Brooklyn is more than a borough that’s produced a notorious MC or two. It’s a prime location in the land of opportunity that’s known worldwide. See how a crowd responds to, “Is Brooklyn in the house?,” at any big event for proof. But that unique position in culture didn’t stop the borough from suffering the same Hip-Hop ailment as the remainder of the Big Apple.
To be frank, Hip-Hop hasn’t seen a new act represent NYC with vigor since The Diplomats’ were bombarding airwaves in the early to mid aughts (sorry, French Montana). Sure, acts like A$AP Mob have proclaimed their dominance, but their syrupy, southern and sometimes electronic sound is a far departure from what’s associated with the Concrete Jungle. But then, out of the ranks of Brooklyn’s Crown Heights section, came a MC by the name of Troy Ave.
With a buzz that’s been brewing since 2006, a bit of consistency, a close relationship with the happenings in his neighborhood, and a lot of hometown pride allowed him to create New York City: The Album. It only released a few days ago (November 4), but the peanut gallery (known as the Internets) are singing Troy’s praises for creating a project that’s true to Hip-Hop’s mecca.
Who: Troy Ave is an independent MC who hails from the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn. If you’re ears aren’t to the streets, its easy to confuse the rapper, 28-years-old, for a newcomer, when actually he’s seven years deep in the game. Experience has been the best teacher for Troy, who set himself apart from his peers with an array of mixtapes and a series of remixes on popular beats of the moment coined “Keymixes.”
Before Troy’s close confidant Pusha T began ranting “My name is my name” as a way to remind the public that the cocaine bars would never stop, the New York rhymer made it clear that the streets were, too, his target market. Perhaps a business man in spirit, he used to talents to fill the void of true-to-the guts, NYC street music while others flock to the commonplace southern production. Troy’s vision fully materialized via New York City: The Album.
Credentials: Troy Ave, named after an actual street in Brooklyn, is a prime example of art imitating life. Having allegedly gotten busy in the streets, he took a “rap game reminds me of the crack game” mentality and flooded blocks (and the Internets) with audible blue tops. Listeners and peers alike developed a respect for Troy’s brand of rap due to the Bricks In My Backpack mixtape series. He’s also a member of a collective known as BSB, comprised of himself, Avon Blocksdale, and King Seven. They’ve also delivered a few project, which most recently includes
Fun Fact: Troy Ave had been fiddling with the idea of being a rapper since the early 2000s, but he wasn’t truly inspired to enter the game until he heard 50 Cent’s Get Rich or Die Tryin’ in 2003.
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Photo: Instagram, Hot 97
New York Hip-Hop has a reputation that proceeds itself, because authenticity, braggadocio, and lyricism serve as its main ingredients. In talking to Troy Ave, an avid purveyor of street culture and the principles it’s founded on, it’s clear that he’s taken what it means to be a true NYC rapper to heart.
Representing Crown Heights, Troy has put the entire Brooklyn on his back rather than limiting the set he’s represents to his hood. “I look at it like Brooklyn is my hood. I be all over,” he said. “I’m from Crown Heights. I named myself ‘Troy Ave’ to represent that, but I’m really all over the place. I’m not a local n***a, who never left the block.”
Mind you, he made that clear after quizzing me on my top three tracks from New York City: The Album, a boldly titled project for a MC at any point in their career. But then again, that was oh so Brooklyn of the rising MC to select that name. Not only did it give him a goal to rise up to and pique the interest of listeners near and far. It most importantly set the tone for Troy to create a body of work that appeals to rap fans who miss that NYC sound.
That’s a topic Troy happens to be very passionate about, too. “N***as from New York stopped making from they environment,” he explained. “In our environment, we don’t have all of that tight pants sh*t; not in the hood. That weirdo sh*t and that other sh*t, we don’t represent that. That’s why I put out a classic for these n***as man.”
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Unlike most detractors, Troy went and crafted the music he thought was needed and necessary. But that isn’t surprising after speaking to him. The rapper strikes us as the type of guy that’s patient, but hates to have his time wasted or do the same to others. You’ve seen that person before.
New York City: The Album is a direct reflection of Troy’s personality. It’s very self aware, but that same cognizance is the reason he’s more than confident — cocky even. That, in part, is the attitude of a star in the making, though. At the moment, he’s still independent. No, he’s really independent. Speaking on that, Troy said, “A lot of rappers and f**king companies brand themselves as independent, but they don’t really be independent.”
Other upstarts have developmental deals with a label pushing him behind the scenes, but that isn’t the case for Harry Powder. However, he isn’t opposed to signing with a major; he’s actually planning on it.
“It’s like stock. You just build equity in it, and then you sell it,” the wordsmith eloquently explained. “You make sure when you sell it that you still sit at the top of he board as the chairman and CEO. I’m definitely going to cash out. I’m just going to cash out at the highest point.”
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Again, the rap game clearly mirrors the crack game. It’s all about the art of the flip. But at the end of the day, your product has to be potent. “If you hear what I’m talking about in my music, you can see I was successful in the streets. If you don’t keep your word, you can’t be successful in the streets,” Troy relayed.
He continued, “Your respect and your word is everything, and I would be a damn, f**king fool… I’d be just like these other n***as if I told them, ‘I got album of the year. I’m about to have the biggest sh*t out. This the best sh*t you heard,’ and then it not be that.”
Troy, who exclaimed “I knew it wasn’t nothing short of greatness,” vocalized that he could never be humble in his craft. And why should he? There’s only one person that’ll truly see, support, and see through with your vision: You.
Ten years from now, New York City: The Album could be one of the Crown Heights local’s crowning achievements. But let’s live in the moment and celebrate another notch for potent, NYC Hip-Hop.
