MC Bravado

MC Bravado is a transcendent rap artist whose origins are in the NYC area. Today, he works and resides in Baltimore, Maryland as a high school English Teacher. He’s defined by his conceptual ingenuity and impassioned defense of the “pen game.” MC B believes that said rigorous approach and adherence to the golden standard of writing, coupled with a delivery all his own, have gotten him to where he is today and will be the vehicle by which he finds staying power in an oftentimes transient genre.

On “State of the YOUnion,” he speaks directly from the depths of his conscience and heart- addressing flaws, demons, and in a personal note to self that pleas for him to take his own advice. - HipHopDX

MC Bravado follow up "State of the YOUnion" with "The Way It's Meant To Be Done," the latest collaboration from MC Bravado (who also moonlights as an educator) and producer Militant Marxman. This new single — with guest appearances from Baltimore's A-Class and New York's SC Static (a member of Bravado and Marxman's own Cypher Junkies crew) — will appear on the duo's upcoming album.

Hear it below before its official radio premiere on Statik Selektah's ShowOff Radio this Thursday. - 2DopeBoyz

“The Way it’s Meant to be Done” is the latest collaboration from rapper/teacher MC Bravado and producer Militant Marxman, which you can find on the duo’s upcoming album. This song features guest appearances from Baltimore’s battle tested veteran A-Class (as seen on KOTD, Don’t Flop, and GrindTime) and New York’s SC Static, a member of Bravado and Marxman’s own Cypher Junkies crew.

Sometimes you have to write about something deep and sometimes you just have to punch people in the mouth and show them the way it’s meant to be done. Tracked, mixed, and mastered by Brandon Lackey of the Lineup Room. Art by Tiffany Burriss of CrayonBeats Magazine. - HipHopDX

"Being young is being color blind // Life is black and white, you struggle to see the other side."

MC Bravado speaks directly from the depths of his conscience and heart in his latest offering; addressing flaws and demons in a personal note to self that pleas for him to take his own advice. The conceptual song follows on the heels of "Brand New Bag" and serves as a powerful message to create change from within, first and foremost. - 2DopeBoyz.com

MC Bravado got some new heat for us with this posse cut titled “The Way It;s Meant To Be Done”. The head nodding slapper features emcees SC Static and A Class who both deliver nothing but stellar verses.

Hit the play button and get familiar.

“The Way it’s Meant to be Done” is the latest collaboration from rapper/teacher MC Bravado and producer Militant Marxman; you’ll find it on the duo’s upcoming album. This song features guest appearances from Baltimore’s battle tested veteran A-Class (as seen on KOTD, Don’t Flop, and GrindTime) and New York’s SC Static, a member of Bravado and Marxman’s own Cypher Junkies crew. Sometimes you have to write about something deep and sometimes you just have to punch people in the mouth and show them the way it’s meant to be done. - Word is Bond

"Brand New Bag" is the latest loosie from MC Bravado. Produced by Militant Marxman, tracked and mixed by Brandon Lackey, the song dives into the highs and lows associated with using certain drugs and their likeness to music. The track also analogizes disposing of these habits and embracing sobriety to dumping a body in an unrecognizable state. - 2DopeBoyz

MC Bravado speaks directly from the depths of his conscience and heart in his latest offering; addressing flaws, demons in a personal note to self that pleas for him to take his own advice. State Of The YOUnion is one of many releases from this upcoming Star, who was recently tweeted by DJ Statik Seletah, and as we know Statik only co signs dope music. - HHS1987

state of the YOUnion is a solemn, introspective cut crafted by MC Bravado. The emcee took the route of the keenest eye and looked within himself, searching for answers, addressing personal issues and everything that comes in between. Backed by an equally vintage, compelling soundscape-laced by Militant Marxman- MC Bravado presents himself for the world to see.

Hit the play button and get with the program. - Word is Bond

MC Bravado speaks directly from the depths of his conscience and heart in his latest offering; addressing flaws, demons, and in a personal note to self that pleas for him to take his own advice. State Of The Union is one of Many releases from this upcoming Star, who was recently tweeted by DJ Statik Seletah, and as we know Statik only co signs dope music. - This is 50

Baltimore to New York rapper MC Bravado speaks directly from the depths of his conscience and heart in his latest offering; addressing flaws, demons, and in a personal note to self that pleas for him to take his own advice. - Ok-Tho

MC BRAVADO – WALK THE LINE
Eddie Mumford March 5, 2015 Featured, Hip Hop, Rap, Reviews

Walk the Line, no not the country album, this is MC Bravado’s third release since 2012 and I’m going to stamp it right now as being his best. So get your comically oversized ear-phones on, because if you’re as impressed as I am, you’ll want every detail honed and sharpened. Of course Bravado’s not alone, this is a rap album, this is a hip-hop album, meaning a song is only as good as it’s ‘featuring,’ and in this case we have a full line-up of peripheral black-belt nasty. The good kind of nasty. Each song movingly mixed and produced, Walk the Line is nourishing ear candy.

Existential rap, here we go! Last track wooed me: ‘Infinite/Finite (Man Comes Around) ft. Soul Khan and C-Nature’ borrows riffs and samples and interviews from Johnny Cash to make a pithy song about religion and the infinite. Not atheist in any dimension, but certainly suspicious of conventional and hypocritical dogmas, aka the “hypocridiots.” The performances from MC Bravado, Soul Khan and C-Nature bit right through my eardrums, extra crispy. I love a good epigram in the morning “Remove the ‘I’ from infinite.” And the Cash riff is what the samplers dream of; chugging guitar loop, my chin can’t help but drop on the down-beat.

Cash permeates every song on this album, justifying the album title and adding a trans-generational and trans-genre correlation that elevates the music. It’s fascinating to see a more-than-emerging artist empathising with the reformed Johnny, who made it out of his drug fueled ring of fire with only a few scars. A little bit angry at the haters and the doubters; they’ve certainly informed his lyrics. ‘X’s&O’s/O’s to Exes (Hurt) ft. Aaron Michael Chamberlain’ brings out a sample of June and Johnny bantering on stage as she prepares to sing a love poem; it’s a quaint set-up that flips entirely when the familiar ‘Hurt’ riff and opening lyrics are looped as a base. “Make a goddamn discussion” this is a ‘wish I wasn’t in love’ song; playing the game is hard when no one wants to commit fully to a relationship. The song is arresting and moving, like the last instrumentals: light and ethereal touches afford a platform for the lyrics of adult reality. No whiney brats on this EP.

