illroots.com: So you’re looking to make a trendsetting album or per se a landmark album.

6th: Oh yea definitely it will be something people will trace back too. I mean the most
important thing is that it’s me. It is me. My boy Joey told me, after seeing me rock, that it reinforced that “You are your songs”. There’s really nothing else to it.

illroots.com: As a producer what other artists have you produced for?

6th: I played keyboards on the Snoop Dogg album [The Blue Carpet Treatment]. I produced my man Wildabeast’s entire album, and he’s part of the Rawkus Certified 50 as well. I just finished producing my man Jelani’s new album called Wait You Can Rap and that should be coming out very soon. I’ve done a couple other tracks here and there. I’m going to be working with Nature on a bunch of songs and I’ve done some songs with Jay Hoffa, that’s Scram Jones artist on Beast Musik. Actually I’m going to have a couple new joints on the HOTTEST RAPPER OUT RIGHT NOW’s new mixtape, lets just leave it at that. I mean generally they always say the great producers they produced albums, that’s kind of like the shit I like to do with my peoples Wildabeast and Jelani as well as myself.

illroots.com: Hey well you know….So other than rap, what other ventures?

6th: Well I look toward the future to get with a large label to reinvent the way that they go about their music. You can kind of call it an Executive Producer type of role. I relate to artists because I can really relate. You know the best part of a producer is to catch the best of an artist, so rather I’m behind the boards or not I can put together a cohesive album of sorts or whatever it may be to capture the best of an artist. That’s where I would like to take myself as far as venturing further down the road. As far as anything else I don’t really know.

illroots.com: That’s two strikes, one more an I’m just gonna hang up[laughs]

6th: [laughs]

illroots.com: You know I’m that pitchers just trying to find that knuckleball that…Tim Wakefield that’ll strike you out. Um…

6th: Ask me who I’m jealous off or something.

illroots.com: [laughs] Um…

6th: Why Not.

illroots.com: Um so….okay who is the biggest driving force in hip hop?

6th: Kim Kardasian…[laughs] sike naw…I’m just joking.

illroots.com: Yea could drive and force me….

6th: I would say you got your man Jay-Z that is a master at hypnotizing the public.

illroots.com: Hypnotizing the public?

6th: You can take that as a negative or a positive and I would say God Bless Kanye West. I toast to Kanye West.

illroots.com: Okay.. What’s the release date on your album and where can we see more 6th Sense?

6th: They can get the album right now on anywhere digitally, itunes, rhapsody, the whole lot. You can pick it up from there as well as my man Wildabeast’s Album. You know if you want to check out more stuff with us you can check out the blog. It’s getting a lot updates everyday its www.notherground.blogspot.com .

illroots.com: Any labels ?

6th: Well the album is attached to the Rawkus 50 Movement right now and Notherground is the movement so to speak right now. The mixtape with Mick Boogie called Go For It you can get that on illroots.com and at the blog right now. Look for a new album coming soon I think the title is going to be Realizing What it Is.

illroots.com: Wow that’s great.

6th: So we have Its Coming Soon, Go For It, and Realizing What It Is. Eventually when the big label comes along and you know I wanted to call my album It but I felt like it wasn’t really the time just yet. So you can call It like my dream album and certainly the big labels listening out there I want to drop it so the people can cop it. So that’s basically about as much as I can get into I guess.

6th: Ask me who I’m Jealous of..come on …

illroots.com: [laughs] Okay..Who are you jealous of?

6th: Okay let me first say jealousy is a female emotion.

illroots.com: It is.

6th: But I would say my form of jealousy is more out of admiration and respect because that’s really where it stems from but I’m super jealous of Will Smith and Kanye West and I’m also jealous of professional athletes.

illroots.com: [laughs]

6th: Naw because in music there’s no real winner’s. You don’t win or lose a game. Its all taste and subjective.

illroots.com: There’s no Pro Bowl for MC’s

6th: I guess a Grammy Award is as close to a…but even that is some bullshit but I’m really jealous of professional athletes because people can sit around and talk about who the great athletes are because they win championships and the biggest part of it is they play team sports and it takes a team to win and not just one motherfucker.

illroots.com: Wow that was very introspective. Into the Mind of 6th Sense.

6th: That’s really how it happens.

illroots.com: That’s how it goes down. I can respect that though, you know, because they get to play and get paid.

6th: Oh yea there’s that element too. But like I said my jealousy really stems from admiration. Like damn only if there were wins, losses, playoffs, and real stats in music and hip-hop.

illroots.com: I think that would be kind of funny to watch though, like a Fiesta Bowl with Noreaga , that would just be hilarious to me.

6th: He would be the MVP of the Fiesta Bowl. Ya Smiggadeal me…

illroots.com: [laughs]El Pollo Loco, also yea Ghostface, I would pay to see Ghostface in some shit like that.

