From his appearance, to his lyrical content, to his background, Prolifik is far from your stereotypical rapper. Hailing from Connecticut, a state that has yet to earn its place in the hip-hop industry, this Albanian-American rapper is quite an oddity … and that’s exactly what he wants you to think. Although his unique attributes make him stand out like a sore thumb at any hip-hop showcase, Prolifik uses this to his advantage. Other MC’s who mistake these characteristics, as a weakness will soon be asking for advice. As the first to be noticed and critiqued, Prolifik is well accustomed to being under the microsope, welcoming the magnifying glass above him.
Prolifik has taken quite a journey to become the only Albanian-American MC to establish himself in the U.S. He began his life in Bridgeport, Connecticut where he first kicked up the dirt before his mother re-married and left the city for the suburbs. After being raised in a middle-class environment and growing accustomed to the lifestyle, a second divorce sent Prolifik and his mother back to lower-class living. However, instead of being deflated by life’s spike strips, Prolifik began using these experiences to levitate his creative genius.
“I’ve been blessed enough to see the grass from both sides of the fence. I’ve gone from low-class living, to middle-class, back to low. I’ve been in public schools, I’ve been in a private school, and I wouldn’t change one thing. Not everyone gets to experience the highs and lows I have. I honestly feel like if I didn’t live these two different lives, my music wouldn’t be as versatile and as universal as it is.”
Prolifik began dabbling in the arts at a young age. Performing in plays, creative writing, and poetry were all frequent hobbies. These interests eventually fused together, and led Prolifik to his passion – MCing. Towards the end of Prolifik’s high school career, he began taking his craft more seriously and started performing around the tri-state area. Once high school came to an end, Prolifik took a shot at college life but quickly dropped out and enrolled in Connecticut School of Broadcasting.
“I went to CSB thinkin’ if I could get myself into the radio biz, I could use that as a stepping stone for my rap career”, Prolifik stated. After graduating, Prolifik took on an internship with Clear Channel of Hartford, Connecticut which eventually evolved into him become a radio jock on WKSS/Kiss 95.7. Some of the other stations Prolifik has been heard on include WKCI/KC 101.3, KHTN/Hot 104.7, and WKKF/102.3 Kiss-FM. Prolifik is also the host of the nationally syndicated radio show In Tha Cypher, which has 15 affiliates across the country.
Some of the guests that have been on In Tha Cypher include T.I., Sean Paul, The Dream, Gym Class Heroes, Jadakiss, Rick Ross, Yin Yang Twins, Twista, and Flo Rida. In 2008, In Tha Cypher beat out Kay Slay’s Drama Hour and Marley Marl’s Future Flavas to win the Underground Music Award’s "Best Hip-Hop Radio Show" award. Behind the scenes, Prolifik co-produces the nationally-syndicated Keith Sweat’s Sweat Hotel, and is a board operator for the nationally-syndicated Steve Harvey Morning Show.
As Prolifik’s radio career began to blossom, more live performance opportunities would soon develop. Known for his intense stage presence and confident mic swagger, this vibrant entertainer leaves all concert-goers talking about the show for weeks after and the ladies screaming for more. Some of the venues Prolifik has tore down include BB Kings (NYC), S.O.B.'s (NYC), Don Hills (NYC), the Remote Lounge (NYC), Club Speed (NYC), Club T-NY (NYC), Pyramid (NYC), Toad's Place (New Haven, CT), Alchemy Night Club (New Haven, CT), the Webster Theater (Hartford, CT), the Expo Center (Hartford, CT), and Six Flags New England (Agawam, MA). Prolifik has shared the stage with artists such as Papoose, Jim Jones, Sean Paul, Kat Deluna, Paula Deanda, Rob Base, John Legend, and Omarion.
Prolifik released his debut album Verbal Thoughts in January 2005, and followed up with Breakin' Dollars in June 2007, which won him the award for "Most Original Male Solo Artist" at the nationally recognized Underground Music Awards in NYC. Before ‘07 could wrap up, Prolifik was determined to achieve one more career highlight—advancing to the finals in Harlem’s legendary competition, Amateur Night at the Apollo.
Prolifik recently released his new single In Love With Cheerleaders. The song will be featured on the 6th episode of CMT’s Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders in November, and according to Mediabase stats, In Love With Cheerleaders has accumulated enough radio spins across the country to be considered a hit. 2009 also marked another phase in Prolifik’s career; he resurrected an old passion and began writing articles for the Hartford Advocate, as well as the Fairfield Weekly.
So what does it take for an unsigned hip-hop artist to break out of a scene that’s never gotten its due? Talent, tenacity, consistency, determination and the rhymes to back it all up. Connecticut rapper Prolifik’s got all that, and more—and he’s hungry to take his game to the next level. Prolifik continues to sharpen his lyrical skills, and his mic prowess shines on club bangers and introspective tracks alike. With no signs of slowing down, this young MC’s career seems to be gaining more momentum with every passing day. Rapper/syndicated radio jock/columnist … Prolifik exemplifies the definition of “prolific” in ever sense of the word.
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