Many lyricists are looking to get their feet wet in the game with limited experience. Appearing on tracks with noteworthy artists, growing a strong brand and image is priority numero uno for rising stars.
But what if you’ve done all of that before your 25th birthday?
Meet Phenom an independent artist out of Chicago. No stranger to the hip-hop circuit, Phenom competed in the 2000 Source Magazine Unsigned Hype Emcee Battle. Out of 1,000 nationwide contestants, he placed second behind D-12’s Proof. The 23 year veteran out of Chicago has jumped on stage with Kanye West, Common, Dead Prez, The Roots and Ron Trent.
Check Out Phenom & Kanye West on Stage
This week, he released his new single, Heist from his forthcoming I Didn’t Come I Was Sent album. The album has an appearance from ADD 2 an artist on 9th Wonder’s Jamla Records. “I’m pulling a heist with the music,” Phenom told The Source.
Check Out Heist
“I’m taking back the youth conscious with the banging beats.”
Phenom’s rhyme pattern has some of the industry’s top A&Rs quoting him to be the next artist to break out of Chicago since Kanye West and Lupe Fiasco.
But, aside from the hip-hop scene, Phenom is socially conscious and responsible. He’s dedicated his life to empowering the people through his music. He’s also built a strong following in the underground scene of spoken word dating back to the 90s. In 1995, First Lady Michelle Obama chose him for the Public Allies program where he had the opportunity to work with and teach youth about violence prevention strategies.
Check Out Spoken Word
As the founder and CEO of the award-winning POETREE Chicago, Phenom was influenced to start L.Y.R.I.C, (Let Your Rhymes Inspire Creativity) with co-founder and national poet K-Love in 2009. Today, the L.Y.R.I.C program serves Chicago-based high school students and offers them opportunity to write and perform poetry as a non-violent means to stopping the violence in Chicago.
Follow Phenom on Twitter @Phenom18 and check out his Facebook fan page.
