Nitty

Growing up in the infamous Fort Apache section of the Bronx can make you a gangsta if the hip-hop lifestyle is your thing. With a strong family base and a house filled with respect and ethics, rapper Nitty decided he wasn't going to fall prey to the Bronx's dark side. Growing up, he always preferred rappers like Will Smith, Heavy D, and Young MC -- rappers who had positive messages and were as entertaining as they were skilled. Determined to find his place in the hip-hop world, Nitty joined the Du Brothers, a crew of aspiring rappers, singers, DJs, and dancers from the Lower East Side of Manhattan. It gave him confidence in his positive style of rapping and confidence that hip-hop needed more fun, less gangsta. A lot of rap fans must have agreed, since his 2004 single "Nasty Girl" was an instant smash hit on urban and rhythm radio. ~ David Jeffries