“We all hope to go to heaven,” the last words of the album, the last seconds of time given up to Cash: the spirit animal of Walk the Line (this version of walk the line). Normally I would harp about riding coat-tails and key-words for cross-referencing search-engines, but MC Bravado is a beast with an old-soul, and I think I’m in love. Also featuring performances from Anthony Vincent of Ten Second Songs, Fonte Cruise, SC Static, and No-Name, this album is oozing with ability. The good kind of oozing. The sexy kind. Both serious, and seriously talented, MC Bravado is a master from Maryland. - 24OurMusic

B-More based emcee MC Bravado cooks up a loosie in the form of Brand New Bag. A sparse, piano driven track with snappy drums crafted by producer Militant Marxman. MC Bravado pens a concept cut where he alludes to the semblance of drugs and music and the effects.
Hit the play button and get with the program - Word is Bond

Brand NEW Bag” is the latest loosie from MC Bravado. Produced by Militant Marxman, tracked and mixed by Brandon Lackey, the song dives into the highs and lows associated with using certain drugs and their likeness to music. The track also gives analogies disposing of these habits and embracing sobriety to dumping a body in an unrecognizable state. - HHS1987

"Brand NEW Bag" is the latest loosie from MC Bravado. Produced by Militant Marxman, tracked and mixed by Brandon Lackey, the song dives into the highs and lows associated with using certain drugs and their likeness to music. The track also analogizes disposing of these habits and embracing sobriety to dumping a body in an unrecognizable state. - This is 50

I haven't covered MC Bravado since the Dope Perspective EP that he dropped in 2012, with C-Nature, so I'm glad to come across somewhat new EP of his. Released on October 13th, 2014, Walk The Line is a conceptual project that finds him weaving between Johnny Cash's own experiences, outlooks, and familiar soundscapes to create those of his own. There are 5 tracks, with features from SC Static, No-Name, Josh Mitchell, Aaron Michael Chamberlain, Anthony Vincent (of Ten Second Songs on Youtube), Fonte Cruise, Soul Khan, and C-Nature.

ALBUM REVIEW

"Rapper/Teacher (Walk The Line)" is what came across my email first, with the music video and I liked it enough to check out the rest. Over the same chord progression and sampled vocals to rest in the hook, producer Militant Marxman adds in some dusty, boom bap drums to give the rappers some bounce. SC Static steps up to the line first, laying down raps about what itís like trying to balance his life of being a 22-year-old student and a rapper, with three full-time jobs. MC Bravado comes strong, with comedic bars about the unfortunate downsides of approaching that 30-year mark, as well as educational advice as an English teacher of misbehaving students. I love the two perspectives together. No-Name caps the final verse, letting us know that his high school years were a blur, full of high days, drunk nights, and fun times. Watch the music video below, directed by Andrew Bryan of Fill in the Brand. The video ends with a photo of his late dog Rocco-read some words about what he meant to Bravado.

Produced by Marc Beatz, "Grimy/Shiny (Ring Of Fire)" rides on a synth-driven, hard-hitting beat. It finds MC Bravado battling inner demons and past mistakes, while unleashing some lethal, jaw-dropping jabs at opponents. He also showcases his grimy delivery, slick rhyme style, and ego-bruising punchlines. Josh Mitchell on the hook. This was the first music video from the album, and it was shot and directed in Baltimore by Andrew Bryan.

"X's&O's/O's to Exes (Hurt)" embodies a similar sadness as Johnny Cash's cover of Nine Inch Nails "Hurt." With Aaron Michael Chamberlain on the R&B hook, MC Bravado doesn't shy away from honest feelings in this storytelling song about a crumbling relationship-From lovers, to friends, to being left in limbo wondering where he stands in it all. Despite the roller coaster, emotional lyrics, and the anger and pain that he feels, he presents an energetic flow and a readiness to move on. It's a cool song, and I love that it starts out with a clip of Johnny and June laughing and being sweet, as June is about to share a love poem.

"Significant Other/Another Insignificant (They Killed Him [Jesus Christ])" is the first song on the EP that I'm not really feeling, and would want to skip over when I listen to the EP in my own time (when not reviewing). Nothing against the lovelorn lyrics or anger-fueled delivery (because that's some relatable shit right there), but there's something about this mega electro/80's freestyle dance/trap (?) beat with this song's a capella that just throws me off in a sour-face kind of way. I feel like they clash together. The beat's alright, though. The two would probably sound good separated, on their own, but that's not how this is...so the reason this review rating is down a bit, is because of this. Same goes for the minor drop on the lyricism scoring-it's not that it was bad, per se, but it was hard for me to pay attention to the vocals alone. Anthony Vincent and Fonte Cruise on this one, too.

Inspired by Johnny Cash's "The Man Comes Around" (who doooesn't love this song), MC Bravado's "Infinite/Finite (Man Comes Around)" features Soul Khan and C-Nature. This one has some deep subject matter, as it focuses on spirituality, organized religion, morality, and death. Soul Khan jumps on the first verse, with thought-provoking rhymes and clever wordplay about death, the afterlife, the idea of heaven vs hell and how it can dictate your actions, and bible-thumping, insecure individuals. C-Nature's on the second verse, and he combats his inevitable meeting with the pearly gate master, with humor. He raps about bullshitting through life, having an all-time fun pass, and doing things like lounging around while watching cable TV, throwing all responsibility out the window until night comes around, when he's praying for forgiveness and an entry into heaven. MC Bravado rolls out comedic, yet mind stimulating lyrics as he talks about being afraid of death, social conditioning and instilled fear within organized religion, and the routes taken to rid one's sins, while encouraging acceptance and unity amongst all. It's such a fantastic song, from beginning to end. I love it. Produced by Militant Marxman.

