Nefew
Encyclopedia
Nefew is a hip hop group from Windisch
, Switzerland
. It consists of Polemikk (born Marco D'Amico; MC, producer) and PA-Double (born Roger Patt; DJ, producer). Nefew is an acronym which stands for New Education From Every Word. Q Magazine
describes Nefew as one of the most promising hop hop acts from Europe. The duo is represented by independent label On Our Feet Ent. and Puma
.
, 9th Wonder
, Kenn Starr
and Talib Kweli
. Many of Nefew's productions contain soulful samples, as well as jazz keys and string arrangements. Being approached about his lyrics, Nefew's rapper Polemikk stated: "Delivery, punch and dynamics are always on the top of our lyrical menu. [...] We are not preachers of any kind, we strive to be political and conscious without forcing ourselves to be political and conscious."
After changing their name to Nefew, the group took their first big step in 2007, releasing their debut studio album called Off the Cuff, which contains the track Admit It, a collaboration with Brooklyn rappers Wordsworth
and Masta Ace
. The album received mixed reviews from music critics. musicOMH
gave it 2 out of 5 stars, while UK Hip Hop calls it a "well-intentioned if unsurprising slice of underground rap".
Tales of the Dago, Nefew's first free mixtape, also was released in 2007.
's mixtape Allow me to Introduce Myself in 2008.
In December 2009, Puma
began to support Nefew in the matter of promotion. This allowed the independent duo to reach a much higher number of fans. Nefew are the first Hip-Hop act to be endorsed by the company.
Also, Nefew revealed in several interviews that they were currently negotiating with two major labels. Yet, no record deal is official.
With Puma
supporting the group, however, Nefew released an EP. It was available only on iTunes Music Store. The track Biko featured R&B singer Chanj and GOOD Music
signee Consequence
, and held number two position in the US College Radio Charts.
Antihero Begins tells the story of a rap crew that is at the point of their career, where it has to decide whether to take the step to make music professionally or not. The story is divided in five chapters which all describe a part of the group's journey. The mixtape culminates in the group starting a new life and announcing the forthcoming album Antihero.
The mixtape had considerable success, not least of all because it was published on highly respected hip hop blog 2dopeboyz.com. Also, Antihero Begins received general acclaim from music critics. Okayplayer
gave it 89 out of 100 points:
After Antihero Begins DJ Green Lantern
took notice of the groups work and came up with the idea of a collaboration. In January 2011, Man Vs Many, which is hosted by DJ Green Lantern
, was released. Addressing the collaboration, Nefew rapper Polemikk said:
Among others, the mixtape features soul singer Dwele
and Rapper Nottz
. In October 2011, Nefew released the collaboration EP Transitions with German producer 7inch.
EPs
Free mixtapes
Singles
Featured singles
Appeared on
Produced
Windisch
Windisch is a municipality in the district of Brugg in the canton of Aargau in Switzerland.-History:Windisch is situated at the site of the Roman legion camp Vindonissa. In 1064 the current municipality was mentioned as Vinse, and in 1175 as Vindisse. Until the 19th Century the official name was...
, Switzerland
Switzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
. It consists of Polemikk (born Marco D'Amico; MC, producer) and PA-Double (born Roger Patt; DJ, producer). Nefew is an acronym which stands for New Education From Every Word. Q Magazine
Q (magazine)
Q is a popular music magazine published monthly in the United Kingdom.Founders Mark Ellen and David Hepworth were dismayed by the music press of the time, which they felt was ignoring a generation of older music buyers who were buying CDs — then still a new technology...
describes Nefew as one of the most promising hop hop acts from Europe. The duo is represented by independent label On Our Feet Ent. and Puma
PUMA AG
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
.
Musical Style
Nefew's musical style is often compared to artists such as Common, Kanye WestKanye West
Kanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
, 9th Wonder
9th Wonder
Patrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...
, Kenn Starr
Kenn Starr
Kenn Starr may refer to:*Kenneth Starr, American lawyer*Kenn Starr , American rapper...
and Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli
Talib Kweli Greene , better known as Talib Kweli, is an American hip-hop artist and poet from Brooklyn, New York. His first name in Arabic means "student" or "seeker" ; his in Swahili means "true"...
. Many of Nefew's productions contain soulful samples, as well as jazz keys and string arrangements. Being approached about his lyrics, Nefew's rapper Polemikk stated: "Delivery, punch and dynamics are always on the top of our lyrical menu. [...] We are not preachers of any kind, we strive to be political and conscious without forcing ourselves to be political and conscious."
