Prezident

"Crack is Wack" is the perfect title for Prezident's debut mixtape. Prez takes us back to a 90's vibe when rap music was pure. Giving real hip-hop heads a breath of fresh air and separating himself from what is heard today at the same time. During the 1990's there was an anti-crack campaign with the slogan "Crack is wack" to end the epidemic that affected urban communities. Today the term "crack" is used to describe something that is of good caliber. A lot of the popular hip-hop music currently out has been criticized as not being authentic timeless music. "New hip-hop is trash, people you see everyday don't respect the craft. The only real east coast rapper out now that I can feel is Papoose, but he lacks personality, my music is a lot more interesting" says Prezident. Just like the 90's campaign Prezident wants to put an end to the epidemic affecting the hip-hop community- yesterday it was drugs and today it is bad music. Malik Sheppard, born May 29 1985 has been rapping since age 7. He has been living in Crown Heights, a neighborhood in Brooklyn, practically all of his life. Everything about Prezident's music is a depiction of his life, even his name. His name derived from the street he lived on called President Street and since he sets precedence for other rappers, there is no better name for him than Prezident. Prezident always had a gift with writing; it was his strongest focus in school and practically the driving force that kept him there. Despite the neighborhood around him, he proved to be very intelligent by being accepted to one of the elite public high schools in New York, Brooklyn Tech. Prezident was challenged to find a balance between school and what was going on in the streets of his neighborhood. Growing up in Crown heights rapping was a pastime for many teens but Prez realized he was talented above the rest when at age 15 he was rapping amongst and most times better than people much older than him. Through witty and impromptu rap lines Prezident would always prevail in rap battles amongst his peers. Now, rap battle is an acquired skill that comes easy for him and he strives to push the envelope through his originality. Prezident strives to make innovative music that transcends time. One of Prezident's biggest challenges is rapping over tracks that may not meet his credentials, as a new underground rapper on the scene well known producers aren't easy to come by. Prezident has learned that as a rapper he must thrive off of his own innovation and not rely on a hot track to make a great song. Unlike most rappers whose lyrics are often far-fetched or completely fictional, all of Prezident's songs are based off of his own personal experiences. No matter how much success Prezident attains you will never hear him rap about rims and designer jeans. Prezident makes his music for people he can connect with that came from similar communities he came from. "Kingdom Come [Jay-Z's current album] is so far gone that it doesn't connect with the hood. I don't ever want to be over the head of the hood not to say that the hood is the place to be but my music isn't for people in the suburbs, if it crosses into mainstream it won't be because I changed who I am" says Prezident.
Prezident stands out above the rest by depicting a representation of reality that the average individual can relate to. "I rep the everyday grind, bringing things to the forefront with no additives and preservatives", Prezident says. His longevity will be due to his authentic songs and the passion that can be felt through his music.
Written By: Tationna Bosier of Rough Diamond Inc