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MIDDLETOWN - Hip-hop artist NiiDjan Lomotey, 28, known musically as Cue Summitt, has been writing raps for a good part of his life - since he was 15.
Words are a large part of his musical pursuit, and perhaps hearken back to his Ghanaian roots.
His given first name means "chief" in traditional Ghanaian language and "Cue," a nickname from childhood, is from the name, "Niiaku," which means "born on a Wednesday" in Ghanaian. Lomotey later added "Summitt" to his name to symbolize, he says, elevating yourself, as in a summit as the highest level [one can achieve], bringing everything together.
After graduating from Branford High School in 1998, he started to record his music while in college at Central Connecticut State University in New Britain. There, he majored in criminology, with a major in psychology.
Soon afterward, Lomotey built his own studio, where he records his rhymes and rhythms before sending them out to be mixed down.
His muse is in the beats, Lomotey says. "When you hear the beat, an emotion comes over you," he explains. Lomotey uses truth in his experience of living life to compose songs that carry a message.
There are a lot of rap artists who rap about guns, drugs and violence. Though obviously, these subjects are a real part of life on the city streets in many large cities, there are other things in life that are more positive [to sing about], according to Lomotey. With a desire to spark hope through his music by relaying real-life experience to his audience, he says he gives out the seeds of grace.
And the message is a supremely positive one.
"Sometimes in life, it might seem like there's nowhere to go, like you're down on your luck, trying to see what's up. Look in the mirror, my brother, and decide a plan. It's up to you, my sister, to discover the game. They can torture my body, but can't take my mind. We were born to survive living in troubled times," is from a song titled, "Reason," written and recorded by Cue Summitt.
Recently, Illumina Records out of Beverly, Mass., noticed Lomotey on Myspace - for his talent just as much as his positive message.
Nicole Van Eden is director of publicity at Illumina. "We discover unsigned artists online, mostly via MySpace. This is because we can hear music from local artists across the country from our office. We find artists we like and offer them a part in our projects."
Van Eden says the office has "talent scouts on MySpace looking for artists with good music and big hearts."
Illumina Records and Ground Control, a campaign to stop drunken driving, in a project that is the first of its kind, has created a series of compilation CDs. The collaboration uses a variety of artists in the hip-hop and rock 'n roll genre to raise awareness about the hazards of driving under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
"Through our area Rockers and Hip-Hop for Life compilation CDs series, we are creating awareness about drunken driving and exposing local bands who help make this possible. With over 20 CDs released and an additional 30 in production, we are working diligently to save lives and promote our artists who support our cause," says Van Eden.
The money raised by the sale of the CDs goes to drunken-driving education and awareness. Lomotey's song, "Without A Kiss," is the first track on the "NYC Hip-Hop For Life" CD, released this past spring.
And plans are in the works for a concert festival series.
"1Loudstreet.com is a work-in-progress and will be a social networking site for unsigned musicians. All our musicians will be a part of 1Loudstreet," says Van Eden. "We also are beginning 1 Loudstreet Live Music Festivals across the country, where local and unsigned artists help us raise awareness for drunken-driving prevention via festivals and live shows."
Lomotey writes from a place of passion and love, which is evident in his lyrics. "A lot of people out there don't seem to care. Then you might find the one that gives you a helping hand. And they always seem to say, there will be angels in disguise. Well, a hand puts a stone on the steps of life, then the flash of intellect of the times you had," is from the song, "Without A Kiss."
For Lomotey, whose day job is a residential youth counselor at The Children's Home in Cromwell, using his music as a way to better the world is natural thing. He is a spiritual man and credits God for his life and his music. Any way his music can change the world and make society a nicer place, he's going to do it. "I am trying to reach a lot of people. I am trying to reach a global scale. When writing a song, I don't just think locally, I think globally," said the artist.
With a collection of 85 songs in his repertoire, Lomotey is busy working on a new album of his own called "Zones of Transitions," a poetic chronology of his life from his "knuckle-headed youth," as he puts it, to his maturing and growing up.
He is passionate about young people and reaching them with a positive message about life. He plans to release his album later this year. In a song from the collection of his work titled "Forgive Me," he explores the harsh reality of life that is sometimes cold and lonely, but there is hope, there is love, he says.
"Look to the sky, holding my head high, wondering why, God, do we lie? Look at this life, ain't nothing nice. Hearts are so cold, left all alone." Then he comes in with, "Put my love in this song, know that I am sincere. So I am down on my knees, Lord, hoping that you hear, hoping that you hear, hoping that you hear."