THE ALBUM

With all of that said, I'm really feeling this EP (aside from that one song). I think MC Bravado can remain proud of this one, because he came correct in all the right ways, he easily blended the past and present and the two genres, aaaaand it was a worthy tribute to Johnny Cash. Go ahead and listen to this EP below, and download for free at Bandcamp (or tip him some money, because it's name your price). - CrayonBeats

The teacher/rapper MC Bravado is back with a strongly worded new loosie “Brand New Bag”. Scroll below to listen to what the east coast emcee’s got in store. - Fashionably Early

MC Bravado is a rapper from New York, and heís 1/5th of the hip hop group Cypher Junkies (along with Marxman, McNasty, C-Nature, and No Name). He describes a rocky struggle to his current path, "I struggled with alcohol and ran into a substantial amount of trouble because of it. I overcame said trouble to pursue a graduate degree, got my act together, and currently work as a high school English teacher in Baltimore."

While it also deterred his progression of his hip hop career, it didn't stop him. He's been working hard in the last couple of years. He dropped a couple of free projects, "The Darwin Files Vol. 1" (a preview of a 20+ song mixtape dropping next year) and "System Update" (a project with Marc Beatz). Then, earlier this year, he released his debut album, "The Illy-ad", physically and digitally, with features from Copywrite, Mac Lethal, and Koncept. Check that out, if you haven't yet.

On November 22nd, he released a collaborative album with fellow Cypher Junkies member C-Nature (he dropped "Powerphernalia" last year). This EP has 9 tracks, it's free, and it's called "Dope Perspective". And it's just that. He gave me a good first impression with the track "Live From the End of The World", produced by J57.

The concept is obvious; both emcees spit raps about partying and relaxing on the couch, while the world is in chaos and falling apart due to cataclysmic events. C-Nature in the first verse: "It's kinda hard to think everything we know could be done now // Death keeps on calling me, they claim they've seen the sun die out // If that's the case, screw it // Let's go have a house party // Earthquakes and meteors, we chillin' on the couch, prolly // Talkin' about our past endeavors // My ass would never // Suit up for the forces of evil, like Master Shredder // Until I'm casper, better recognize the realness // 100%, my body is made up of it // Fuck a double helix, duckin' from the crumbled rubble coming from the ceiling // Everyone's invited: mothers, fathers, brothers, children, fuckin' chillin'//"....And, Bravado: "An asteroid the size of Maryland just nailed the Atlantic // Another rock the size of Dallas 'bout to smash into Texas // Gasping, verklempt, at all this tragedy present // Disastrous wreckage, prepare for the unraveling of man // Ravaging, savages, traveling, nomadic in a clan//"

After listening to that track, I immediately needed to hear the rest. Aside from the 2012 phenomenon topic, you'll also find lyrics based around bad dreams, appreciating the women in your life, making the best of your life by turning it around for the better, busting savage shots at competitors, perseverance, and much more. These two friends display good chemistry and skills in rhyme schemes, flow, clever lines, versatility, and solid subject matter. It's gritty, it's fun, and it's engaging to listen to. Production from J57, Marc Beatz, Marxman, and Jay Butler.

Don't sleep! Download for free or donate via the name-your-price option!!! - CrayonBeats

MC Bravado

Hey Richard, welcome to VENTS! How have you been?

I’ve been tired. Living a double life is exhausting.

Can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about yourself?

My government name is Richard Croce, my stage name is MC Bravado. I’m a native New Yorker that currently resides in Baltimore, Maryland where I teach high school English. I grew up during the golden era of this hip-hop shit and dedicated my scholastic and professional life to the spoken and written word. I’m classically trained, yo. Anddd I’m in a group called the “Cypher Junkies” ; we are the world’s greatest hip-hop group and sound/act like a “Wu-Tang/Beastie hybrid”; this is not hyperbole, and your trust is required for a successful trip down the rabbit hole.



What´s the story behind your stage name?

Bravado means “boldness intended to impress or intimidate.” What better word is there to describe the vast majority of hip-hop music? The funny part about “bravado” is that at its core, it’s more of a false pretense of swagger than anything else. It’s cover up for insecurity. How do you cover up for having a 3 inch dick? By rapping about your 14 inch dick!!! I digress, and I definitely don’t have a 3 inch dick, seriously female readers, I don’t…The point I was trying to make prior to the dick tangent was that anyone who engrosses themselves in music can attest to the fact that making songs is as therapeutic a process as you can find under the sun. It exorcises one’s demons and makes whatever is hindering you at the moment seem a lot more minute than it was before. The beauty is, even after a song is written and recorded, you can continue to cleanse repeatedly through performing and listening. For me, music is to adulthood what getting lost in comic books was to childhood. Fighting the evils of this world is a lot less daunting and draining when you’re doing so in a disguise. And like any good comic book story, I think the listener/reader/viewer should have a good idea of where the superhero ends and the man begins.



Who are your music influences?

I’m going to be cliché here and say too many to name because we’re influenced constantly during the creative process, often in a subconscious fashion of which we naturally aren’t aware. That being said, here’s the random, eclectic, ragtag list that’s coming to me at 10 PM on this given work night: Bob Dylan, El-P, Eyedea, Wordsworth, Slug, Johnny Cash, Cage, Eminem, Lupe Fiasco, Royce da 5’9″. I’ll also have to say Ernest Hemingway despite the fact that he wasn’t a musician, per se. Before women called Biggie “Big Papa”, Hemingway’s laundry list of women scorned were essentially required to call him “Papa.” He’s one of my biggest muses, and I think I owe a lot of the aura associated with my stage name to that trailblazing gentleman.



What´s been like to work with Copywrite, Mac Lethal, KONCEPT, J57 of the Brown Bag All-Stars and in what way they help you musically?

