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How do you suppose a 4 year old finds himself "rapping" into his Fisher Price Tape Recorder? Just about every little kid had one of those at one point or another. Most of us used to just babble incoherently into them…or sing our favorite cartoon's theme song. But, even if you're not familiar with the toy, just imagine the sight. Perhaps you could chalk it up to his trips to the studio with his father: an accomplished Haitian Kompa musician. Or, perhaps it was his older sister, who would play the hip hop legends of the day while doing her homework after school. Whatever the cause, the effect is a youthful rap phenom with a seasoned gift for penning masterpieces in between "Saved By The Bell" episodes.

The young Emcee- Gist The Essence- who was born and raised in New York City, takes pride in his foundation, and pulls bits and pieces from every part of his environment to incorporate into his music. In fact, it is not uncommon for you to stumble across a snippet or two from some popular T.V series while listening to any one of his albums or mixtapes. And it is also likely that that you would hear, in his music, references to "Spades" games or to "Fresh", the kid who played chess" from one of his favorite movies.

Its not at all surprising that Gist would take a liking to the movie "Fresh". And for those of you who haven't seen it, its not because of the retro clothes and rope chains… but for the story of the quiet kid in an otherwise loud environment trying to beat the odds. Gist was a humble middle child, one whose presence may even at first go unnoticed. But, once unveiled, his wit, charm and raw talent has an undeniable mass appeal.

Although gifted since childhood, it wasn't until college when Gist began to pursue music full time and make history. His quiet gift catapulted him to local celebrity status as he became a dorm room name in a matter of months. On campus, he performed on the same stages with Mobb Deep, The Lost Boyz, Lil Scrappy, & Ludacris to name a few. Post graduation he went on to bury the competition in online contests and on radio competitions such as Power 105.1's Future Flavors with the legendary Marley Marl. Amongst the sea of unsigned hype, every ripple he creates explodes into a forceful wave that will soon crash and spill out of speakers and headsets worldwide.

His appeal: versatility and realism. In fact, the life he displays may be your own. While everything else is glitz and glamour, his music describes life the way he sees it. And when he experiences something new, his content adjusts accordingly. But whatever the atmosphere, you can be assured that his sound will always represent his passion for the art and the culture. Gist is an artist true to himself, in a time where the industry's demands waiver left and right. His dedication to be an equally good entertainer as a lyricist, keeps his music fresh and engaging. No ashtrays and table coasters here just hit after hit after irrefutable hit. While he waits for the world to open up, Gist continues to make the music he wants to make for whoever is brave enough to listen. In fact, if you're feeling fearless the website is www.gistmusic.com.