GodZeND (rapper)

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GodZeND is a rapper from the WASHINGTON, DC Metropolitan area. He was born on December 04, 1980 in Children's Hospital in Washington DC to Nigerian parents, on the same day as successful rapper Shawn Corey Carter (commonly known as Jay-Z). He lived in the District of Columbia for two years before his parents moved him to Nigeria to learn more about his origin and culture.

On May 26, 1990, he returned to the States and began school in Dodge Park Elementary School in Landover, Maryland, very close to Kings Square Apartments where his parents first settled. He later moved onto Thomas Johnson Middle School, Robert Goddard Middle School, and then DuVal High School. Inspired by such great hip-hop artists of the early nineties like the Notorious B.I.G (aka Biggie Smalls), Snoop Dogg, Naughty by Nature, KRS-1, LL-COOL-J, Nas, Rakim, Scarface, TuPac, Jay-Z, and a host of others, the up and coming artist went by the name Wolverine after his favourite character from the comic book X-Men.

"I didn't take rap music seriously when I first started doing it." Says the DC rapper reminiscent of the past, "It was just a means to pass the time... I mean the highlight of my day was the freestyle battles at the corners of the lunch rooms at around 1:00pm everyday. I looked forward to those times sometimes more than I looked forward to going to class... I mean it was something to do until people started saying things like, you really need to do something with this because you really have the talent for this... you have a different aura about you in that you're actually saying something and your voice sounds unique and it stands out."

As GodZeND recollects, it was then that he started taking the rap music a little more seriously. He would then changed his name from Wolverine to Godsend da messenger, as it would sum up his whole purpose with his music. "Being from my background as Nigerian and having a distinct accent, still being able to understand and speak the language fluently... I feel like I'm privileged to be able to do this as well as I can... It's not expected so I've always thought that it was a talent sent from GOD...Hence the name GodZeND. Plus every song I've ever written has some underline message in it, that stems from life experiences and the issues with friends, enemies, and associates growing up around me". This is the reason why GodZeND feels he is respected amongst his peers when it comes to rapping. He is not just viewed as yet another wannabe so and so or an MC such and such. "Over the years, I have been involved with three different contract situations, two rap groups, and several affiliations with would-be or wannabe local labels in the area that promise stardom and success but the music scene is not as easy to get in as it use to be," the artist states. "So now my name is GodZeND... it might change again if I run into other copyright/contract situations, you just never know...it's all business now."

He says reluctantly, "Before, you used to be able to just walk your demo in to Sony Records or Def Jam Records or any major for that matter, and start up deal discussions, but now the money has gotten astronomical. These successful artists coming out are like superstars athletes, there's no loyalty now it's all business, artists are constantly jumping ships trying to get on better deals or the labels with the deepest pockets and Labels just like major sports franchises, are dropping good artists who no longer meet quota as far as money/album sales, etc... It's so sick now that the mentally of the artist and the label is show me the money or how I can use you (the artist) to get this money. NOBODY REALLY CARES ABOUT THE MUSIC ANYMORE...WELL a few artists still do but their FANSBASE loyalty is keeping them alive in a market of hip-hop that's gotten too commercial it's disgusting."

THE PLIGHT OF THE DC RAPPER

Sad to say but it's true. The District of Columbia is not the place to be if you are trying to make any significant moves in the rap game. "This is the most hatingest area to be right now", says another aspiring DC rapper WALE who is also making strides in the DC area with his brand of music GO-GO/Hip-Hop. Tabi Bonney is another aspiring DC artist/clothes designer who is also making a little noise in the area. However, the underground scene is garnering crazy buzz for like GodZeND who recent won an award at the [5th Annual Underground Music awards]UMA AWARDS held in BB KING Theatre in Times Square New York. GodZeND has also received several shout-outs from [allhiphop.com]ALL HIP-HOP a prominent hip-hip internet site, as well articles in Streetz Magazine, a popular Hip-Hop/Urban Magazine in the area. His myspace page is also gathering a lot of momemtum with the recent release of his mixtape "THE HOMECOMING VOL. 1" featured on [Datpiff.com]DATPIFF MIXTAPES.