There’s a brave new voice on the hip-hop scene and his name is NYOIL
(pronounced N-Y Oil). The rapper has already created a firestorm of controversy after his animated music video, “Ya’ll Should All Get Lynched,” which targets popular rappers was banned by YouTube. 

As if that wasn’t enough, NYOIL has also made news for his outspoken criticism of rapper Nas’ new album. NYOIL’s strong stance resonates throughout his recent release, Hood Treason.

Sixshot spoke with the rapper and got his passionate take on everything including his beef with Nas, false conscious rappers, working within the system, weed, and much more.    

On his video, “Ya’ll Should All Get Lynched,” being banned by YouTube:

I’m too cynical to be surprised.  I knew the video was gonna get attention and I need to get attention.  I made the song ‘cause I was frustrated and I was venting how I felt about situations.  But the video was controversial because I felt like after all these dudes done, I’m putting them on blast that cats is not gonna tolerate it no more.  The funny thing is that I wasn’t planning on coming out with no records.  It was—I’m gonna put them on blast and give them a taste of their own medicine.  I dar e them to come at me and battle me on some record.  Not one rapper that exists that I will not tear their a** open.  I come from emceeing.  I’m not no rapper.   I come from true emceeing. 

On his beef with Nas:

I think people misconstrue am I criticizing his music or am I criticizing his position.  What happens with these entertainers is that they don’t realize the s*** they put in the air we have to live with.  When Nas puts a record like that [“Be a N***** Too”] in the air and doesn’t adequately explain it, he leaves me and every other person to explain what it is to be called a n*****.  That s*** is disrespectful.

There's people walking this earth right now who knows how it feels to have a German shepherd all in their a***, and a water hose blow them the f*** over.  They know what it feels like to get hit in the head with bottles and tomatoes, and get chased out of town.  They know what it is to be called a n***** and what that means.  I'm like f*** a Nas.  I'm about my ancestors and my elders.  Nas as an individual ain't done s*** for me or and that’s not his responsibility.  He ain't beholden to do something for anybody, but I would damn sure stand up for them [elders] over that s*** he’s doing.

On his connection with the old-school leaders of hip-hop:

I get a lot of love from them.  I was just breaking bread with Melle Mel.  Afrika Bambaata—when he heard about me in 2006 was like, “Go get it!”  I do a lot of stuff with the Zulu Nation.  I did a song with Chuck D on this album.  So I get a lot of respect from the elder statesmen of hip-hop.  I'm happy for that and I'm gonna do everything I can to uplift them.  Without them there would be no me, so you gotta be humble to that.

On being labeled as a conscious rapper:

It wasn’t something I felt like I would have to struggle with ‘cause people call me conscious.  You need a category to fit me into so that people can understand the type of music I make.  I been called inspirational, activist rap, conscious rap, and revolutionary rap.  I'm all these different titles and s*** but the fact of the matter is that I’m a man who’s speaking from a man’s paradigm.  I’m an every man going through the same s***.  Every man out here got a family that they’re trying to keep safe, and they’re trying to get by day by day.  So in that process there are things I will speak on that are conscious ‘cause I'm awake like anybody else should be awake.  Does that mean I don’t party, have a good time, or joke?  No.  I do all these things.  I'm 360 degrees of a person.  I'm full circle.  So I think musically that’s easier for me to express ‘cause that’s who I am.  Whether they get me like that will be another matter entirely.

On the lack of unity between conscious rappers:

Ain’t no unity there—I don’t got no relationship with none of them cats.  That’s the part that got me all f***** up, because you would think if one of us is up there with some backbone that the rest would rally behind it.  These conscious cats are all talk and no act.  These dudes is weak.  They don’t got no f****** back bone and they not ready to stand for nothing.  S*** go on and motherf****** just wanna talk about s***.  If it don’t make dollars it don’t make sense, but don’t nobody do nothing.  They don’t wanna get together.  All these dudes that’s f****** up hop-hop work together; they go to the studio and make it happen; they tour together; they make it easy to make money together.  Dudes that’s supposed to be conscious—these motherf****** ain't about s*** and I said it.

