Westchester County is the redheaded stepchild of the New York City area. It’s too affluent on the whole for the worldwide ghetto pass and its high number of country clubs put some pitting on its authenticity badge at a time when being from the projects meant you were halfway from being respected without rapping a single word. Then there are the jabs from the five boroughs:
“Westchester is upstate.”
Ouch. “Upstate” implies country. Soft. Wack. Hick-ish. Actually, only a maladroit with a poor sense of geography would believe that a county that begins where the Bronx ends is “upstate,” but that’s another lesson. But many forget the impact suburban landscapes had on hip-hop. Living in the suburbs (which could even include parts of Queens, Staten Island and the Bronx) always meant one thing: you or someone you knew lived in a house and had a basement. Basements are where musicians can develop without the hindrance of thin walls and neighbors in close quarters. Many hip-hop junkies also seem to forget that shit gets grimy everywhere, “upstate” included. (Being approached for a gold chain in Mt. Vernon and chased out of junior high schools in Yonkers were all the proof I needed in the early ’90s.)
So, let’s talk about Mt. Vernon then! A paralyzed city with a rich past – the birthday place of one of the greats – DMX. Mount Vernon is a city of contradictions and contrasts.
While its rich history, arts and culture are highlighted by home-grown marquee names like Denzel Washington, Dick Clark, Art Carney, Sidney Poitier and Ralph Branca, it has also developed an underground reputation with local musicians.
One artists that’s starting to ring bells goes by the name:
‘Young Handasome Da Problem’
Young Handsome Da Problem started making music at the age of 13, influenced by Jadakass and Jay-z, created the music group “Tribe of young bosses” and the rest is history.
This is a sick freestyle— a hugely challenging art form. As a matter of fact; a new study finds that when rappers improvise, parts of their brains linked to motivation, organization and integration get active, while portions responsible for self-monitoring and control get quiet. The findings suggest freestyle rappers essentially shut down the parts of their brains that might disrupt their creative flow. So, how does Young Handsome Da Problem do it? He displays his skills, all with a fast flowing and distinctive style. His lyrics are raw:
…just over 2 minutes, spit’n fire like:
“Fuck this industry / Sleep’n on me / turn your nightmares / into memories”
Overall, this is a highly impressive freestyle from a young artist who already sounds like the finished article, which is remarkable considering his age. (25) With continued experience and further material he will expand his musical and lyrical horizons.
