From the depths of despair to the heights of success, Noose has burst into the rhythmic scene of the rap industry to join the ranks of hip-hop status with the birth of his own music label “Struggle Music” and the debut of his mixtape The Commencement in 2005. Embodying the rags-to-riches dream, Noose has come a long way in beginning to make his dreams a reality. Driven by his yearning desire to maximize the potential he has come to realize coupled with his unprecedented lyrical talent and incredible dedication, Noose has crossed long bridges and overcome tremendous tribulations to reach the path he walks today. Born Naseem in Jersey City, New Jersey (also Akon’s hometown) on November 30, 1984 to immigrant parents from the Arab world, he would soon come to know the life of many inner-city children living in impoverished single parent homes. The sudden abandonment of his father at the tender age of nine left him emotionally unstable and in a constant state of confusion as he, along with his mother and brothers, shuffled from shelter to shelter. Without direction, without answers, and without a man in the house, he and his brothers turned to the hustling streets of Jersey City in a quest to find ways to help financially support their mother and become self-supportive. It was on the streets, that he made a name for himself as a fledging rapper. First called “Noose” (short for Naseem) by his mother, his brothers and friends later picked up the nickname for him as he desperately did all he could to break into the rap game. Of course, as he later discusses in his lyrics, specifically “CRY”, he became a street hustler at this time, doing what needed to be done to make money. It wasn’t long before the grim reality of street life took control—drowning Noose in misery, legal trouble, and constant running. As the youngest of five boys, Noose witnessed two of his older brothers’ victimization by the streets land them in cold jail cells, leaving him to head a household and build a foundation for “BETTER DAYS” for his family. As early as 12, Noose began piecing together the chaotic yet inspirational story of his life experiences into a collage of lyrics. Drawing lyrical inspiration from the everyday experiences of his harsh reality, rapping became an outlet for Noose…music was his mental and emotional salvation every night from what he would inevitably wake up to the next morning. In March 2005, Noose would find himself on the brink of death as a near fatal car accident almost shattered his hopes and dreams permanently. While fleeing from gunshots at speeds exceeding 80mph, he crashed into an electrical pole. Lying in a hospital bed having undergone major surgery as a result of the crash, Noose came to realize that his life had more to offer. “Fresh out of surgery, I was writing rhymes and concepts of songs in texts and texting them to myself,” he recalls. It was then that he realized the potential of his music that he once took for granted. Torn between the elevation of his dreams and the struggles of his reality, Noose together with close, confidential partners created Struggle Music, a wise but risky strategy for cutting out the middleman and making money in the entertainment industry. The metamorphosis of Struggle Music from a signature and style of rap to a label began bridging the gap between Noose’s world of dreams and his reality. As a result, Struggle Music was not just the dawn of a label but also a “representative for the struggle worldwide.” With his own label and his own distribution, Noose finally had everything in place, including multiple projects, The Commencement (2005), The Other Side (2006), and Better Than Ya Album (2007). The debut of the first mix tape The Commencement hosted by the one and only Drama King DJ Kayslay in 2005, would prove to be a personal achievement for Noose. Just weeks after surgery, he recorded the album while standing on crutches, unable to support his body weight. For Noose, this weight was minimized by the weight of the experiences he carried on his shoulders. He had a story to tell and through his lyrics, he would tell this story. He was determined to be the voice for those who have endured pain, lived in fear, struggled for survival, and died in silence. With songs like “REGULAR HOOD FELLA”, “WHERE I’M FROM”, and “WAKE ME UP”, Noose not only embraced those who could relate but also those whose curiosity fueled their drive to discover life on the “other side.” Noose’s next mix tape, The Other Side hosted by DJ Kayslay, released a year later in 2006, introduced his growing fan base to another part of his world—the reality of representation in the rap and hip-hop industry. Noose brazenly allowed his fans to crossover to the other side by tapping into his innermost feelings and allowing them to surface throughout this mixtape led by his signature song “REAL TALK”. While both albums had been personal, considered, and focused, the second also offered an unapologetically sprawling invitation to the unspoken reality of the entertainment industry behind closed doors. And so, songs like “ANSWER BACK”, “COUNTERFEIT LOVE”, and “BETTER DAYS (feat. Akon)” drew in fans on various levels. With a growing fan base, Noose along with Struggle Music met the demand with shows across the country featuring “Noose of Struggle Music” as the main event. From the East Coast to the West Coast and from the Midwest down to the South (NY, NJ, CT, MI, OH, IL, GA, KY, FL, CA, & AZ), Noose has consistently delivered a unique and refreshing standard of rap. And so, in the past two years, Noose along with Struggle Music have been fortunate to witness the continuous expansion of the movement across the United States and into parts of Canada, Europe, Australia, Africa and most of the Middle-East. Through his own networking and distribution, Noose and Struggle Music have independently sold over 50,000 albums with over 10,000 of those sales online. Like clockwork and with a solid foundation, Noose returns a year later, proud to deliver Better Than Ya Album presented by DJ Khaled in 2007. Personal without being pretentious, Better Than Ya Album offers the listener a variety of musical styles that ranges from the upbeat “GET IT DONE” to the aggressive “TRY ‘N PUSH ME” to the deep message of “STRONG SURVIVE.” While Noose has no problem shifting gears to make tracks more upbeat and nonchalant, he can also induce tears with songs like “STRUGGLE MUSIC.” It is Noose’s ability to entertain and stir emotions, while presenting unique lyrical talent that put him in a spotlight all his own and distinguish him from other rappers in the industry, thus allowing him to connect with his growing fan base on a whole different level. Featured on the front cover of “Streets Enigma” magazine and in “Southwest Bound” magazine, his style is truly an enigma of raw emotion and fans can look forward to seeing him in other popular magazines including XXL and Source. Noose is a master in the art of storytelling and through his hypnotic tracks and impeccable lyrics he has been able to tell stories. At the tender age of twenty-two, the lyrical talent that Noose possesses is far beyond his years. Bringing to the table a multifaceted arena of talent in rapping, songwriting, and entertainment that is driven by his vivid imagination and creative energy, Noose is much more than today’s male rapper. He is a rare artist, distinguished by intense energy with in-depth lyrics that touch the core, drawing his fans into a zone. Without a doubt, his driven passion, versatile talent, and undeniable charm are uncompromising. Forget about the next level because Noose plans to take us places that have yet to be defined.