A week before Math Hoffa of Brooklyn faces Calicoe of Detroit for the Smack battle competition, scheduled August 7th , he kicked it with Simone ‘SasAppeal’ Santos & Young Amsterdam to distribute his mixed punch of emcee and artist. He considers himself “a creator,” “aren’t we all,” he says.
In the beginning, “emceeing was a great tool that helped build my self-esteem which in turn inspired me to appreciate it from a more creative position, as an art.” Today, he’s comfortably able to express himself, battle and make music. Math’s creativity manifests potentially dangerous. He “dares niggas” to believe battle rappers can’t make music or be artists “we’re that new breed… niggas can’t do what we do,” he boasts sharply like the smack of a double-edged sword. “Now, I’m inspired by the competition,” he basses invitingly.
He told Young Jack Thriller on Thisis50, earlier this year that his name ‘Math’ represents an acronym whose calculations amount to the truth. “You can calculate, whatever you do- you will not get a wrong answer as long as you do the right thing, that’s what you get from me; not that industry standard,” he states.
“Music tells a story,” says Math. It’s been confirmed that he’ll give a “dose” to anyone who pokes their fitted in the way of him telling his. Yea… he’s the guy who put the smack in Smack, back in ’07 and from an emcee he’s developed into a growing artist proclaiming, “I mean we’ve had our thug era.” His witty punch lines, aggressive flow, and charming BK swag have already placed him on the top of the battle rap game but at 6’3”, he’s not playing ball he’s ready for business,… independent business that is.
Math’s album, entitled ‘A.C.M.D. 3 (All Competition Must Die) received a great amount of views on Youtube and was promoted via all the hip-hop websites and blogs popping. It dropped in the spring and features artists such as Q-Tip and Method Man. He stated that while creating the LP he was at a point in his life where he needed to grow, aspiring to make music for more than the “streets”.
The track “Beautiful” featuring Q-Tip and produced by J. Glaze grooves an early ‘90’s appeal. The sound is something dreamy and dynamic combined with sensual yet appropriate lyrical content regarding a woman. With this he strays far from the typical battle scene and creates music that you will still bop your head to. However, in this case you might just want to get up and dance.
Exposed and absorbed since the “classic golden” and “platinum” eras of hip-hop, Math said simply, “it was out there and I just grew up listening to it.” His earliest memory takes him back to the late 80’s classic by LL Cool J “I’m Bad”. He recalled that his cousins’ walkman always had that cassette on deck. Math would sneak off with it for hour’s rocking and rhyming while hiding, trying to avoid giving it back and wishing his cousin would forget it. “He never forgot.”
Respectfully, Math attributed homage to some of the pioneers he grew up listening to such as Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Redman, Digital Underground and of course, fallen soldiers Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls.
He came through in a Yankee fitted, Penny Hardaway’s, Giorgio Armani shades and a crispy white-T. He’s still BK all day but he didn’t fail to mention that “this aint no $4 white-T!” Laughs were shared when he responded “It’s not silk, probably Egyptian cotton or some shit.”
“We rock the building with straight bars,” said Math. His long awaited battle versus Calicoe on Sunday will also bring Math’s NYB fam, Hollow Da Don face to face with Hitman Holla of the Lou. Although, Math did not want to predict a winner he declares, “I’m always a winner.” When asked how good he believes Aye Verb, Goodz and T-Rex are at “his”profession, emceeing he responded, “Fat boys aight… but nah, fuck all them niggas!” “I’m the next best thing__ the proof is in the pudding.”
-Simone A. Santos
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