I pride myself on being a lyricist, dropping jewels in every bar: “This ain’t Mac Miller, cuz I lack filler.” I credit Copywrite with instilling that train of thought in my mind. I was starting to write rhymes around the time his debut album “The High Exhaulted” was released. Each and every line of his on this project is a quotable and he was the first of many that reinforced to me that consistently bringing it was the only way of avoiding embarrassment. His craft only evolved from then on which allowed him to avoid the “punchline rapper” label; he’s just a tremendously diverse emcee that never slacks lyrically and that’s something everyone in this game should aspire to be. I place Mac Lethal in the same hierarchy and was a fan of his since his Scribble Jam days (He freestyles his ass off; you are NOT a complete emcee if you cannot freestyle effectively.). Aside from being tremendous from a technical perspective, so much of his personality shines through in his music and he really allows his fans to see who he is as a person by expressing his views on essentially everything that he finds relevant. Mac is a great blueprint to follow for all the reasons I mentioned; he also found a high level of success on an independent level which is the same route I’m attempting to take…KONCEPT is the homie, I grew up with him, and he’s a very gifted and driven person. It’s been dope to see KONCEPT and his Brown Bag peers kind of rise from the ashes

of Fat Beats NY to become a force to be reckoned with. They’re clearly long time students of the game that have made this their life for a considerable amount of time; it’s only right that people are giving them their due at this point. J57 to me is as good a producer as any today, point blank. He is just constantly turning out ill product and the fact that he has the respect of icons like DJ Premier among others should say it all. He produced a track called “Live from the End of the World” for myself and fellow Cypher Junkies member C-Nature. That joint came out crazy and there will be more to come. I think the Brown Bag All-Stars will continue to be an inspiration for the Cypher Junkies because we are in a similar bracket age wise and geographically and are also proponents of maintaining the dignity of an art-form that’s bastardized and exploited far too often. We hope to attain their level of success in the very near future. And finally, everything I just said about BBAS can also apply to the Doppelgangaz; EP and Matter Ov Fact are poised for a huge 2014 and it’s dope to see Orange County, New York being staking its place in the hip-hop landscape in such a major way. This area has produced a lot of dope and hard working artists over the years and people are starting to take notice.



Loving your first track, Something Special – can you talk to us more about the track?

“Something Special” is a realization of almost every adolescent to twenty something male’s fantasy: sealing the deal with the neighborhood milf. I pride myself on my storytelling ability and was really wanted the listener to be able to reach out and touch the proud moment. The story is interwoven between the two verses, but I like playing with chronological order sometimes as it challenges the listener a bit more and requires them to piece things together. Operating under that logic, the second verse is really the first portion of the story, when pool boy meets cougar. As the song opens, the two already have an established relationship; hubby has just left for the kind of important job that has led to the foolish belief that he can neglect his mature goddess, and our hero is knocking on opportunity’s door to do things for her that her husband can’t.



What´s the concept behind the video?

The video is largely based on the song but in this case our hero sees milfy at the soccer fields for the first time. It would have been cool to stay entirely faithful to the song by shooting an outdoor pool scene, but we shot in NY in late October which obviously took that option out of the running. However, there’s also something to be said for the video having a charm of its own. It largely focuses on the first verse of the song and translated really well visually in my opinion. I view it as a successful print to film translation; it brings what was written to life while providing a viewpoint that could only be realized in a music video. It’s done in a tasteful way in that it shows us enjoying each other’s company: I lounge while she labors in the kitchen, we pour stiff drinks to loosen up, we playfully jostle over the TV remote, etc, all while maintaining the implication that the deed was done at some point.



What was like to work with Suzan Leigh and Andrew Bryan?

Suzan is an awesome person. She was so fun and professional throughout the shoot, and it made for a much more carefree environment than I was anticipating. It was her first music video, but I would have never known had she not told me as much. She nailed everything she was asked to do on the first take which really put the pressure on me to…perform, so to speak.

Aside from being a collaborator, Andrew Bryan is a close friend. His company, Fill in the Brand, focuses on branding individuals and/or companies in a customizable fashion, tailor made to suit their needs. Aside from his refined business acumen, he’s ingenious creatively, beyond personable, and possesses unrelenting passion. Everything we do stems from a strategy that he frames and reframes via feedback he seeks throughout. He’s tremendous at implementing your vision while simultaneously realizing his own. Despite having high standards, the environment at a shoot is always jovial which guarantees that we’re always having fun at the end of the day regardless of the rigor involved. I’m honored that he sought me out as the artist he wants to change the game with, and we intend on doing just that. Absolutely be on the lookout for previous and future projects of ours; they’ll only get bigger and better.



How was the recording and writing process behind Darwin Files: VOL 1?

The Darwin Files: VOL 1 was written and recorded over a period of about two years. During this period, I would say that I finally made hip-hop my number one priority and as a project it was intended to document my evolution from that point forward. I also threw a few bonus tracks on the end of the project that were recorded and mixed on my 12 track way back when, just to further emphasize my growth and to give the listener a better idea of where I began. I could have listed everything chronologically with regards to my writings and recordings for “Darwin” but what fun is that for the listener? I’d rather you guys form your own opinions on that matter while perusing through the mixtape.



How did you come up with the title?

Darwinism, survival of the fittest…For me, the project segued from the tail end of my collegiate life to the dawn of my professional life. I had to adapt to changes in lifestyle in order to continue to make hiphop at a high level. Not only that, but I had reached a crossroads and realization that told me either music becomes the most important facet of my everyday life or this will simply be a dream that was never realized. I’ve never doubted my capability as an artist but living a party lifestyle and letting the wrong femme fatale here and there into my everyday world undoubtably hindered my progress as an artist. This mixtape documented the start of that do or die commitment for me, and I’m content with the results so far.



Where did you find the inspiration for the songs and lyrics?

Not to go all Emersonian on you but…”life” is probably the trite response that you’re used to getting here. While, that is largely true, I liken my creative process to the “Transparent eyeball”. I let whatever I’m writing with take over and try to make myself feel like little more than a medium. It’s dope to write about your own life experiences but writing the way I’m describing allows you to comment on the experiences of others from a non-bias perspective as well. Every great author has the ability to not only deliver their own experiences in a variety of packages but to also construct stories intended to comment from the viewpoint of others.



Are you planning to hit the road?

