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Nolan The Ninja: The RAPstation Review

First impressions count for everything. It's how we form opinions. From that point forward we hold on to it, measuring other experiences against it. It's what I do with new MC's/Producers. If you hook me in with an ill verse or dope beat I'm looking into your catalog of music to see if the thrill can be repeated. That's what happened in the case of Nolan The Ninja. I heard him on DJ Soko's "Domino Effect" and was stunned by his lyrical dexterity and commanding flow. The kid came with it. I had to search out more material from him and was pleased to hear he'd be dropping an EP on Soko's Left Of Center label. I pre-ordered on iTunes and began the waiting game hoping not to be disappointed when it dropped. I'm incredibly glad to report its nothing but a masterpiece of Rap. "Fuck The Hype" is what I've been screaming out for in an age: a young brother who respects the architects of our culture and builds upon it with expert craftsmanship unmatched by his age. Nolan is 23 but when he spits he does it with conviction, a young man who's soaked up life. I hear pain and joy in his words, conviction in his actions and a desire to set the bar higher for other MC's. He's a shot of adrenaline. When you listen to the production you get a sense of love for the 90's. The beats are raw and unflinching. They take me back to my youth. The head nod factor is in effect. Can we get this released on tape please? I can just feel it bumping in my Walkman. The hiss of the cassette, turning it over to hear side B, reading the inlay card with the artwork adding to the vibe. I'm going to make a comparison now which is something I try to avoid doing often as it can come off as lazy. With this EP made up of 12 tracks (11 songs, 1 interlude) I feel the same emotional response as I did on first hearing Illmatic in 94. "Fuck The Hype" is that good. It's full of life and personality. Nolan The Ninja has a bright future in the rap game. Get involved now and watch him shine. Please visit https://soundcloud.com/nolantheninja-1/sets/f-ck-the-hype-ep to stream and support the project and be sure to follow @NolanTheNinja @DJSoko @LeftOfCenter_ & @Dart_Adamson Twitter. By Chris Cammack for RAPstation.com Follow Chris on Twitter @cammack979, Instagram @acknowledgechris, https://www.facebook.com/acknowledge.ktl and check out http://acknowledgektl.com/ for much more.