Nizm

The birth of this underground star, one-man army, and fearless warrior is no mistake, marking his kingly aura as The Gift and The Curse. The Gift is his sincerity, intellectual nature, charismatic, and authentic-conscious being and GOD driven talent. The Curse is his ability to maintain the bullion flaming torch and crown amidst the trials and tribulations that life brings. Rapper Nizm carries the cross for those who critically persecute him as a person/artist and for every MC, DJ, and visual artist that broke the commandments of hip-hop engraved in gold on every turntable, graffiti wall, and mic. Ladies and Gentlemen, the Southside Chicago native Nizm curses and blesses audiences with the gift This Is Me.

Nizm wears the Kangol hat and gold chains while turning the pages of Nelson George’s “Hip-Hop America” with the innovative narrative single “Hip-Hop.” He runs down the history of rap music past and current while brings beats and rhymes back to life after the distasteful and dilated content, lyrics, and substance that co-exist. Nizm brings to hip-hop a satisfying flavor of winter freshness. The fellas’ anthem “No Wrong,” is a response to Mary J. Blige’s 2007 “Roses” as he “throws the roses back at ‘em.” The rapper flips the relationship script with straight-from-the-heart lyrics; “Trying to show love for you/But you had to get Terry McMillan on the nice brutha…we want a mate, not an inmate…I got to stop talking, here comes your highness.” The song displays Nizm’s voice of roaring thunder and production like falling giant-sized hail hitting hard against the dark concrete streets of Chicago’s Southside.

The welcoming, clever, and thought-provoking “Train Ride,” sets the tone and pace for what is apparent with the rest of the album. The single’s unpredictable and striking flow makes the ride on the Metra a fast-paced, heart-pounding experience leaving passengers gasping for air after seeing the gleaming light at the end of the darkened underground tunnel. With the predecessor “Whatchaknowaboutit,” Nizm challenges his personal obstacles and opponents like chess using four of hip-hop’s fierce weapons: mind, paper, pen, and mic. The song’s schizophrenic guitar string, punch-in flow, and lyrics, “Whatchaknowabout pain, drama, and struggle/Stretching your hustle, all bone no muscle/Whatchaknowabout hope, trying to balance your dreams/ When it hurts to sleep cause all you got is your dream.” is stellar brilliance.

The “Bye Bye” “Dear Mama” Mariah Carey and Tupac tribute single “Momma Music” showcases the gifted Nizm at his best pouring profound, raw, true, and heartfelt emotion of his undying love for his deceased loved one. Nizm adjusts his voice to his poetic sentiment as he painfully expresses, “This is me right now mom, I’m trying to get it right...This is Momma Music/It’s the smell in the kitchen and the swag and the diction are the things that I’m missin’…It was the smile that glistened and the friendly ear that you knew just listened…If you lost someone you loved turned this up and let your soul listen.” With lyrics so deeply inhaled and velvet smooth production, the song feels like heavy tears of April rain that overflows the flooding Chicago River.

“Words With Pops,” drives the guilty conscious to drown in thicken blood of shame. With tense, scornful lyrics of ether, and swagger as a bite of a deleterious viper, it is certain that the rapper is near pursuit of happiness. Nizm walks the thin line between genius and insanity as he glaringly freestyles, “We’re both stubborn as hell…the countless clashes we had with words…For me, this has been the catalyst for my emotional war…My face was almost crushed right there…Pops, I’m just asking you for your time, your ears, your shoulder, and words/Cause right now I’m offering mine.”

On “This Is Me,” Nizm blows the speakers out of frame and makes the Water and Sears Tower skyscrapers collapse by setting the precedence for excellence with his first class rhyme style, exceptionally clear delivery, and commanding presence on the mic. This unique and distinctive voice of Chi-town hip-hop is pedestal amongst the upper echelon of lyrical-penned geniuses of quality and caliber. The witty voice often distinguished as a mixture of Eminem, AZ, Lords of the Underground, Souls of Mischief, The Pharcyde, and Talib Kweli defines the Refined Gentleman that is Nizm. As Stillmatic is to Nas, Release Therapy is to Ludacris, and Be is to Common, This Is Me is Nizm’s blues and testimony. He has the city of Chicago by the palm of his hand. The instant classic This Is Me should have been titled This Is Real.

Support Nizm the illest of real and grimy hip-hop: www.myspace.com/nizm

- Miles Media

Nizm “Hip Hop”
FULL, CDQ, Track off the 2007 album, Me, This Is *Tibs Fav.™
GWHH is once again proud 2 spotlight yet another talented, up and coming rapper outta Chicago - Nizm! Nizm has the rare
combination of raw emotion and raw lyrics that are illustrated through a break-neck flow, typical from artists of the Chi! On
top of that, Nizm is has a bachelor’s degree in architecture and also works as an architecture intern concurrently with rising
up the ranks as a rapper. I got nothin’ but large respect for Nizm because of the time architecture commands. When things get
really heavy, there’s not much time for anything else and as a current undergrad architecture student myself, I can attest 2
that. “Hip Hop” is a perfect track for fans of raw, Chicago hip hop and has a lyrical and catchy chorus 2 keep you comin’
back 2 it. Don’t sleep on Nizm and DL the track above!
Below, you can check out Nizm’s official website, MySpace, as well as his most recent pub in the widely read RedEye
newspaper that circulates Chicago’s El Trains and newstands daily! Click to enlarge the photo and read about the influences
of Nizm. And finally, if you like what you see, don’t hesitate 2 BUY his most recent album, Me, This Is off of iTunes…
somethin’ Tibs just did himself! Enjoy! - www.gwhh.com

