N.E.S. NEVER ENDING STRUGGLE

The saying “24 hours can make a difference” rings true for Duval County natives N.E.S. (Never Ending Struggle). Less than 24 hours after the dynamic duo hit the studio for the first time, the obvious chemistry between the lyrical Mottie and rhyme slayer J-Smoove became apparent. Mottie explains, “We just started talking about music and I came over with my equipment. We had a song the very next night.” J-Smoove adds, “It was just something that was supposed to happen.” After establishing camaraderie, an alliance was formed, thus giving birth to N.E.S.

No stranger to the industry, Mottie recorded his first song at 17 years old while working under the tutelage of famed producer Aaron Grant. What followed afterwards was a relentless grind to capture the attention of his audience. “I could care less about being famous; I just want to make good music that people respect. I feel we got something to say and people need to hear it. I do it for inspiration,” states Mottie.

There is a vast difference in each rapper’s style, unlike most groups. While Mottie’s whitty delivery is noticeable on each track, J-Smoove possesses an innate sense of style. “We complement each other. It’s like a Yin and Yang – kind of like Outkast. Big Boi and Andre are different, but they mesh perfectly.”

“I like a lot of up North music so I like Jay-Z, Biggie, the old T.I., Rich Boy – I like people that got their own sound, that ain’t afraid to do them instead of following trends,” states Mottie.

Taking the southern route, J-Smoove’s influence came from Big Gipp (Goodie Mob) and JT Money. “JT Money kind of connected with my family. That was one of the first explicit rappers that got in depth about the world and what’s going on.”

Using the acronym for Never Ending Struggle is not only the motto of the group, but it’s also a blueprint they hope others will follow. “We’re going to struggle to make it and when we get there, we’re going to struggle to stay there,” states Mottie. “It basically means don’t ever get comfortable because you got to always be on top of your game,” he continues. This doctrine laid the foundation for Young Executive Music Group, a self-contained music company that the duo formed out of a need for independence. “We wanted to do everything ourselves so we decided to get our own equipment and do our own producing and recording,” Mottie proudly emphasizes.

Now that the Jacksonville, Florida representatives have anchored themselves in the hip-hop culture, they are prepping the release of their mixtape Food For Thought. Legions of fans already got a taste of their ability to switch flows effortlessly via Myspace, where the group is making an impact by utilizing the social networking site to interact with fans.