The songs that have the most meaning for Lomotey are the ones that deal with social conflict and resolution. Lomotey finds inspiration from other artists, who, he says, write stuff that has meaning. Influenced by a wide array of music from Pink Floyd and the Doors, to Tupac Shakur and Snoop Dogg, his sound propels the listener into a world where truth is sought through living life in all its beauty and complexity.
In a poem he wrote, titled "What Da Spoken Word I Speak," he looks at the dark side to see the light side. "Create a future where I must make sense into cents, in a world that revolves around money scent, emotion is sometimes forgotten in motion that lives to die, so live 'n' motion that actually moves in motion that lives to feel."
As to the future, Lomotey sees himself spreading his talent - getting more involved in music, putting out albums and doing shows, and getting more involved in the community.
Lomotey will perform live on Sept. 26 at the Holy Word Foundation Ministry in Meriden.
For information about DJ Cue Summitt, visit his www.myspace.com/cuesummitt. For information on Illumina Records and Ground Control, see www.illuminarecords.com. For information on the "NYC Hip-Hop For Life" CD, visit www.myspace.com/nyc_hiphop.
©The Middletown Press 2008
- Jennifer Shafer Wood
Discography
Still working on that hot first release.
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Bio
Growing up through the suburbs of Connecticut being one of the few black kids in my school bothered me at times. Sticking up for myself came naturally. Always being teased I was willing to fight who ever for whatever reason especially in those situations when I was called a nigger. At a young age I was made aware early that I was different. As I got older though I realized that I couldn’t go around beating up every single kid that talked that mess so I got a little wiser and realized its not what people call you but its what you answer too that matters. I got my respect over time and not having much growing up made me humble. Though I was a bit ashamed of when my mom took me to stores like K mart sportin Jordach sneaks while the other kids went to the mall rockin Nikes I still always made the best of the situation
Being raised from a Ghanaian family I was taught early that education is the key to improving your situations. Though seeing where my mom is at now with a masters degree, has also, made me realize that it isn’t the only key one needs. I have deep roots as my grandfather was the second president of Ghana. Never met the man, but he played a big role in my inspiration that I can achieve anything that I want to. My real name, NiiDjan, means chief in my native language and my friends called me ku since I was young, hence Cue. My family like many other families has gone through the struggle dealing with many hardships. My mom was a single parent, with me being the youngest out of 3. My parents divorced when I was six and my dad got remarried having four more kids. Though my dad lived close I would go on for years not seeing him. He just wasn’t involved with my life. Most peers around me had parents to turn to with their problems. My friends were my safe haven along with a pen and pad. I have been writing songs since I was a freshman in high school mainly, because when my mom did get remarried her husband and I did not get along. I was always locked out with no key so to cope I drank, smoked with friends and wrote to myself. I also played football. Taking the negative energy I got from home onto the football field helped me get into college. In college is where most of my dirt began. I moved to New Britain out of the suburbs at the age of eighteen, and began living on my own. Sure I got into my fair share of trouble but those were more delinquent. Becoming more deviant I did what I did to get money. I was on my own just doing my thing. Going to classes, playing football and getting money was the focus, but I got distracted with the ladies and managed to have a baby boy as a new responsibility. My money situation now became more serious where I needed to make sure there was income always coming in. Music became more and more apart of my life. I found myself, (in the days when I walked everywhere), reciting my own chorus after chorus in my head just to deal with stressful situations I also spent my time in classes writing lyrics. Throughout college I did alot of soul searching always speculating on life and the meaning. I was known for bieng that dude that would come up with these outlandish conspiracy theories. Friends would respond to me like the theories were bogus but admitt later that it made them think further. I was heavily into reading about different philosophers, histories and past civilizations. As I continued to search for truth in all the wrong places I discovered the false paranoia of the world and found the Bible proved to be the only truth with the absolute answer. When I allowed Christ to enter my heart, all the pieces of the puzzel came falling in place leaving me with clarity in my thoughts and vision. Every occurance in my past I now realized were carefully ochrestrated to bring me closer to God. My dedication, determination, and desire have led me to own my own studio, but it was only made possible through the grace of God. I ended up graduating with a BA in Criminology and now I work with the troubled youth. Building a strong relatinship with God I became a Deacon in a local church to begin his ministry. God has a calling on me to help others and with God's knowledge of life and my own testimony of faith I feel that I can. I over stand there are a lot of problems and misconceptions of the world and I use my music to not only express myself but to also help expose these problems. Not to say I'm perfect, because I'm no saint, but fighting the good fight is something for me to live for. I just pray to God that my ministry is able to produce good fruit and bring people closer to God. Thats what the Summitt is all about. Getting closer to God by exalting in his name.
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