Nakim Shares His 'Travel' On Debut Mixtape

'You can't be from Harlem and not be flashy,' newcomer tells Mixtape Daily.
By Rob Markman

Nakim
Photo: MTV News

Fire Starter: Nakim
When it comes to hip-hop, Harlem has a rich tradition. Aside from breeding some of the game's best spitters, the famed New York City neighborhood has also birthed some of rap's flashiest artists.

From Doug E. Fresh in the 1980s to Diddy and Ma$e in the 1990s, Harlem rappers have kept fans up on the latest fashions. Even during Dipset's street reign in the early 2000s, the certified gangstas still kept things fly. Now, Harlem is producing a new crop of talent, with rappers like A$AP Rocky, Smoke DZA and now Nakim looking to carry on that tradition.

"You can't be from Harlem and not be flashy. It's almost like an oxymoron," Nakim told Mixtape Daily.

Nak, who threw his middle finger to industry haters when he dropped his debut mixtape F--- Em on Friday, still embodies all the pizzazz typically associated with his home, but adds his twist.

"I still have that flash, but I'm givin' you my story, and I wasn't that young dude that was ballin' like them dudes. I didn't live a Rich and 'Po life," Nakim said, referencing Harlem street legends Alberto "Alpo" Martinez and Rich Porter, who were famously depicted in the film "Paid in Full" in 2002. "My trials and tribulations is what I document. It's a little more aggressive because I had more of an aggressive lifestyle."

Nakim grew up on 153rd and Amsterdam and struggled to help support his single mother and three little brothers. So instead of hustling to buy himself expensive clothes and chains, he instead turned to the streets to help provide his brothers with basic necessities. Nakim always dabbled in rap, appearing on songs with Cory Gunz and Mickey Factz as a featured artist, but planned to release his debut mixtape in 2009. Unfortunately, things didn't work out, and the budding MC caught an assault charge and was locked up in November of that year, spending about a year in jail.

As soon as he got home, Nak began putting the finishing touches on his tape. F--- Em is an aggressive listen with hard-nose beats. The FKI-produced remix to "Swervin' " is one standout, partly because it features Jadakiss, but mostly because of its bassed-up beat.

Nakim lets out his frustration on the tape, mostly because his life wasn't all peachy. Still, he makes it clear, he's Harlem to the core. "The flash of it, you get glimpses of that on the tape," he said. "But at the end of the day, when you put the whole body of work together, that's my travel."

For other artists featured in Mixtape Daily, check out Mixtape Daily Headlines.

Source: http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1675185/nakim-f-em-mixtape.jhtml

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