L.I.
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"Hip Hop gets contradictory"

February 8, 2007
Section: Weekend
Page: 10F


Hip-hop gets contradictory
Jeff Spevak
Photo provided by L.I.

Local Beat

Jeff Spevak

Staff music critic

"Roc City," L.I.'s ode to his hometown, is confusing at first.

"You listen to the beats, and it starts out real bright," the rapper explains. "Then the beats get more of a darker sound. That's how the beat sounds, so that's how I took it. You hear the announcer saying, 'Welcome to Rochester!' And then that's when you hear the grimy side, the grimy people start talking."

L.I. is hip-hop of contradictions. His new CD, The Time Iz Now, is loaded with them. The upbeat travelogue intro to Rochester suddenly slides into scenes of Maseratis and thugs, drugs, clubs closing, coke prices and the murder rate soaring and guys who "try to hide the pistol right after the bullets flew."

"It's a view, more or less, of my surroundings at that point of time," explains L.I., who performs Wednesday at Venu, 151 St. Paul St.

Since L.I. grew up on the rough end of Joseph Avenue and is still there, it would seem he hasn't gotten anywhere. But it's where L.I.'s head is at, not the geography, that The Time Iz Now tries to explain.

"Sometimes we contradict ourselves with our thoughts," he says. "I love my girl, she could be movin' in a certain type of way, and I'm thinking, 'I love this girl with all my heart.' Then the next day she's doin' something else and I'm thinking, 'Man, I can't stand what she's doing.'"

But the larger contradictions may be growth. Listen to L.I. on his song "Cook." Perhaps it's more obvious on the video: The Edison Tech grad studied video communications there as well as at Monroe Community College. The images look familiar. Guys huddled in an alley, passing a package, a mysterious figure shoots pictures out a car window.

"Supposedly we're dealin' drugs, and there's this guy in a suit and hat. He's probably gonna bust us," L.I. says. Instead, his new record is in the bag. A record deal is in the works. L.I. is a businessman now.

"It's the transition of life," he says. "I like to show growth." If the characters of The Time Iz Now seem contradictory, "All of it is truth," L.I. insists.

"I've been at the point of having a lot of money and next to being broke. To being around people with everything to live for, to being around people with nothing to live for. Been around businessmen, street men. That's what my music portrays. It portrays all that I've experienced."






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Copyright (c) Rochester Democrat and Chronicle. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.



- Democrat and Chronicle


Discography

Still working on that hot first release.

Photos

Bio

L.I. (born Curtis Arline III) of Rochester, N.Y., was introduced to and influenced by hip hop at a very early age. Being the next to youngest out of four very different brothers, Curtis was exposed to all different types of music. Tapes scattered around their bedrooms ranged from rock music like Van Helen to rap music like Kool G Rap and A Tribe Called Quest.

Due to those different roots of musical inspiration, Curtis (going by the title Clevy) wrote his first lyrical verse in 1994. It has been history in the making since. When he became confident enough to perform these lyrics to his peers, they titled him Lyrically Intelligent (L.I.) for the skillful way he would choose his word play and descriptive way he'd tell his stories.

As the talent grew, the notarization did as well. This, in turn, blessed L.I. with the opportunities to work with talented up and coming producers such as Vato (former in-house producer for Carl Thomas), Midnite (Frankie J, Stacks, Loone, etc.), Battle Roy (SWV, R.L., Frankie J, Lil Mo) and E Bass (Jay Z, Beonce, Fabolous, etc,).

He has also created hip hop bangers during collaborations with SunNY. (B.E.T.'s 106 & Park 7 week freestyle champion and Virgin Records artist), Lady Luck (former Def Jam artist known for Fight Klub battle with former Terror Squad member Remy Ma) and DJ Noodles (Sirius Satellite DJ on Hip Hop Nation, WBLK Buffalo, NY).

These phenomenal tracks can be found on the hottest mix CD to hit the underground circuit, selling over 5,000 units to date, titled "The Time Iz Now" featuring L.I. hosted by DJ Bac-Spin (three time guest DJ on B.E.T.'s "Rap City").

His lead underground single, titled "Cook", has fueled the fire for the anticipated artist. The "Cook" single has made it to the airwaves thru the likes of veteran DJ's such as DJ Tony Touch, DJ Premier, DJ Whoo Kid, DJ Noodles, and numerous college DJ's across the U.S. It has also gained internet success on HIPHOPGAME.COM, HIPHOPDX.COM, HIPHOPAUDIOLOGY.COM and, last but certainly not least, ALLHIPHOP.COM where the "Cook" video was the first independently created and promoted video posted during ALLHIPHOP's re-launch of the new and improved website.

Accumulating fans that understand and relate to L.I.'s music through radio and video is only a portion of the outlets he has aimed to conquer. He has proven beyond a reasonable dought to be a magnificent performer as well. Opening shows for national artists such as Crime Mob, Jim Jones, DJ Green Lantern (CD release party), Bone Thugs & Harmony, Lil Scrappy and D-Block (Styles P and J Hood) has exposed L.I. to be known as a artist with a very creative and entertaining stage performance and presence.

L.I. is prepared and ready to be exposed world wide to let the world know that he really is Lyrically Intelligent.