6th: Oooh. You would have to put Ghostface in the Sugar Bowl. Not cause he’s sweet though don’t get it twisted it’s just he’s got that flava you know what I mean.

illroots.com: [Stadium Voice] Starting at Fullback…Paisley Fontaine.

6th: [Laughs]

illroots.com: But thanks to 6th for the Convo and keep an eye open for this guy he’s the next wave of music. Check out www.notherground.blogspot.com and go to our Artist of the Month and Check him Out.
- illRoots.com

Words by Drew Ricketts

Chapter One

Rappers from the Pelham section of Westchester are hard to come by. Michael Kawesch, also known as 6th Sense, often glows with enough worldly charm for you to disregard origins, his or anyone’s. In our first meeting, he recounted to me the disdain he received from an anonymous internet commenter on Oliver Wang’s site soul-sides.com. Apparently, someone felt the need to question a song’s credibility through his background, saying that he was a Westchester native — not from the Bronx as he claimed. Simple geography shows how close Pelham is to the Bronx, where he relocated from at thirteen. Nevertheless, he will hear grumbling about white rappers and authenticity as long as “race” remains a magic taboo in society. Rather than shying away from some of the pigeonholing misnomers (he did turn down an offer to be on The White Rapper Show), he often embraces the racial ambiguity that comes with being a skilled, down, white rapper. For instance, although we met in the swanky four star midtown restaurant Anthos to chat about the Rawkus 50 and the State of Hip-Hop, his best friend and chef Daniel Eddy and colleague Jason Hall sponsored our meal out of patronage and support for 6th. This perfect combination of business shrewdness and affable joviality characterized the time we spent. Extending his hospitality was not part of a larger scheme to get his music heard either. I already had 6th Sense’s album “It’s Coming Soon” from one of many e-mail blasts that feature new artists and their press machines. I had never heard his music but remember having a chance meeting with him on the Lower East Side at Palms Out, a clothing store reserved for chic artists.

He immediately ingratiated himself with both friends and strangers with his visible charm and confidence. His rhymes, by extension, never belie his personality often dashing between assured reflective and ostensibly defiant and powerful. “It’s Coming Soon” is an act of rebellion against the accepted underground format because it is singularly lively. The pace is frenetic, almost as if the futurism 6th embodies is a necessary ingredient in hip-hop’s continued vitality. Our initial conversation revolved around exchanges about new music, and how much it has been stifled in the wake of all the Hip-Hop Is Dead hullabaloo. But as he detailed his history of making songs, I saw that the connections he’d harvested since a teenager doing street team work made him a living example of rap’s freshness. In his “Future Music,” he imagines a world that welcomes new ideas and himself as an ambassador. On our walks, he explained the meaning of his name, how his intuition has been an unfailing guide. There were strings of connections from him to Snoop Dogg, Big Daddy Kane and others. His role as an emcee/producer even merited Snoop’s attention and he blessed the Doggfather with a track he made alongside frequent beat collaborator Frequency.

But 6th Sense is uneasy labeling himself only a producer; emceeing (like talking) is his primary talent. The more time we spent politicking, the more evident that became.

Chapter Two

The second meeting with 6th Sense was less fortuitous for me. En route to WNYU, New York University’s premier hip-hop channel, I was apprehended by the boys in blue for having a smoke in a restricted region. Ironically, 6th was the one who advised me to delay my diversion because he had a bad feeling. A sixth sense? In any case, upon getting out he was the first to call me, effusively asking me how I was after the unfortunate encounter. I thanked him for his advice and for keeping it moving. Besides, no need for two of us to be thwarted that night. WNYU’s Halftime Show has been showing 6th Sense respect since his first work “Highing Fly,” and on that night he was the first Rawkus 50 artist from the new generation to show and prove.

Chapter Three

Just days after “It’s Coming Soon” hit the virtual world on iTunes, I spoked with 6th about his hopes for the new work. He reserved no enthusiasm in promoting his project. Few solid albums have broken the surface in the cold climate of hip-hop while 6th has been somewhat inspired by the warm reception of his work. When asked if he was comfortable being a flagship artist for the new Rawkus, he smiled knowingly and told me “Who else?” It seemed a fitting gesture for him, having only shown confidence and unmitigated hustle since our first get-up. “I never stop working because I don’t expect anyone to do anything for me,” said as if he could make it a mantra. Without dropping names, he carefully demonstrated how many doors he has toppled in only the past year. “Go For It” is his next mixtape project, hosted by Mick Boogie. 6th is but a stone’s throw away from the most celebrated DJ’s and up-and-coming artists. Soon, he’ll be named among them.
- Rawkus.com