Cxnshus

Cxnshus (pronounced as “conscious”) is an up and coming rapper hailing from Baltimore City. Now the outlook of the small city ‘showcases’ drugs, violence and other negativity and stereotypes, will trick outsiders into believing that this is all the city has to offer. It is simply not true. Therefore in social media and what people see painted on the news, is that all of Baltimore artists share the same story and they’re like any other rap artist out here. I can’t say the same for Cxnshus.
His music sheds light on deeper issues in the Black community and other topics that are taboo such as depression, suicide, and unemployment. Cxnshus’ latest project, The Vault is a rarity in content, especially coming from a twenty-something millennial living in the modern day of social media, hence fake reality and Instagram filters. So let’s take a ride inside this vault and see what Cxnshus exposes.
Honestly, the opener, “Wake Up” is a wake up call for him and his peers. “They tell me catch up/ boy you better catch up/ You could be dead tomorrow/so you better keep your vest up,” he raps, which almost sounds like some sort of warning. A warning that is later addressed in his follow-up track, “Nightmares.”
“Nightmares” is probably the most raw track of the Baltimore native. Cxnshus talks about suffering in silence for four years at the most. What he suffers could be carrying the weigh on his shoulders and/or having his younger siblings look up to him for guidance. In his personal life expands to the fake friends that promise him loyalty and the heartbreaks, either way his song is definitely his testimony.
There’s a lot of themes in The Vault including growing pains, fear of failure, death, and coming of age. All themes are deeply explored in the tracks “Stained Glass,” “Never Sleep,” “Believe,” and “Sunday Dinner.” Despite the difference in production–some are uptempo beats and one that could be placed as a R&B joint– the message is still the same. He raps about the passing of his father, being unemployed, and still feeling like a lost soul. Overall, Cxnshus runs from his demons, represents his struggles as a young man and still chooses perseverance.
There’s still victory at the end of the tunnel. Tracks like “King Cxnshus” shows a more upbeat Cxnshus as he raps, “I told my mother if I make it, I’ll be okay.” The dreams of making it as rapper haunts Cxnshus, along with many of his prior mistakes, but the definition of his success is different. As long as people hear his music and feel impacted by it, that’s success. It’s a start.
Toward the end of the project, the tenth track, “Pen Game” serves as the standout song. Cxnshus is the most literally, utilizing his metaphors and alliteration in his rhymes. He even speeds up the flow. Now he doesn’t sound like a Baltimore rapper, more like a mainstream rap artist, but his lyricism definitely outweighs what you hear on the radio. “Pen Game” is a watch-me-now-I-need-to-show-and-improve type of song. And Cxnshus has our attention from now on.
Stream the 13-track project below and give us your thoughts. - Purple Bars

Self Conshus New Album “Nightmares 2”+ Music Video “Sunday Dinner” #Maryland

By: Lyndsay Brown

Yes, that’s right he’s back with the second installment of his album: “Nightmares 2” (April 2016)…he who? That would be Self Conshus smooth story teller Rapper from Maryland. Like I have said before Self Conshus keeps it all the way real in his music to who he is, where he from, and how he feels- almost in a vulnerable way. “Nightmares 2” originally had nine tracks, but kind of like Kanye West he added in a tenth track titled: “Bonus” last minute featuring his boy: Eszilla. Like every great artist should do, Self Conshus comes harder each and every time he releases music whether it be music videos, albums or singles.

This album shows a different side of Self Conshus, he talks about his desire to have his own family, and stick by them, as his own father left his family at a young age; he paints this picture on the tracks like “Sunday Dinner”, and “Will You Marry Me”. On the track “Day Dreaming Ft. Nick Shaw” Self Conshus takes us down an emotional road being a true story teller on the subject about experiencing a drive by shooting as a youth, the outcome being a lost life; just the emotional truth that can happen in ‘low income’ communities! Self Conshus even tells us on “Money Problems”, that: …“teachers told me I’d be flippin’ burgers, choose another lane, I chose to be the Robin Hood of Robin Hoods, the local fame, I got money problems”!... Even with that said, Self Conshus goes on to say in “Nightmares (Boomin)” & “King Cxnshus” that “he doesn’t really want to steal”…the struggle is real!....................TO CONTINUE READING THIS ARTICLE PLEASE CLICK HERE: http://www.hookedupbmag.com/2016/04/10/self-conshus-new-album-nightmares-2-music-video-sunday-dinner-maryland-april16/

Lyndsay Brown :) - Lyndsay Brown

Self Conshus is an underground Rapper from Baltimore, Maryland who has a thorough flow, and takes prides in good production shout out to Corey-Laury aka CJBEATZ for some of the beats. Self Conshus has been making music since he was 13 years old, and his experience is obvious listening to his music. He just started pushing his music online using streaming site SoundCloud for example. At the end of September 2015 Self Conshus dropped a 12 track mixtape titled “Nightmares” on SoundCloud. The ‘tape comes across as real Hip-Hop in which he talks about his life experiences, and also has several different tones or vibes within. I contacted Self Conshus via Twitter after listening to the ‘tape, and he told me that he “called it nightmares because the ‘tape is based off the hard times I’ve had since my father passed, and dealing with my demons”. One very intriguing aspect about the music is that he channels or sounds similar to Kanye West. If you enjoy real Hip-Hop with real experiences def take some time to listen to the “Nightmares” by clicking the SoundCloud link here: https://soundcloud.com/selfconshus . Further, during this past summer Self Conshus joined forces with Corey-Laury to produce a music video “Smooth Hip Hop- Self Conshus-Running” that really exemplifies his struggles he covers topics such as: the way he his treated on the streets in his neighborhood, a romantic relationship, and his mother’s concerns for him. For all those cherished underground Hip-Hop enthusiasts don’t sleep on Self Conshus! - Hooked Up Mag