Rahim Samad — like most millenials who grew up alongside hip-hop — has always been a fan of Brand Nubian. In his childhood, the Tampa emcee kept songs like "Wake Up" and "Punks Jump Up To Get Beat Down" on repeat thanks to cousins who turned him on to the outfit.
There's no way Samad could've predicted that seeing the group play Orlando in 2015 would lead to a collaboration with Sadat X, one of the New Rochelle rap trio's members.
"They were hardcore, conscious, and kinda dangerous. I always liked Sadat X and his unorthodox rhyme style, and wanted to work with him if the chance presented itself," Samad told CL, adding that he reached out for a collab after that Orlando show.
"He was down, so I sent him the track and the concept and two weeks later, what you hear on the song is what he put down."
That tape — rife with the raw lyricism, skill and love of hip-hop that we've come to expect from Samad — is now available to hear.
Samad has other collaborations with different artists in the works, and he also plans to work on a forthcoming album, Sonic DNA, which he hopes to have out in December.
"I'm just working on my craft to elevate it. I really want people to hear the new stuff I'm putting out and be able to see an elevation in skill and growth," Samad said. "I want to make timeless material."