This week Nizm introduces himself to the FSD readers. Feedback is welcomed and
encouraged.
This Is is Nizm's 4th release. The album is a progression of a man's journey in time,
through trials and tribulations, as well as joys. Nizm stands out from other rappers
with his wit and charisma, as well as the resounding production that creates a strong
yet soulful hip-hop soundscape. From political issues, to party music to "tonguen-
cheek" humor, Nizm possesses a wit, which is not often seen in his genre of music on
a multi-faceted level.
About Nizm:
Nizm is a native of Chicago with a background in architecture. Often his approach to
music is similar to his approach to his work, playful yet insightful; being one for
looking at the everyday in a different light as taken Nizm around the world. An
accomplished writer as well, his knowledge and wisdom extends well beyond his 27
years of age. Lastly, unlike many, Nizm has a business sense, that rivals most multinational
CEOs. Nizm doesn't sit by the side, but often himself is the architect of the
business situations that have incurred his success making him doubly as efficient. His
website is http://www.refinedgmusic.com
Fake Shore Drive http://fakeshoredrive.com/2008/08/new-music-tuesday-nizm.html
1 - Fake Shore Drive

The whole left brain/right brain debate has finally been resolved in the form of Chicago-based Hip Hop artist, Nizm. When he’s not busy with his own graphic design firm, attending classes towards his masters degree at Roosevelt University, mentoring children, or satisfying his skating hobby that he’s been involved with since his adolescent years, Nizm is creating lyrical masterpieces infused with humor, sarcasm, and knowledge.

“Art should imitate life and daily experience,” says Nizm who introduced himself as Leroy Stewart when he approached me at Borders. We were scheduled for an interview, which became more of a conversation with this witty 27-year-old. Apparent in our conversation was Leroy’s ability to soak in the world around him, which often provides the lyrical content for Nizm. This self-proclaimed lyricist focuses on the content as much as he does on the production of his music…something rare to find in a world where “a lot of people write music on a mainstream level just to sell.” A fusion between jazz, hip hop, and alternative styles can be detected throughout his songs. Beyond creating the music, however, Nizm is a performer.

He described the stage as a very addictive space to express his music. “On stage you command where the audience goes and you make or break a potential customer” he says as an analogy to graphic design clients. Leroy had been accepted to the University of Toronto’s infamous architecture program a few years ago where he sought to escape the crabs in a barrel culture he felt was crowding his creativity in Chicago. This love/hate relationship with the city is in full thrust on his third album The Exodus. With the news of a mother whose health was failing, a broken engagement, and feelings of alienation in a new culture Leroy returned to Chicago with a new perspective on music and life. The “world felt a little colder” when his mother passed, but it also caused him to take a step back from his goal driven nature and find solace in the things he enjoyed—making music for the purpose of making music.

“Everyone loves artists like Mary J. The album people love was when she was going through the epitome of personal hell. People don’t realize that the soul music they love comes at a cost to an artist” Leroy says to the idea of his mother’s passing influencing his music. In order to preserve himself he steals himself away from the music at times. “The beauty of going to sleep is that you have to stop everything. It forces you to be in touch with yourself at the end of the day.”

While Leroy sleeps, Nizm is available online with his unique perspective on the world around him. “The music was him and he was himself regardless” is the final thought Leroy left me with regarding his compositions. He, himself, and Nizm will next perform on December 18th in Evanston, IL. He’ll be running to Bill’s Blues the day before his graduation, after taking his accounting final, and working—just one more thing for Leroy to write about between clients - www.inchicity.com

Leroy Stewart, a.k.a. Nizm, has been drawing up plans for success in both hip-hop and architecture since he was a kid.

Nizm grew up in a music-loving family on the South Side.

"My sister was mostly into alternative and a little bit of hip-hop," Nizm said. "[I] took [my sister's] Digital Underground tape, and it's been a love affair since."

Nizm developed another passion as a child: architecture.

"I began drawing in 6th grade ... architecture attracted me because of the scale of the work in relation to humans," he said.

His parents moved the family from the South Side so Nizm could attend Lane Tech High to puruse his longtime dream. Now, he works as an intern for an architectural firm in the Chicagoland area.

Nizm's work as a hip-hop artist takes precedence over almost everything, however--maybe even architecture. He relies on his lyrical skills and rapier wit to help him excel in both songwriting and freestyle.

He has a particular knack for getting in that crucial last punch line that ultimately wins the impromptu joust known as cypher.

"Infamous lines, they usually come to me and go," Nizm said. "[The] best way I can describe it is similar to a good improvisational comedian or actor. ...

"I can honestly say I have never been at a loss for words."

Nizm enjoys the written word too.

"I write as I am moved," he said. "I approach writing with the same ease as freestyle."

He supports his most recent CD, "Me, This Is," with performances at some of Chicago's most popular venues such as The Funky Buddha Lounge and Kinetic Playground.

Is Nizm sketching out any serious plans for the future?

"[I'm] looking to just have fun with the music I love," he said.

[ Jennifer Wagner is a RedEye special contributor. ] - Red Eye