On the criticism that conscious rappers have weak beats and hooks:

I understand that gripe very well.  I agree with the gripe.  I think a lot of conscious artists feel that just because they saying something deep, that that absolves them from the need to make an entertaining song.  I don’t know what planet that s*** comes from.  Good music is good music.  If you are entering the entertainment business then some of it should be entertainment.  If you’re trying to be about messages that’s cool, but you should be able to deliver that message and be able to entertain.  It’s not impossible.  I think that brothers fall short of that.  Then they do try to make a song that’s entertaining and they sell out.  They go all the way to the left and they sounding like freaking Soulja Boy or Hurricane Chris.  It's like why would you do that?  Why can’t you just tell the story and make it appealing or fun?  You can’t teach nobody and make it fun? 

On why he’s for working within the system:

Like what is this s*** that we got in this world where it’s like if I’m doing the right thing I should be broke?  It’s like some kind of sin to do the right thing and not be broke.  I can do all kinds of wicked s*** and expect to get dough.  Maybe that’s because you got these poverty pimp preachers that put a stigma on doing the right thing.  Just cause I’m doing the right thing don’t mean I’m not supposed to get paid.  I should get even more dough.  Why shouldn’t I want to be successful and be an example for young brothers?  It’s like why would I get married if all I see are beat up tired dudes not happy about s*** and can't get no loving?  Why do the right thing if it don't benefit you?  Some dude said, “Doing this black s*** will leave you broke.”  Wow, looking out for my people and trying to do right by my race will leave you broke!  I mean the depths of that statement and what that means for future generations, that there’s no draw to doing the right thing—that shit is heavy. 

On one of his biggest inspirations, his mother:

She’s a very strong black woman who was both a police officer and worked in the military.  She didn’t raise me to be some law-abiding person.  She raised me to be conscious of the law and what was going on ‘cause she saw how corrupt it was.  My mother bust her a** to make a good life for me and my brother.  So I have respect for her because she makes me strive to honor her in my actions.  She held me and my brother down and made opportunities for us—working three jobs at one point in her life. 

On male-female relationships:

I used to love the ladies so hard body.  I remember I knew this dude and he’s sitting on the couch chilling with his baby, and talking to his other girl.  I'm like, “You’re crazy.  Your lady’s right here, kid.  How are you doing it?”  He’s like, “I keep my life real simple.”  Something about that just clicked with me.  In the context he meant it in was like he don’t give a s***, and that he’s not gonna break his stride.  For me, I was like I want to live simple.  I don’t want senseless drama.  I don’t want to be sacred of my woman picking up the phone and some broad calling.  There’s more to life than that. 

On weed:

I've done bad things in my life.  I know what it's like to throw it in the air.  I also know it leads you to be exhausted.  You can't get anything done and you’re useless.  I didn’t even really like weed.  I didn’t like smoke going down my throat.  It’s not a good feeling.  Truthfully I don’t even think I enjoyed being high as much as I enjoyed the method and the little cipher.  Everybody was kicking it, having a good time, conversing and getting the munchies.  That’s what I think makes it appealing.  Smoking and all that s*** wasn’t appealing to me to be honest.  I just miss the camaderie of it.

On the future:

I’ll possibly go on tour by the fall.  Also I’m looking at a DVD sooner than later.  I hope it could be something a little different than most DVD’s.  I want to do something with value that you can sit with your kids and open the floor to discussion.  I’m branding my company, Petroleum Empire Media Group.  I’m doing some editing work for different people right now.  I edited all of my videos.  In fact I’m working on a partnership with one of the largest Hispanic staffing agencies in NY state.  So how about I show you how to empower yourself by getting employed?  If I’m gonna be this revolutionary dude I need to do things that are useful and valuable to the community, and not just talking a bunch of s***. 

For more information please visit:
http://www.myspace.com/nyoil