RyanNicole
Oakland, California, United States | Established. Jan 01, 2008 | SELF | AFTRA
Music
Press
Oakland emcee RyanNicole is different from the average rapper. No, it's not just because she's a female in a male dominated genre. College educated and a poet first, RyanNicole raps for all the right reasons - to try to get her message across to her peers in the dopest way possible. Em Dub caught up with RyanNicole in Oakland and talked with her about her name, how she got into hip-hop and how she eventually started rapping, her mixtape Dis'onance, what's in store, and more. She also blazed 2 fire acapellas for the camera. - See more at: http://www.thizzler.com/underthebay/episode-71-ryannicole.html#sthash.QQs9VF7n.dpuf - Thizzler On The Roof
Dis’onance – Vol. 1 is the first mixtape in a series courtesy of Oakland’s RyanNicole. The MC/Actress/Model/Non-Profit Executive Director has presented us with nine tracks to vibe to, rock to, and reflect upon. And she’s good. Not like “oh you’re good for a girl” type good, but like “I need you in this cypher” good.
Last week RyanNicole was one of the featured emcees at the monthly artist showcase Uptown Underground, but for the most part she’s been lowkey. Positioning herself as the underdog, Ms. Niole is more of the show and prove type than the spotlight seeking diva. She lets her music speak for itself, because she can. This is for all you artists who need gimmickry to maintain relevance. Take a listen. - 38th Notes
RyanNicole is a champion. And if I end the post there, you really have all of the information you need. No hyperbole. Real spit.
Which is, perhaps, for what she’s best known. Spitting real, that is. Let’s put to the side, for a very brief moment, that Ryan is also an accomplished thespian, record setting track and field athlete, one of the youngest non-profit Executive Directors in the Bay Area and a compelling civic leader. Just put it on the back burner and consider, for a moment, her talent as a lyricist. Start here, with a clip from Thizzler on the Roof: - ThickWitness Blog
“Repping Oakland CA, this young lady is ready to enlighten the game with her words, wit, intelligence and skill. as both spoken word artist and MC she has a mastery over her craft that has her name on the lips of all those looking for good Hip Hop.” - The Revolution of Fresh Blog
RyanNicole is a strong, independent voice, who...displays tremendous versatility. Her verses ring of a time when women were on more even footing in the rap world... - East Bay Express
On "Inside Job," Ryan spits, 'We tryna Rockefeller, Morgan Chase the dream they call American/ Merit ain't a factor if you're arrogant..." And you have just found my favorite line on the entire project.” - The I AM DOM JONES Blog
Rappers Do D.A.T., Sandman and RyanNicole were impressive as they exercised a lyrical prowess that put into words exactly how the music ... - Daily Californian
Actual crowd-riling dancing and call-response also came when the women MCs such as Coco Peila and RyanNicole took over... - Daily Californian
Discography
LOVE JONES (2007) - RyanNicole
Dis'Onance Vol. 1 (2010) - RyanNicole
Dis'Onance Vol 1.2 (2012) - RyanNicole
NuDekadesHipHopMusic (2008) - Nu Dekades
ERAgance (2011) - Nu Dekades
Nexus (2012) - Nu Dekades
State Of Soul (upcoming) - State Of Soul Collective
***Several Features...
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
When the word music comes to the mind of thoughtful “4A”: Actress, Athlete, Artist, Activist RyanNicole, it conjures memories of Panasonic headphones too big to fit her ears and vinyl records strewn across the living room floor of her childhood home in Oakland, CA. Raised on a healthy diet of diverse music ranging from Parliament to Flora Purim, Pat Metheny to Queen Latifah, RyanNicole’s approach to music is reverent to say the least.
“To tell the truth, I was always intimidated by the largeness of music; how it could impact a person’s feelings. I often wondered if I had the ability it do the same.” Being brought up in an extended family of seasoned musicians, RyanNicole remained silent and observant for many years until she immersed herself in an outlet for her voice through spoken word.
Coming of age in a time when hip-hop reigned supreme, the genre further refined her appreciation for sharp lyricism. Inspired by female emcees like Lauryn Hill, without denying the prowess of those like Lil Kim, RyanNicole offers a welcomed sexy intelligence to the game.
Feeling and filling a void for voices like hers, RyanNicole uses her experiences in leadership to craft a decadent narrative of self-reliance and accountability. The scholarship Track & Field athlete, pre-law graduate, final host of HotWater Cornbread's weekly open mic: Mouth Off, and former Executive Director of Youth Movement Records, humbly professes simple solutions to rampant ignorance in head-nodable morsels.
Her debut mixtape, entitled “Dis’onance: Vol. 1” audibly and metaphorically explores the concept of discord through a pop-culture lens [dissonance (n.) - lack of harmony between persons or things], and bears witness to the eerie attraction we all have to disharmony. Her most recent project "Nexus", with partner in rhyme, K.E.V. is an unabashed dedication to the souls of black folks. RyanNicole stays busy performing as an actress and emcee, recently playing “Ruth” to high acclaim, in the California Shakespeare Theater’s production of A Raisin In the Sun. Additionally, RyanNicole has opened for a wide array of artists and persons of influence, most notably President Barack Obama...enough said.
Never easy, yet highly digestible; even tasty: RyanNicole harvests a flavor for every palate, encouraging one to savor her offerings long after she’s left a stage. She is lasting, her words timeless and thick. RyanNicole is an instant classic, reviving artistry and industry in this modern era.
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