2011- Year In Review- April- SOHH.COM True Grit Contest- Severe is #3

http://www.sohh.com/2011/04/3.html


SOHH teamed up with ReverbNation to select 20 unsigned rappers with "True Grit" --that rough, authentic swagger and determination to win at all costs. After weeks of deliberations and debates reviewing hundreds of worthy (and simply wack) contenders, the SOHH.com team countsdown the top 20 grittiest rappers on ReverbNation with a hustle so hard and rhymes so raw, they can't go unnoticed.

The SOHH True Grit Artist #3: "SERGE SEVERE", PORTLAND, OREGON
Dope lyrics. Doper beats. Very rarely you come across an artist that has the ability to mesh together both concepts effortlessly. Guru's touch to a DJ Premier track is the only way to explain the effect of Portland, Oregon's Serge Severe. His cadence over grimy beats encapsulates your mind in such a manner that you find yourself lost inside of his music. Don't think SOHH is the first to co-sign his grit, just take his appearances with Wu-Tang Clan, De La Soul, Talib Kweli, Goodie Mob and Dead Prez as the real support for today's #3 "True Grit" artist.

Serge's work ethic definitely lives up to his rapper alias: severe. He's the definition of a work horse. While staying true to his Focused Noise label, Serge has put out quality albums over the past few years such as 2008's Concrete Techniques (which won critical acclaim from sites like HipHopLinguistics.com) to the recently-released Back On My Rhymes. Already a MySpace star with over 8,300 fans, you're more likely to catch Serge putting in work around his hometown at spots like Mt. Tabor Theater or The Crown Room, where he's performing shows on weekly basis. The hunger doesn't stop there and neither do the accolades. His emcee talent has been acknowledged by various publications including HipHopDX, The Portland Mercury, That's Hip-Hop and more. His talent has also allowed him to perform at the annual SXSW festival in Austin, Texas throughout previous years.

Serge is unapologetic with his rhymes, as the emcee exudes an unparalleled sense of candor. You can hear the grit rise from his diaphragm on tracks like the eerily-toned "Prepare for Sergery" ("The drum kicks and my tongue spits/You heard of Serge/Drama, I'm like homicide/Murder words/Figure of speech, I just figure a beat/Cause this is scorching, blazing, sizzlin' heat/Like the bars from a stove/Take my bars like a pro."). Caught your attention yet? We thought so.

Give Serge a shot and we're sure he'll continue to maraud your ears.