Yes, I want to hit the road with my group, the Cypher Junkies. We are in need of a quality booking agent and are in the process of making that happen. I don’t want people to want to book us; I want them to have to book us. We’re veterans of our craft and aside from being just about flawless from a technical perspective we’ll touch on every subject and emotion possible during a given performance. We have been together for over a decade and have a chemistry that can’t be taught. In fact, following one performance, I had a fan tell me that he wasn’t sure if he wanted to hug me, punch me, or ask me to fuck his girlfriend. Long story short, once we’re a part of the summer festival scene, I guarantee that we’ll be bending said scene over for the long haul.



What’s happening next in MC Bravado´s world?

I’m putting an EP out this Spring called “Walk the Line”, each track includes a Johnny Cash sample and is about being in between worlds in one facet or another in life, i.e. “walking the line”. The project features production from Marc Beatz and Marxman, two of the best producers I know and longtime friends/collaborators of mine. I’m also working on “Darwin Files: Vol. 2” in addition to the second LP from the Cypher Junkies. Lastly, I have an EP that I’m anticipating will hit late summer/early fall that will feature some very noteworthy guests. Expect a video a month from me to provide said projects’ visuals for the foreseeable future. Not to mention guest features that I’ve been asked to do…Staying busy



Where can we find more about your music?

MCBravado.com has information and media to chronicle just about everything I’ve done so far: links to all of my social media, links to my iTunes, links to free music, links to physical album copies, links to music

videos, links to merch, etc. Andd hit up MCBravadoMusic@Gmail.com for serious inquiries regarding collaborations, booking, so on, and so forth. Also be sure to check out my group on Facebook: Facebook.com/CypherJunkies - Vents Magazine

Cypher Junkies - Our January Demo of the Month winners

“Dope beats, dope rhymes, what more do y’all want?” Phonte of Little Brother fame once asked. It’s a great question, and one the Cypher Junkies embody. Check out their words, their music, and everything else as we put y’all up on another dope group to watch out for.

Congrats on a well-deserved Demo of the Month. First things first, how did you guys come together?

MC Bravado: I think we all have varying counts of the “Cypher Junkies Creation Myth” and that the truth is somewhere in between; it was a hazy time lol. I was in a group with my dude Ganiza who doesn’t really rhyme anymore but I was always closely affiliated with C-Nature and Marxman, another member of our group who wasn’t on our last project but will be on our next one. Marxman and I were friends since middle school and I met C-Nature through the local battle circuit. We kinda joined forces and I vaguely remember being at C-Nature’s house with McNasty and the three of us coming up with our group name after a long night of partying. NoName came into the fold around that time as well and we’ve all been rocking with each other ever since: a period of about ten years.

McNasty: We were formed when the big bang happened, we just didn’t know it for a few millenia.

Please take us through the making of a Cypher Junkies song.

C-Nature: First you’re gonna need a lot of reefer. Then we meditate on a beat and brainstorm some concepts. After that we sit in the studio with the beat playing for a couple of hours while No-Name paces back and forth.

McNasty: When we’re together we get in the studio, we let the beat ride for a long time, we talk some smack about what we think it could become, we may vote on a topic or idea if it comes down to it, but usually we’re on the same page, and once the small shit’s handled we just attack it.

MC Bravado: Generally we’ll just play a beat and people will just start suggesting ideas. Once one is agreed upon, we iron it out, reach a consensus, and structure the song. We’re all perfectionists so there is a lot of recording, listening, and re-recording/remixing that goes on which ultimately makes for a better product.

No-Name: We all certainly have our own process of writing, but we pick a beat, either create a topic or chorus and mold around it. Sometimes we just all write to what emotion the beat gives us, and then agree to what direction we wanna go on it. Each song is definitely its own monster.

From watching the video “The Cypher,” it seems as though you guys have a lot of natural chemistry. How important is that when you create your music?

No-Name: Chemistry is everything; we have an organic chemistry for sure. It is what kept us together as a group for the last ten years. It really shows in our on stage performance more than anywhere else i would say.

MC Bravado: It’s as crucial as anything. I think skill wise that we are as good as any group out there, plain and simple. Everyone in this group is a rapper’s rapper that brings a different intangible to the table. But more importantly than that we can be honest with each other due to said chemistry. If something sounds whack, we will tell each other and honestly make fun of each other about it which makes for a no half stepping kind of environment. We bounce ideas off each other well and get the most out of concepts by adding our own unique input. Plus there’s the simple fact that as much as we get on each other’s nerves sometimes, we fight like brothers and know each other that thoroughly. It makes for a cohesion and an authenticity in our music that can’t be duplicated otherwise.

C-Nature: It’s definitely important ‘cause we have a lot of fun doing it and it shows in the music. We all pretty much been through the same things when we were kids, so it’s easy to stay on the same page when we are writing songs, yet we all have very different personalities.

How do you guys balance your solo projects along with the group work?

MC Bravado: We just stay in constant communication. All of us work pretty consistently on solo endeavors or groups within the group side projects, like the “Dope Perspective EP” from C-Nature and I. That’s a free download on Bandcamp. Go get that! (laughs) But when it comes time to knock out a song for a Junkies project then we make it a priority. None of us live together so as emcees, there’s always going to be the natural inclination to write when we feel like it and knock out solo work, but we never let the group slip from being a top priority. The fact that we rarely do solo shows and perform as a group 90% of the time also helps the cause.

No-Name: When we do solo projects it’s primarily in between our group ones. We encourage each other to stay busy. As of late it’s good, because we have so many songs and projects we work on that there is never any downtime which is a great problem to have. We always rep each other and feature each other so its just as if it is group stuff.

C-Nature: We are pretty much always writing so it’s no problem. We usually just do our solo projects in between on our own time, but when there’s a group project to be done we put all our focus on that.

How do you balance being in different locations and still coming together for songs?

MC Bravado: The internet is our saving grace. Group convos, postal service collabs, etc. I have to give the rest of my group a lot of credit too because I’m the only asshole that moved out of state hahah. They do a great job of keeping me involved though, and I go up roughly two weekends a month to record, shoot videos, do shows etc. Plan on moving back to NY this summer though so things should get easier.

What are your goals for Cypher Junkies?

