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Connecticut Hip-Hop, Out of the Shadows

DANBURY, Conn., May 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- (http://www.myprgenie.com) -- Fairfield County might not be the fist place that comes to mind when thinking about rap music. The stigma of the Gold Coast - pink polos and trust fund babies - is ever-present. However, since hip-hop came to Connecticut in the late 1970's, the movement has slowly been gaining momentum in the Nutmeg state. Though it has long been dwarfed by its neighbor to the south, the state's underground scene is flourishing. Now more than ever, CT hip-hop appears ready to step out of the shadows.

Getting there hasn't been easy. "Back in the day you didn't hear anything coming out of CT, nobody took it seriously," says Mack1er of the Bethel based group The Path We Chose. "The serious stuff came out of NY, then the West Coast."

With no backing, no distribution, and no image... the prospects for CT rappers were bleak.

However insurmountable these challenges seemed, Connecticut hip-hop artists kept working, and that work has paid off. Through endurance and creativity, and with the power of the Internet, the hip-hop scene from Stamford and Norwalk, to Bethel and Danbury, is thriving.

"Its funny 'cause comin' up, no one was rappin', now there's a surplus of rappers," says Danbury based rapper Al Babblez.

Social networking sites like Facebook and YouTube allow artists to upload music, post videos, and keep fans informed of new releases and shows. Artists are also able to attract new fans via the web, which is key to growth. "We distribute our music solely in digital format online," states Mack1er. "It's not like it used to be. Now you put your music on iTunes and it's immediately available worldwide."

As for working on the image, "I'm definitely underground. I try to keep things 'ultra real' and won't hold my tongue for anyone. I let the obvious be known, point blank, no reserves," says Al Babblez.

Such is the attitude many Connecticut hip-hop artists have taken as they strive to distinguish themselves from the Big Apple and shed the image of elitist preppy suburbia. The effort seems to be working.

Connecticut hip-hop continues to expand as digital outlets allow artists' music to be heard by more people from CT and beyond.

Mack1er remains optimistic, "The road's been a long one, but the best is yet to come."

For More Information:

Mack1er, The Path We Chose: http://www.thepathwechose.com

Al Babblez: http://www.reverbnation.com/Albabblez

Contact: Justin Marsh, pathstudios@gmail.com, 1-877-224-1524

SOURCE Path Studios