Early work – Off the Cuff (1995–2007)
Polemikk and PA-Double met in kindergarten and have been friends ever since. The duo has been actively producing music since 1995 under the name Emphacized Prophecy, which has been changed to Nefew (an acronym which stands for New Education From Every Word) for better recognition. Under the old pseudonym, the group released their first EP, Lyrical Quarrel, in 1999. The second EP, called Pieces of Forsaken Times, followed in 2003. Over 4,000 copies were sold worldwide.After changing their name to Nefew, the group took their first big step in 2007, releasing their debut studio album called Off the Cuff, which contains the track Admit It, a collaboration with Brooklyn rappers Wordsworth
Wordsworth (rapper)
Wordsworth is an underground hip hop MC from Brooklyn, best known for his freestyle rap.Wordsworth grew up in Brooklyn. A graduate of the State University of New York College at Old Westbury, Wordsworth recorded with his partner Punchline on A Tribe Called Quest's The Love Movement and on Mos Def...
and Masta Ace
Masta Ace
Duval Clear , known better by his stage name Masta Ace, is a rapper from Brownsville, Brooklyn. He appeared on the classic 1988 Juice Crew posse cut "The Symphony"...
. The album received mixed reviews from music critics. musicOMH
MusicOMH
musicOMH is a United Kingdom-based website which publishes independent reviews, featues and interviews from across all musical genres including classical, metal, rock and R&B.-History:...
gave it 2 out of 5 stars, while UK Hip Hop calls it a "well-intentioned if unsurprising slice of underground rap".
Tales of the Dago, Nefew's first free mixtape, also was released in 2007.
Homesick EP (2008–2009)
A track featuring Nefew appeared on ToraeTorae
Torae is an American rapper from the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, New York.- Career :Torae gained recognition by collaborating with DJ Premier and Marco Polo. He and Polo went on to receive critical acclaim for their collaborative LP entitled Double Barrel. In 2007, Hip Hop DX featured him in...
's mixtape Allow me to Introduce Myself in 2008.
In December 2009, Puma
PUMA AG
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
began to support Nefew in the matter of promotion. This allowed the independent duo to reach a much higher number of fans. Nefew are the first Hip-Hop act to be endorsed by the company.
Also, Nefew revealed in several interviews that they were currently negotiating with two major labels. Yet, no record deal is official.
With Puma
PUMA AG
Puma SE, officially branded as PUMA, is a major German multinational company that produces high-end athletic shoes, lifestyle footwear and other sportswear. Formed in 1924 as Gebrüder Dassler Schuhfabrik by Adolf and Rudolf Dassler, relationships between the two brothers deteriorated until the two...
supporting the group, however, Nefew released an EP. It was available only on iTunes Music Store. The track Biko featured R&B singer Chanj and GOOD Music
GOOD Music
GOOD Music is a record label and management firm founded by music producer and artist Kanye West. "GOOD" is an acronym for "Getting Out Our Dreams".-History:...
signee Consequence
Consequence (rapper)
Dexter Mills , better known as Consequence, is an American rapper. He is the cousin of rapper Q-Tip of the hip hop group A Tribe Called Quest, and was formerly an affiliate of Kanye West's GOOD Music family. Consequence debuted in 1996 on A Tribe Called Quest's album Beats, Rhymes, and Life...
, and held number two position in the US College Radio Charts.
Antihero Begins (2010)
Antihero Begins came out in April 2010. It is an officially free mixtape. Even though released as a mixtape, it sounds more like an album.Antihero Begins tells the story of a rap crew that is at the point of their career, where it has to decide whether to take the step to make music professionally or not. The story is divided in five chapters which all describe a part of the group's journey. The mixtape culminates in the group starting a new life and announcing the forthcoming album Antihero.