McNasty: The sky is the limit. I don’t wanna choose personal goals or say mainstream success as much as we’d love that, we just want the music to reach a lot of people, and I guess in the process we could take over the world. That would be cool.

MC Bravado: I don’t see why we can’t be a huge hit within the hip-hop community. I think we’re a little too raw for the Grammy crowd, but have the potential to be a colossal success in the game. I want XXL articles, I want 5 Mics in the Source, I want to tour the world, and simply and most importantly, I want to make a living with some of my best friends, doing what we all love. No-Name said it best, we’re a “Wu-tang and Beastie hybrid”, and that alone makes us fucking undeniable.

No-Name: Our goal is to keep making quality material. We really need a booking agent and want to tour very badly in the near future. But in the meantime we are building material and rocking as many shows as we can, until we can shop our stuff to a label that can meet our needs and really propel us to the next level of notoriety.

What’s the focus for you guys this year?

MC Bravado: Our turnaround rate with regards to projects is pretty crazy so there will undoubtedly be another Cypher Junkies album dropping in ’14. Our last project was sample-free, produced entirely by We Are the Stars, but we expect our next one to sound a bit closer to our mixtape roots. There will be more sample heavy boom-bap ish with production from our in-house producer and fellow emcee, Militant Marxman, and we will have some noteworthy features in terms of guest emcees and producers this go round as well. As for solo endeavors, I know everyone is working on something. I have a project called “Walk the Line”, clearly inspired by Johnny Cash, who is one of my 10 or so favorite songwriters ever. It’s one part conceptual EP and one part tribute to his work, that drops this Spring and features everyone in my group, along with SC Static and another guest feature that I’m gonna keep to myself for now. And for late summer/early fall, I plan on releasing another EP. I’ll reveal the title and handful of real noteworthy guests at a later date but gotta play my cards close to my chest for now.

No-Name: Also, I’m working on an EP with our boy SC Static called the Slashy Breese EP. I just dropped an EP called Front Stoop Chronicles. We want to make our LP but stay busy in between rocking as many EP’s as possible. This year should be a great one as far as material and ambition. Whoever catches wind of this group is gonna benefit big time..So we are just waiting to see who is gonna win the Cypher Junkies sweepstakes. (laughs) But in all seriousness, we are all very excited for this year considering the momentum we have created in 2013. CJ’s all day. Remember the name! - Hip-Hop Game

MC Bravado is a transcendent rap artist whose origins are in the NYC area; today, he works and resides in Baltimore, Maryland as a high school English Teacher. He's defined by his conceptual ingenuity and impassioned defense of the "pen game." MC B believes that said rigorous approach and adherence to the golden standard of writing, coupled with a delivery all his own, have gotten him to where he is today and will be the vehicle by which he finds staying power in an oftentimes transient genre.

"Brand NEW Bag" is the latest loosie from MC Bravado. Produced by Militant Marxman, tracked and mixed by Brandon Lackey, the song dives into the highs and lows associated with using certain drugs and their likeness to music. The track also analogizes disposing of these habits and embracing sobriety to dumping a body in an unrecognizable state. - UpcomingHipHop.net

MC Bravado speaks directly from the depths of his conscience and heart in his latest offering; addressing flaws, demons, and in a personal note to self that pleas for him to take his own advice. State Of The Union is one of many releases from this upcoming star- who has been co-signed by Statik Selektah. - ItsBizkit

“The Way it’s Meant to be Done” is the latest collaboration from rapper/teacher MC Bravado and producer Militant Marxman; you’ll find it on the duo’s upcoming album. This song features guest appearances from Baltimore’s battle tested veteran A-Class (as seen on KOTD, Don’t Flop, and GrindTime) and New York’s SC Static, a member of Bravado and Marxman’s own Cypher Junkies crew.

Sometimes you have to write about something deep and sometimes you just have to punch people in the mouth and show them the way it’s meant to be done. Tracked, mixed, and mastered by Brandon Lackey of the Lineup Room. Art by Tiffany Burriss of CrayonBeats Magazine. - You Heard That New

You are one of the rare lyricists who appears to have found a happy balance between working a day job (as an English teacher) while still pursuing a career in music. Is there ever any overlap between the two in the sense that you’ve been been able to utilize your knowledge and talent in Hip Hop to teach your students?

The struggle is real with regards to the balance. I have to somehow manage planning lessons, executing them, testing, and grading with writing music, recording, promoting, re-writing, re-recording (laughs), rehearsing, performing, traveling, writing articles, doing promo for others, and etc., etc… Personal life and family…WHAT ARE THOSE?!?

There’s plenty of overlap. It’s nice to use Hip Hop as a medium to teach devices and elements found in reading/writing such as imagery, simile/metaphor, entendre, internal rhyme, rhyme scheme, I could go on. Having students annotate poems and verses by artists of their choosing is a nice place to start because it creates that sense of common ground and allows them to see that whatever content we’re perusing through in class may be more applicable to their daily life than they initially thought. I do rap battles that pit protagonists and antagonists against one another and students get the opportunity to play a given role. They aren’t battling each other; they’re battling the character. This not only keeps things from getting personal but requires an extensive knowledge of plot points and character itself. I don’t wanna give away all my tricks though. Teachers, not unlike rappers, like to “borrow” without citing references, and I’m not for all that biter stuff. If I give you something to use cool, but acknowledge your source, b.

Are students and faculty members aware of your material and career? And if so, are they supportive of your endeavors? Also, have you received any backlash?

Students always eventually become aware, because…the internet. I tell a select few, usually those that express a genuine interest in pursuing music. I had an after school club/workshop of sorts last year that I intend on building up a bit more this upcoming year. I kept it quiet and no more than 5 or so students at a time because I really wanted to focus my time and energy on those that were serious. The ultimate objective of the program is to foster an understanding of “how the game works” and place students in colleges with programs that support their goals in music. As far as backlash goes, kids will always be skeptical at first because what could I know about Hip Hop as their English teacher? But any classes that I’ve rhymed in front of are always taken aback by it and loving it, phones out and filming within a few seconds (laughs). Presence and vocal projection is something I consider to be a strength of mine and once I “say it with my chest” everyone becomes a believer. I would say most of the students that have found out over the years have actively supported my work at one point or another. Those that haven’t probably listen to the trash that I bash openly in class like the angry old man on the soapbox that I am sometimes (Laughs).

