What makes a battle rapper real? Is it living what you spit, basing your rhymes off of fact and not fiction? Or is it simply making your material believable, regardless of the reality it reflects? Is it earning the respect of your coast, your state, your city? Or is it simply repping that community to the fullest with every opportunity? Is it manifesting a true hatred for every MC you face? Or is it simply constructing a persona that makes your opponents believe you don’t give a fuck about their life? In battle rap, the line between reality and fantasy is constantly blurred. But no matter what your definition of real, one thing is certain. When he stepped in front of the camera, there was nothing fake about Nems.http://youtu.be/hdxuG5VC9fo

Brought up in the slums of Coney Island, Brooklyn, Nems claims he was writing rhymes consistently throughout high school, but never showcased his skills until the last day of school. Picking out the kid considered the best battler in his class, Nems used every piece of material he had stored up to demolish him in front of a sizeable crowd.

From then on, the half-Puerto Rican, half-Irish beast never slowed down, entering and winning battles across New York before getting his big break at Braggin’ Rites in 2005. He triumphed over a field of 26 of NY’s best battlers, establishing himself as one of the most respected MCs on the scene.http://youtu.be/A65CZNYyZzc

Over the next year and a half Nems would firmly cement his legacy on the East Coast by grinding out the most wins of any rapper in the history of Fight Klub. Other battlers would take nights off. Nems threw down every time he stepped into the building. His bars matched his delivery, both grimy as hell and devastating in impact. His attitude was disrespectful to the fullest extent. When Nems screamed “Fuck Ya Lyfe”, the namesake of his crew and his most recognizable catchphrase, you believed he meant it. And he always stood up for his hood, shouting out Coney Island as often as he could. When it was all said and done, Nems had a record of 25-4 at Fight Klub, victories over legends such as Reignman and Eddie Morris, and a resume that no one could question.http://youtu.be/daoLTwPA5m0

Nems was successful as a battler outside of the Fight Klub doors as well, recording legendary bouts with good friend Marvwon on the D12 hosted Who Wanna Battle DVD and Mic Assassin in one of Jump Off TV’s first UK vs. US battles. And while he claims to be finished inside of the ring, to this day, Nems remains everpresent at battle events, watching, judging and promoting his music, which is considered some of the highest quality wax made by a battle rapper. As long as there’s a heart beating in his chest, you can expect to see Nems feeding off the energy and authenticity of the cypher. In his case, the saying is true. Real recognize real.http://youtu.be/4fkOyLf5X0s