“The words spoken. beats, rhymes and my life, I put it all out there so you can view my design. 6’1, black hair, dark skin, might fair. The way I look, that’s why you stop and stare.” – “Who I Be” N.Y.C. They say that in the worst of times, in the most dire of situations that often the most important, most miraculous people can arise from the ashes. Coming off of a year in which the art of hip-hop was accused of being deceased and done with, this Brooklyn born emcee has come to stake a claim on this decimated landscape and deliver listeners back to the golden age of hip-hop, with an album so dedicated to resurrecting the heart of the culture that the title itself tells all that needs to be told: “…In Retrospect” The artist of reference is N.Y.C., short for Never Yet Contested. This Flatbush native has been patiently maneuvering within the industry, preparing to leave his initial mark on the world of hip-hop. That’s what this album represents for him. Not just a poorly thrown together collection of random songs written without any direction or purpose other than to fill an album worth of material. “…In Retrospect” is anything but. While collaborating with some of the finest producers currently in the game (J.J. Brown, Furry Planet Production, Nero Music, Clique Muzique, Red Face Entertainment), N.Y.C. has put together a conceptual hip-hop journey that will reinvigorate the spirit of hip-hop, in a style that weaves back and forth between contemporary and authentic. From start to finish, N.Y.C. puts together an assault of tracks that deliberately addresses a slew of issues, ranging from a lost focus plaguing the hip-hop artists of today (“I Can’t Take It”), to the mind numbing effects of television (“Boob Tube”), while even touching on his own guilt of overindulgence (“Intoxication”). With an introspective, self made introduction as the opening track to this urban voyage (“Who I Be”), it’s made abundantly clear what this emcee has to offer the starved hip hop listener of today. After track one, listeners can reaffirm their hope of being rescued from the current direction of hip-hop, today. N.Y.C. is no ordinary, wet behind the ears artist emerging for the first time upon the scene. This emcee has weathered the storms that come with being an aspiring artist in the hip-hop world, appearing on tracks with such underground artists as R-Son, Ad Liberal and Prince Jamir, all in an effort to evolve his own style working off of the diverse collaborative efforts he undertakes. N.Y.C.’s first offering to the world of hip-hop was his own, independently released “Showmanship” mix-tape. In the time since, N.Y.C.’s been most often found on stage garnering his craft and perfecting the art of performance, feeding off of the energy of a live crowd, and delivering his message face to face to his listeners. There’s no gimmick, no corporate sales formula, just pure unadulterated hip-hop, and an artist begging for the world to wake up. It’s not as much of an album as it is a declaration of revolution; a revolution armed with creativity, lyrical prowess and captained by an emcee with a vision to follow. “…In Retrospect” – N.Y.C.