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MyspaceARTICLE: NIGHTLIFE
December 12th, 2006 | Written by: Chris Milan Thomas Published in Articles, Music
BETTER KNOWN AS DIFF’RENT
Harlem, NY bred MC Nightlife aka Diff’rent speaks on his individual approach to hip-hop.
Whether he’s known as Nightlife or Diff’rent, this Harlem native has a unique style that most rappers would steer clear from trying to emulate—he spits lyrics without using any profanity. The MC is a veteran of the street life and has used his time up north to put him in a different direction as a man first, as an MC second.
Many rappers new to the game expect success to hit them overnight as if hard work and dedication to the craft of rhyming come second to signing a deal. Diff’rent is miles ahead of your average corner rhyme sayer and isn’t afraid to boast about his work ethic, which is something most up and coming artists should take note of. “I’m in the studio very often, as often as I should be,” said the rapper.
“I’m definitely pressing hard for the songs I want to do and we’re definitely working hard to make them sound worthwhile.” While the dude on the corner spits the same lame sixteen bars again and again to weary listeners, Diff’rent boasts that he’s in the studio every week churning out new ghetto anthems from his uptown studio, pulsating positive messages to a spot near you. “I can’t even put a number on how many songs I’ve made,” he said. “To me, work ethic is extremely important.” You know you’re prolific when you can’t even recall how many tracks you’ve created in your brief career as a new MC. “Talent and work ethic are both one and the same.”
Diff’rent has parlayed this work ethic into a 106th & Park “Freestyle Friday” appearance, where he recently debuted in front of a televised audience, not to mention the screaming fans in attendance. Although he ended up coming short of a victory, the loss did not dissuade him from fighting for a career as an MC. “I battled a girl by the name of Jag and it was her last time, if she won she would have gone on to the hall of fame,” he said with a touch of introspection, “it was my first time.” Far from being a sore loser, Diff’rent asserts that different criteria in the minds of the judges would probably assured him of an easy victory. “It’s called freestyle Friday. I think they should’ve analyzed the lyrics and concentrated on the freestyle verses.” Although the judges probably had it already planned to give Jag her fifth and decisive victory before the battle even began, Diff’rent still gave his all and looks back fondly at the experience. “Hey, it was supposed to happen,” he said before adding, “You can definitely expect me to be up there again.”
People familiar with the underground scene in New York City might have recognized Different by his other name, Nightlife at one point in their lives as connoisseurs of up and coming talent. Although he changed his name for good, there’s a reason behind this eponymous transformation. “I found my lane, and I’ve done all types of things in it,” says Different. “I’m going hard in my lane.” Part of that lane is his conscious decision to take on—you guessed it—different styles. “I can do all types of stuff from hard, to commercial, to gutter, whatever. There’s no category to put me in because I feel that my style is really different,” said the Harlemite. “I rhyme, I sing R&B, I make beats and the music that I’m on is totally different from the majority of cats that are out right now.”
Although he understandably downplays his time in New York’s Riverhead maximum-security penitentiary, he’s quick to describe the overall effect of the stint he spent locked up on his skills as an MC. In fact, he asserts it’s even deeper than mere beats and rhymes. “I think it had an impact on my life. When you’re confined in any space for too long, you start to think about things that matter and you begin to make the right choices. You could either, A go down the same road or B try to find an alternative fork in the road.” Ultimately, Diff’rent reflects on the experience as positive insofar as it prompted him to go with option B. And, like a certain rapper-turned-President of Island/Def Jam, he doesn’t live with any regrets about his past experiences.
Perhaps the most intriguing component of an already intriguing personality is Diff’rent’s—for lack of a better adjective—different approach to his raps by refusing to curse. In an era where foul language seems to be the norm, the artist asserts that his decision came from deep within his heart in the name of someone very important, his son. “Kids pickup on things real quick. My role throughout my whole life has been a leadership role. Somehow, someway, I’ve always had to be a leader. By me doing what I’m doing, it definitely being a leader.” Beyond his personal concern for his little man’s well-being, Diff’rent feels that cursing—or a lack thereof—will benefit hip-hop’s diverse community of impressionable listeners as well. “The majority of people are brainwashed and if you tell them, ‘hey, do it like this’ they’re more than likely to do it,” he says. As a leader, his decision to avoid profanity may hopefully elevate the minds of the hip-hop audience grown accustomed to foul language and negative imagery in rap songs.
The drive behind Diff’rent’s point of view is—yes—different. When asked who his contemporary influences are in the rap industry, he advised that it’s not about who, it’s more about what. “Life in general inspires me to want to go further. It could be something as simple as air; you can’t see it, you can’t touch it, but it exists.” The philosophical outlook on life he expresses applies to more than just the core elements of Mother Nature. “The same goes for the higher levels of corporate business. It may not be seen, but it contains so much power.” The broad spectrum of what fuels Diff’rent’s creativity is also manifested in the type of hip-hop he listens to. “I like everything from underground to commercial, from alternative to jazz,” he added.
Diff’rent certainly has a depth to his life that most rappers would eagerly trade their customized Air Force Ones or $300 Evisu jeans for. In a rap era where a growing audience of fans continually demand realness from MC’s in the game, Diff’rent appears to be on the cusp of doing something great with not only his career as a rapper but with his transformation from one-time convict into born-again leader. Time will tell if the Harlemite will be able to perform on a global stage to spread his message of positivity and creative music. Whether or not that dream occurs is for the heavens to decide, until then, Diff’rent will continue to do what he does best—work hard and hope for the best. If we could all do that, the world would be a better place and he wouldn’t be so different after all.
For more info, please visit www.myspace.com/diffhop
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