The mixtape had considerable success, not least of all because it was published on highly respected hip hop blog 2dopeboyz.com. Also, Antihero Begins received general acclaim from music critics. Okayplayer
Okayplayer
Okayplayer.com is an online hip-hop and alternative music website and community, described by Rolling Stone as a "tastemaker" and "an antidote to dull promotional Web sites used by most artists". The group was co-founded by The Roots' drummer Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson as a loose musical...
gave it 89 out of 100 points:
Antihero / Man Vs Many (present)
The forthcoming studio album is called Antihero and expected to be released in 2011. On several occasions Nefew stated that the album was already finished over a year ago. However, the group turned down the offers of various labels due to insufficient conditions. No precise release date has been set to date.After Antihero Begins DJ Green Lantern
DJ Green Lantern
James D'Agostino , better known by his stage name DJ Green Lantern, is an American-Italian-Puerto Rican DJ and hip hop music producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by Eminem to become the official DJ for Shady Records after DJ Head stepped down for undisclosed reasons...
took notice of the groups work and came up with the idea of a collaboration. In January 2011, Man Vs Many, which is hosted by DJ Green Lantern
DJ Green Lantern
James D'Agostino , better known by his stage name DJ Green Lantern, is an American-Italian-Puerto Rican DJ and hip hop music producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by Eminem to become the official DJ for Shady Records after DJ Head stepped down for undisclosed reasons...
, was released. Addressing the collaboration, Nefew rapper Polemikk said:
Among others, the mixtape features soul singer Dwele
Dwele
Andwele Gardner , better known by his stage name Dwele is a soul singer, songwriter and record producer from Detroit, Michigan.-Biography:...
and Rapper Nottz
Nottz
Dominick Lamb better known by his stage name, Nottz is a music producer, writer and rapper from Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. He sometimes extends his executive name to Nottz Raw.-History:...
. In October 2011, Nefew released the collaboration EP Transitions with German producer 7inch.
Discography
Studio albums- 2007: Off the Cuff
- 2011: Antihero (to be released)
EPs
- 1999: Lyrical Quarrel (as Emphacized Prophecy)
- 2003: Pieces of Forsaken Times (as Emphacized Prophecy)
- 2009: Homesick EP
- 2011: Transitions (with 7inch)
- 2011: God Complex (with NottzNottzDominick Lamb better known by his stage name, Nottz is a music producer, writer and rapper from Norfolk, Virginia, U.S. He sometimes extends his executive name to Nottz Raw.-History:...
) (to be released)
Free mixtapes
- 2007: Tales of the Dago
- 2010: Antihero Begins
- 2011: Man Vs Many (presented by DJ Green LanternDJ Green LanternJames D'Agostino , better known by his stage name DJ Green Lantern, is an American-Italian-Puerto Rican DJ and hip hop music producer from Rochester, New York. In 2002, D'Agostino was signed by Eminem to become the official DJ for Shady Records after DJ Head stepped down for undisclosed reasons...
)
Singles
- 2007: Admit It (feat. WordsworthWordsworth (rapper)Wordsworth is an underground hip hop MC from Brooklyn, best known for his freestyle rap.Wordsworth grew up in Brooklyn. A graduate of the State University of New York College at Old Westbury, Wordsworth recorded with his partner Punchline on A Tribe Called Quest's The Love Movement and on Mos Def...
& Masta AceMasta AceDuval Clear , known better by his stage name Masta Ace, is a rapper from Brownsville, Brooklyn. He appeared on the classic 1988 Juice Crew posse cut "The Symphony"...
)
Featured singles
- 2009: Best Men DJs – Wedding Crashers (feat. Seven & Nefew)
Appeared on
- 2008: ToraeToraeTorae is an American rapper from the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, New York.- Career :Torae gained recognition by collaborating with DJ Premier and Marco Polo. He and Polo went on to receive critical acclaim for their collaborative LP entitled Double Barrel. In 2007, Hip Hop DX featured him in...
– I Don't Care (feat. Nefew) - 2008: DJ Age & Costa – Pickin’ Up the Pieces (feat. Souleez, Teichoskopie & Nefew)
- 2009: Jonas – Sensational Remix (feat. Nefew)
- 2010: Ruck N' Wiz – Changes You Made (feat. Nefew)
- 2010: JuiceJuice (magazine)Juice is a well known German hip hop magazine and the biggest of its kind in Europe. In every issue readers find interviews with rappers and record reviews...
#108: Nefew - Day by Day
Produced
- 2008: ToraeToraeTorae is an American rapper from the Coney Island section of Brooklyn, New York.- Career :Torae gained recognition by collaborating with DJ Premier and Marco Polo. He and Polo went on to receive critical acclaim for their collaborative LP entitled Double Barrel. In 2007, Hip Hop DX featured him in...
– I Don't Care (feat. Nefew) - 2010: Knightstalker - Late Knight Show