Aug 17, 2010

C.A.R.D.I. - One to Watch



Alright People, you know I always put you on when I discover something worth sharing in Hip-Hop.  Well, don't say I never gave you nothin'.  I first met Cardi in my days of hosting an online radio show called Strong Island Hip Hop almost two years ago.  He would frequent the studio to battle our featured artists and would kill it each and every time. The kid is a problem.  For the longest time, we would interview artists and showcase their talents- but the best part of each show would be the freestyle cipher afterward, hands down.  You would have to see it to believe it, but a lot of heads came up to the studio just to hear him spit and he wasn't even in front of the camera prior to that. The buzz was always there.  Da Sharon Getty got a chance to ping-ping with Cardi  with a little word association interview, just off the top.  He's just as humble, mature,  laid back and funny as they come, plus something else.  A secret ingredient that makes him real and credible without the commonplace posturing so prevalent in the world of rappers nowadays.   The results were off the top, raw insights into the mind of Cardi Crown Prince. Peep it.

Ipod - "CARDI"

9 to 5 -  "Sheesh..."

Dirty South - "Catchy"

Family - "Priorities"

Swag - "Discontinued" (laughs)

Twitter -  "Nosy" 

Ignorance - "Disease"

Nikki Minaj - "Plastic"

Battle - (smiles knowingly) "Dat's cool."




It should come as no surprise that Cardi knows exactly where he’s going. That’s because he knows very well where he’s been and more importantly, where he could be. The name C.A.R.D.I. which stands for Crime and Real Dollars Involved represents a road many may go down but never make it back. Born Roderick Jones on October 5, 1989 and named for a close family friend whose life was tragically cut short, Cardi Crown Prince is a man destined for success. He hails from Lakeview, Long Island New York. Exit 18 is home to many who aspire to do what comes naturally to Cardi. From shows to freestyle ciphers and special appearances, he quickly became a favorite on the underground circuit with eloquent rhymes and mature viewpoint of the industry that contradicts his short years on the planet. That started way before the ENJ Battlegroundz, Strong Island Hip Hop ciphers and live performances at venues in NYC. He’s a wordsmith at heart. He received poetry and literature awards as a youth and grew up hearing mainstays in Hip Hop like DMX, Nas, Jay-Z and Big in his household along with classic soul greats which influence his music. He cites Otis Redding and Frankie Beverly and Maze as being a few of his all-time favorites. Being the oldest of three children, it’s safe to say he was the youngest in charge in a way. With a strong sense of family values, he has no reason to come off as something he is not. He talks about what he knows. He will take his listeners through true life and its pleasure and pains without a need to brag. If his bravado seems apparent, that’s because he backs it up with a laid back delivery and lyrics that stick. Initially he wasn’t drawn to rap but basketball instead. For a long time, Cardi could be spotted with an ever present basketball, working on his skills. He played basketball for his school team as a guard for two and a half years. But rhyming came naturally as he would rap at school presentations and projects rather than simply speak at them. Some people are nothing but trouble makers and others are straight-A students, but Cardi fell somewhere in between with his share of lunchroom antics while maintaining his grades in order to play sports. It paved the way for things to come. In a short time he established a reputation for witty one-liners and thought provoking stories. In March 2009 he released the mixtape Leader of the New School. His single “The Way It Is” has fast become a sensation on the streets and in cyberspace alike. Proving that he can hold his own in any forum, his guest spots are equally anticipated as his solo performances. In April 2010 he signed with KG Music Group but it doesn't stop there. Cardi flaunts a true confidence while maintaining a genuinely humble disposition. His star is on the rise and it comes as no surprise.  He is the truth.  Stay tuned.


Check out Cardi's live performance of his single, Talk To You.



Download his latest mixtape, THE CO-SIGN at datpiff.com 

1 comment:

  1. yu got 1 with this... real talk its good to hear talent...R.I.P RODDRICK cardi was born to be the truth...BELLZ!!!(ask about me)im that nigga to kno...

    ReplyDelete

Air It Out.

Blog Widget by LinkWithin