The faculty that knows has been very supportive…More so than I thought they’d be to be frank. Mainly because what I do isn’t for everyone and it can be tough to discern whether or not I’m being satirical unless you’re really listening, so I’m not foreign to offending people. The first vice principal I ever worked for used to play my music in his office from time to time, and my current principal supported my trip to SXSW, big up both of them. No real backlash yet, but I probably just jinxed myself.

What makes you different from other emcees lyrically and stylistically?

I think my density, bar for bar, is close to unrivaled. I don’t have a Rap Genius account to annotate verses for you because I want you to crack the code yourself. Occasionally I’ll post lyric art from Andrew Bryan (who has handled the majority of my visual media) to give the listeners hints, but I don’t believe in adhering to the Google generation and just handing over my explanations. Where is the replay value in that? When people come chop it up with me at a show and have a specific, informed question related to a song, I’m more than happy to clarify. I’ve just been such a student of literature and poetry that I’ve literally dedicated my life to it, inside and outside the classroom, so I try to make my content as compact as possible without talking in circles. I’m out to spark that analytical side of listeners but to do so through content that remains favorable to listen to. I also try to avoid adhering to a given flow or cadence consistently. I’ve had people tell me that I’ve sounded like a completely different emcee from song to song, and I love the idea of that. The thought of my signature sound being not having a signature sound. I know I’m not the only one doing crazy complex shit structurally or lyrically, but do think very few can weld those approaches together while using their voice as an instrument as well as I can.

Tell readers about the members involved in The Cypher Junkies and how the formation of the crew came about?

The Cypher Junkies are my brothers. We have known each other for 15+ years. Most of us were involved in the freestyle battle scene in Orange County, New York when we were in high school. This more established group at the time, The Fifth Element, would throw battles around performances of theirs. We all either knew or knew of each other at the time but decided to use our powers for good and come together around then. We’ve had our ups and downs and members come and go, and return again(laughs), but at the end of the day it’s really family. I’d say we operate more as a collective nowadays which is probably for the best as solo projects and “group within the group” stuff just gives us more hands in the pot. I collaborate to this day most frequently with Militant Marxman. We’ve been friends since 5th grade. I got him listening to Hip Hop and he got me into rapping, so it’s super exciting at this stage of the game to be doing my first joint project with him. No idea what we’re calling our group yet or if we’ll even title it but our album is almost done and is gonna have like 18 joints on it, all fire. The last three joints I’ve released are teasers off that, but there is so much more. He also has production and a feature on the 12 track solo album I have done, haven’t leaked anything off of it yet but wait for it (laughs). McNasty is the member I collaborate most frequently with in terms of shows; he’s also on my new album on a joint we did with KONCEPT (another childhood friend of mine)and might be the funniest person I’ve ever met. His stage presence is crazy, and he’s got a brilliant mind when it comes to writing verses. He’s his own worst critic like I am though, so we very much relate in that capacity. SC Static is our newest member. He’s younger than all of us by a few years but ridiculously advanced when it comes to his craft and hella professional. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him fuck up on stage, once, which is kinda foreign to us (laughs). We have our shit together now but back in the day a slip up or two was definitely par for the course. I don’t think Static slips up (he’s on both of the aforementioned new albums). C-Nature is a founding member of the group that we’re collaborating with again. I did an album with him years ago called “Dope Perspective” which is still pretty wild to listen to today. He’s as good at free-styling as anyone I’ve ever met and has always been the flow technician of the group. I’ve got some new heaters on the way with him so look out for those; also check for “Infinite/Finite,” pure heatrocketry we did with Soul Khan on my last EP. And finally, No-Name, who while technically isn’t an active member, just did two shows with me this past week. He’s gone through an inspiring evolution as an artist and a human being, and I’m proud to call him a close friend. He too, is on one of my new albums, so look out for that. The dynamic has evolved, but the Cypher Junkies are still alive and well, and there will be more group shows and group projects once everything on this current trajectory gets completely flushed out.

Tell readers about the members involved in The Cypher Junkies and how the formation of the crew came about?

The Cypher Junkies are my brothers. We have known each other for 15+ years. Most of us were involved in the freestyle battle scene in Orange County, New York when we were in high school. This more established group at the time, The Fifth Element, would throw battles around performances of theirs. We all either knew or knew of each other at the time but decided to use our powers for good and come together around then. We’ve had our ups and downs and members come and go, and return again(laughs), but at the end of the day it’s really family. I’d say we operate more as a collective nowadays which is probably for the best as solo projects and “group within the group” stuff just gives us more hands in the pot. I collaborate to this day most frequently with Militant Marxman. We’ve been friends since 5th grade. I got him listening to Hip Hop and he got me into rapping, so it’s super exciting at this stage of the game to be doing my first joint project with him. No idea what we’re calling our group yet or if we’ll even title it but our album is almost done and is gonna have like 18 joints on it, all fire. The last three joints I’ve released are teasers off that, but there is so much more. He also has production and a feature on the 12 track solo album I have done, haven’t leaked anything off of it yet but wait for it (laughs). McNasty is the member I collaborate most frequently with in terms of shows; he’s also on my new album on a joint we did with KONCEPT (another childhood friend of mine)and might be the funniest person I’ve ever met. His stage presence is crazy, and he’s got a brilliant mind when it comes to writing verses. He’s his own worst critic like I am though, so we very much relate in that capacity. SC Static is our newest member. He’s younger than all of us by a few years but ridiculously advanced when it comes to his craft and hella professional. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him fuck up on stage, once, which is kinda foreign to us (laughs). We have our shit together now but back in the day a slip up or two was definitely par for the course. I don’t think Static slips up (he’s on both of the aforementioned new albums). C-Nature is a founding member of the group that we’re collaborating with again. I did an album with him years ago called “Dope Perspective” which is still pretty wild to listen to today. He’s as good at free-styling as anyone I’ve ever met and has always been the flow technician of the group. I’ve got some new heaters on the way with him so look out for those; also check for “Infinite/Finite,” pure heatrocketry we did with Soul Khan on my last EP. And finally, No-Name, who while technically isn’t an active member, just did two shows with me this past week. He’s gone through an inspiring evolution as an artist and a human being, and I’m proud to call him a close friend. He too, is on one of my new albums, so look out for that. The dynamic has evolved, but the Cypher Junkies are still alive and well, and there will be more group shows and group projects once everything on this current trajectory gets completely flushed out.



