By K.B. Tindal
Hip Hop Vibe Staff Writer
Since there is so much debate about the New York hip hop scene and who is king, a lot of rappers have received a lot of attention. With almost two weeks to digest what happened, the general consensus is there is no king of New York. But, this does not mean there are not any signs of life from the New York hip hop scene.
Queens is home to a lot of rising emcees and Frenchie is among them. Frenchie is related to Waka Flocka Flame and a member of Brick Squad Monopoly. In addition to his membership with BSM, Frenchie is the leader of his own Man Down Entertainment camp and they have a lot of rising talent.
Even though Frenchie is just now watching his buzz build up, he has played a strong role in the game for years. He had hands in helping Waka Flocka Flame, Nicki Minaj, and French Montana emerge as successful artists. The latter two are credited with helping the fortunes of New York hip hop change.
Before the start of the summer, Frenchie released his Long Overdue mixtape, which was met with strong reviews. His “Power Moves” single with Waka Flocka Flame quickly went viral and there is a lot of attention surrounding Frenchie. There are rappers out there who focus more on lyrical prowess than Frenchie, but none of them have the commercial appeal he has and the ability to link up with many mainstream artists.
Simply based on the period in time the world has entered, everyone is looking for the “next” this and the “new” that without taking the time to reflect on the past. A lot of stars from years past have given Frenchie their co-sign and that goes a long way for an artist looking to put on and Frenchie appears ready for the task. Frenchie is definitely one of the leading mixtape rappers from New York City and his window is still open to emerge as a leading star.
In 2013 alone, Frenchie has done interviews with all the leading media outlets and more attention has been given to him, as he does what he always has, just on a bigger scale. There are a lot of artists in New York and a lot of them have sizable buzzes, but each of them lacks something that is pivotal. As Frenchie continues to climb, he fits that narrow path, which includes much more than New York, itself.
Appeal in markets outside of New York City and state are key and Frenchie has spent as much time in Atlanta as he has New York City building his buzz. Having a strong following in the South is important for artists if they want to break into New York and Frenchie has done that with mixtapes hosted by all of the biggest DJs in the South. The next part required is the support of Southern artists and that comes by default with Frenchie being a member of Brick Squad.
With all of the evidence presented, is Frenchie the next king of New York?
Follow K.B. Tindal on Twitter @KBTindal.
