A.B.

After talking to him for more than a few minutes, you'll realize that A.B. isn't another fame-seeking, set-claiming rapper; which is good, because his red hair and fair skin might confuse an audience if he tried to follow the typical model of the game. Rapping with the motto 'Real Shit' A.B. has made a commitment to only saying what's real to his life in his raps. When asked about the importance of 'Real Shit' he replied “There's no creative license in my raps. I would love to sell out arenas, but I'll never change how I do things.” The fans agree that it's his honest pen and Notorious B.I.G. type flow that keep them coming back for more.

What separates A.B. from the crowd of up-and-coming MC's is how long he's been working on his craft. He states that his first rap was written by age nine, which at age 19 means he's been rapping longer than he hasn't. Like most creative youth, he kept it secret for fear of rejection, but continued to hone his skill by free styling at parties, rap battling and keeping notebooks filled through high school. Finally, through years of self-discovery A.B.'s come to the point where his rapping isn't just a hobby, his image isn't an accident, and his flow is just as recognizable as his voice.

On his upcoming release, 'C.D.', he weaves the listener through the wallowing pains of love lost (Haunt My Dreams), being trapped in a small town (Gone 'Till December), and living life as you see fit (L.M.L.). The release marks his first original project, meaning there's no remixes, just real shit. After being asked about his musical goals he quipped 'I just want to contribute to music, I don't want to be noise that makes you dance, I want to make good ass music that means something to the listener.'

In the coming years, A.B. plans on going deep into the underground hip-hop game, booking college shows, and making a full-time living off his music. He dreams of bringing a community aspect back to hip-hop, creating a union of MC's and music, rather than playing into the game as it stands. “It's so hard to find talented, original MC's today, and a lot of the time they're talking down fellow rappers. Why? Are they afraid they'll be forgotten if more music is out? Fuck the fame, I just want to make music, and if I find others on my level, we'll ride.”

Visit his website to see his new music video and for news regarding the release of 'C.D.': http://abgoeshard.com.