The Bronx New York is home to the Hip Hop genre, as well as some of the biggest stars in the industry. Being raised in the capital of hip-hop culture, Prince Wiser has taken the rules he’s learned in the streets and applied them to his music. Having released the EP “No Sound in The Jungle” earlier this year. Prince Wiser gives his audience a taste of his lyrical genius with four heart thumping tracks, each coupled with raw emotion, lyrical intensity and metaphors you may have to hear twice to fully understand.

Uhh: Tell us a bit about yourself?

Prince Wiser : My name is Prince Wiser I’m just a guy coming out of New York City whose ambitions are high, I’m strong, confident, music is my thing, and the message I choose to share with the world is everything.

How did you become the artist known as Prince Wiser?

Prince Wiser is actually a recent name change, I took it upon myself to change my name I was formally known for many years under my actual name Noah Vinson, I changed that name because Vinson generationally was the name of a slave master, I wanted a name that was my own so Prince Wiser is what I chose to call myself, Prince, not in the sense of ancestry but in state-of-mind and Wiser representing my growth over the years, how I move & how I operate has changed, I know more now than in the past so I emphasize that.

What was it like growing up in the Bronx?

Pretty ordinary, I grew up on Gun Hill Road in the Bronx, rough area at the time, but it's getting a little better now. I miss those days as a kid that’s for sure.

Being that The Bronx is the home of Hip Hop do you feel pressure to come harder than anyone who has ever made it out of the Bronx? How do you deal with that pressure if so?

Not so much pressure, however, there is a certain stigma that rappers coming from here have to endure as far as rap style, how they should be rapping, 90s boom bap… that shit is never coming back (laughs) I feel like it’s slowly being broken with artists like A Boogie, Cardi B, and some others but all in all, My city isn’t necessarily credited with having artist with top-tier lyricism, we don’t have our version of a Kendrick Lamar or a Kanye West I feel like we need that, I feel like I am that.

What’s your musical background?

Hip-Hop, it’s what I do, I started rapping about age 14, and recorded my first song professionally age 18 in High School, I discovered that writing was something that I was really good at and I fell in love with it during that time period. At the time I didn’t know how to make use of that skill but in time I learned. I perform now in front of all crowds and I love doing it, God put me here to make incredible music and spread a message that will drive Ideas.

Who was your favorite artist growing up and why?

My favorite artist growing up has to be Lupe Fiasco, to this day no one before or after has made music showcasing a mastery of words, skill, delivery, and message. Food & Liquor was OUR Illmatic to me, It was the soundtrack to everyday life that resonated with so many different people, he spoke for the forgotten, he spoke for the outcasts and the people society deemed to be weird & unfit.

Name one artist dead or alive that you would want to collaborate with and why?

One artist I would like to collaborate with that is alive right now is J. Cole he’s currently one of my favorite rappers. I saw him live in Brooklyn at the 4 Your Eyez Only tour, amazing lyricist and an incredible performer with a mastery of the craft that is to be respected. An honorable mention: Rapsody, seen her perform numerous times and I love her music.

Why is music & hip hop your passion?

It’s what I grew up listening to, it’s what I’ve practiced doing, cursed and rehearsed it you know? It’s who I am, rhyming words, slick metaphors, all these things are me and it is important to understand when I was growing up for a long time I didn’t speak. My child-brain told me that my parents often didn’t want me to speak unless spoken to, people often thought I always had something slick to say, and in school I was afraid to speak up in class because I feared that I would look foolish and that people would laugh at me or think that I was uncool & later on I realized that my power was in my words, still to this day in casual conversation I may not speak much but I speak through my music. My music represents my stand, my constant fight to be heard & the rage that I feel against a society that has kept us quiet for so long about so many different topics of discussion.

How do you feel about the way Black Men are represented and or represent themselves in hip-hop?

In general it's just a shame really, and in my opinion, not all fault is with the artists. We live in a world where violence, drug abuse, and over-sexualization is glorified and now magnified on scales we never even knew existed. The reason why I do music is to promote a positive message and to spread awareness of the times that we’re living in, The music industry is against that… so am I surprised when I see a million rappers across the globe feed into negative stereotypes for fame & attention, absolutely not. The artist is held captive by the idea that in order to get that record deal, or in order to find the mainstream success they HAVE TO cater to the market. A market in which negative stereotypes of black people and self-destruction are commonplace. I’m not condemning artists. At the end of the day, they do what they must to survive and be able to feed their families. The Music Industry is a business like anything else that ties into other businesses. To them, we’re giant billboards. We have to be more aware of what those billboards say and start taking control of the narrative and making those billboards say what WE want them to say.