Who were your major musical influences and why?

If I had to limit my influences to three, which is utter fallacy as they’re innumerable for all of us, I’d have to say Eyedea, Andre 3000, and Lupe Fiasco, in that order. Eyedea was the consummate emcee. He did literally everything well and had his roots as a potent battle rapper; I can relate (laughs). I’m also stuck inside my head like he was and can unfortunately empathize with fighting a lot of those same demons. Do yourself a favor and buy “E & A Day” today and maybe you’ll reconsider your sense of awesomeness as an artist…3 Stacks widened my horizons with regards to what I thought was possible for a rapper to do musically. Dropping “The Love Below” at the peak of Outkast’s powers was one of the bravest things that I’ve ever seen. His conceptual ingenuity and eclectic palette made me reconsider my own potential(in a good way)…Lupe is sheer wit and no fucks given. Seeing I chose the moniker “MC Bravado,” that’s a big part of what I try to do. He speaks his mind, asks questions later, slips ridiculous references in the catchiest of places, and the sheer scope of what he’s doing is always ambitious. Lupe clearly isn’t a fan of industry politics and has forged his own path, predominately “the road less traveled” at that, hats off to him.

Describe an MC Bravado performance in detail for readers who have yet to see your show.

My performances are always high energy as cliche as that sounds. I don’t feel like thinking of a verbose or flowery way to put it. I cannot sit still on stage; it’s like rap tourettes as fucked up as that sounds. I have zero control over my bodily movement up there and consistently give every ounce of my being. I’m sweating more than Patrick Ewing during warmups by the end of the first song, and it only goes up from there. I also don’t ever rap over my own vocals, excluding ad-libs and the occasional hook. I want you to hear the breathing, the spontaneity, the ugly imperfections and all if you see me live. I want you to walk away with a completely different experience than you would from the record you stream online or (gasp) bought a physical copy of. I try to vary my content to strike that nice balance between kicking knowledge and spewing irreverence. I like to go acapella; I literally freestyle verses within the song structure sometimes. I’m a tuxedo t-shirt up there: formal but I’m here to party. Shouts to Cal Naughton Jr.

What projects are you currently working on and how will the new tracks differ from your past material?

Right now I’m working on a project called Hip-Hop*; it’s a 12 song solo album that’s kind of conceptual in that the asterisk represents omission, correction, requiring further explanation. I’m putting out an eclectic record here that I think features every element one could ask for in an ideal Hip Hop album today, but done to the umpteenth power. I found the asterisk prudent because it’s a record you’ll need to dig through and annotate; it’s symbolic of my own omission from the biggest stage, what the game has been missing in spades. The project has production and features from Nitty Scott, J57, OnCue, KONCEPT, PaceWon, EP of The Doppelgangaz, Teddy Roxpin, Real Deal, DeeJay Element, and more. It’s a fucking masterpiece that you’ll get to hear in the very near future. The project I spoke of earlier with Marxman is still untitled, but we are almost done. While “asterisk” is a more eclectic album, this joint with Marxman is meant to be your raw Hip Hop album executed at an “All-Madden” level. We haven’t titled it yet, but it’s almost done and has some crazy features that I’m not at liberty to speak on just yet. I rhyme on every song, Marxman produced every song and rhymes on some. That one is a classic as well. I very much feel like I’m at my apex creatively right now and will do everything in my power to bottle and maintain it for as long as I can.

What are your goals for the future?

Once these records are out, I want to complete my transition from teaching into the industry full time. As much as I love teaching, I need to give touring the world a shot. Europe loves my brand of Hip Hop. I need to fly over the pond and put in work with the fans over there. I’ve been very well-received critically but don’t wanna be the box-office bomb that critics adore. I don’t want to be like many of my favorite writers and die broke, drunk, belligerent, and drugged, only to be revered much further posthumously. I need to keep reaching out to more and more of my target audience and continue to deliver the “pure, raw, uncut, who the fuck want what,” to quote Brother Ali (laughs). I also wanna help cultivate dopeness as a writer and publicist for other like-minded individuals. I think said combined hustles will get me where I want to go within a year’s time.

Sounds cool! Any final thoughts and shout outs?

Shouts to you Kevin for asking dope questions and to Insomniac Mag for having me. Shouts to Niyah at EverydayDopeLife.com (launching soon) for giving me my first real shot as a writer. Shouts to the Cypher Junkies, shouts to Brandon and all the rest at or affiliated with Lineup Room Studio. Big up Baltimore Hip Hop in general. Shouts to Andrew Bryan, to my fans, family, and my lady for putting up with the craziness that ensues from this fucked up but beautiful lifestyle. And shouts to everyone I forgot, don’t be sensitive or a dick, it’s not an AOL AIM profile; it’s just a shoutout. ‘Finally, check out MCBravado.com; chances are I have a ton of jams that you’ve yet to hear. Peace, love, and sandwiches yawl.

Interview by Kevin Keith - Insomniac Magazine

“The Way it’s Meant to be Done” is the latest collaboration from rapper/teacher MC Bravado and producer Militant Marxman; you’ll find it on the duo’s upcoming album. This song features guest appearances from Baltimore’s battle tested veteran A-Class (as seen on KOTD, Don’t Flop, and GrindTime) and New York’s SC Static, a member of Bravado and Marxman’s own Cypher Junkies crew. Sometimes you have to write about something deep and sometimes you just have to punch people in the mouth and show them the way it’s meant to be done. Tracked, mixed, and mastered by Brandon Lackey of the Lineup Room. Art by Tiffany Burriss of CrayonBeats Magazine. - HHS1987