What goals do you have as a professional rapper? Such as Grammys, number-one records, etc.

I always wanted a Grammy, I used to see the Grammys as a form of high-level acknowledgment but not so much anymore, I think what is important to me is any kind of acknowledgment not necessarily a grammy. I want to be known for making good music and let my praise come from the people that listen & the people whose lives I change my message.

If you could pick one bar from your own lyrics that could inspire someone right now what would that bar be and why?

Off my new song “So Good”. “We drop Gems directly to the consumer/ So how the fuck we allow Jacob The Jeweler?” I think that line is important, and the meaning deep, it shows that we are more than capable of being self-sufficient as Black people. The moral and understanding is, that we shouldn’t depend on people from other cultures to dictate what’s amazing about our culture and the things that we create. No other race or group of people accept this, we shouldn’t either.

Tell us a bit about your EP No Sound In The Jungle

Amazing. “No Sound In The Jungle” was originally intended to be longer than the 3 records that I decided to put out, however I felt 3 was sufficient enough to get the point across, People prefer short first projects from artist whom they’ve never heard and also it gave me a chance to let go of songs I had done 3-4 years prior in order to start something new. I love the outcome, people hadn’t heard much from me in about 3 years prior to that release so I was glad and thankful that after all this time, people still gave me the time of day.

How long did it take to build the project?

I recorded the songs 3-4 years prior to actually deciding which to put on took the most amount of time (laughs). Not long tho.

Which song is your favorite and why?

“5th year” just off the animalistic nature and tone in which I chose to use my voice. It’s a very telling intro, with lyricism and wordplay, metaphors stacked up so close together you’ll need a couple of listens to catch it in its entirety, I love it.

Which song was the most challenging to create?

“Different” only because it genuinely was something different for me, my rap style and cadence changed, it was a different type of production, one I normally wouldn’t go for (Produced by my brother Mike Nels for AlbumKutz Productions) so I very much stepped out of my comfort zone for that one.

What do you expect to achieve with this project?

I think I’ve already achieved what I wanted, I wanted to challenge music. I wanted to challenge my peers to create better, think beyond, and truly maximize the potential of words. People enjoyed the project and 3 records were meant to be an appetizer of better things to come so it served its intended purpose.

Who do you represent as an artist? And what do you stand for?

I represent me, my ideas, my thought process and people of like minds. I think dialog is important to have and if the music that I create, in turn, creates that dialog I’ve achieved my goal. I’m anti the establishment, I’m righteous in spirit & good in nature.

What sets you apart from the rappers of today?

Skill. *laughs* I’m kidding but message & my point of view is different. I offer a unique perspective, my job is to challenge the minds of the masses and to paint a picture that lasts forever in your mind. My job is to inspire, encourage, motivate & educate people on ideas that challenge the fabric of society in America as it exists today. I’m telling my people to stand on their own two, create jobs for their people and stop depending and expecting people from other walks of life to help & understand our struggle.

You’ve been co-hosting “The Dope Ass Podcast” for a year now tell us about the show?

YES! The show is great we talk about all different topics, My co-hosts are HILARIOUS. Two of them (Mike & June) I met working at my last job at Home Depot, it was actually June’s Idea to start the podcast, I then recommended Amber as a woman's perspective was much-needed. *laughs*

Has the podcast opened you to a new fan base?

It absolutely has! There are people now that know me just for being on the show and they were exposed to my music a little bit later, which is great!.

What are some valuable music lessons you learned this year?

This year I learned that you can’t please everyone, for every one person that likes your music, there will be 3 that don’t, and that’s okay not everything is for everyone you know? definitely an important lesson, It took me some time to grasp but there’s an audience for everyone. Be true to yourself and the people that are true to themselves will pick up on it and vibe with you.

What do you have in store for this year?

Greatness. I promised the world, and myself that though my perspective I would challenge the ideas of the people and that my creative works will stand the test of time.

If you had the power to permanently change one thing in this world by writing one song what that song change And who would you want to produce the song?

In terms of production probably my man 1st Official, but If I had to change one thing in this world through my music, it’d be the structure of capitalism in America, I believe that we are genuinely worth more & we deserve more for the work that we do on earth as a people.

Connect with Prince Wiser
Soundcloud.com/princewiserofficial
Twitter.com/PrinceWiserYNP
Instagram.com/princewiserofficial