WIDMARK

Culture is something injected in young minds through family. But family cannot be there at every moment of a child's life. So the streets are an adopted culture which gives a child his inner beast. Now to which culture one chooses to fully live their life is a man's own decision. Widmark lives to apply both within each other.

Taking on the name he was given from birth, Widmark was sculpted into the era where hip hop was at its rawest and drugs scoured New York City. Growing up in the 80's in manhattans' lower east side section, Widmark nurtured a heart for music. Moving along with his family to three different states. Being out in California his homesickness grew. Widmark began penning freestyles and songs which calibrated a birth to the beginning of his talent. " I use to write cause words just flowed in my mind. I remember the old songs my father use to play in his car, I use to write my own songs to the Bee Gees or James Taylor."

He took the essence of New York rap as an escape back home through old cassette tapes of such artists as Jay-Z, Wu-Tang Clan, Biggie and Nas. "When I use to get punished all I had were old tapes that I played over and over. I recited every lyric prentending I was that person; like damn how did this guy put these words together?" Widmarks heart always ached for the city he had to leave, but soon knew his aspirations for music would lead him back home. "I knew where I needed to be, not just because I was home sick, but a place where I can be who I am and people will know that its real."

Having finally arrived back to the Big Apple in 97' he saw it as an oppurtunity to hone his skills at Seward Park High School. Never really exposing his talent he stood and watched the moves of a young Juelz Santana. "I didn't even know he rhymed back in high school. I just knew his brother cause we was both in the basketball team. But i knew it was official when i saw him in the source." Knowing that he'd been taming his inner beast, he kept his urge to rhyme a secret and just absorbed his environment. He pushed to perfect his craft, from his lyrical content to the delivery. "I really took that famous saying to heart. If you can make it in New York you can make it anywhere. So I knew I just couldn't fail. Signs were everywhere. Resources wherever I turn. No person can just sit around and be content with where they are in life. Being in New York makes you go get those things."

Young Widmarks' love for music and accompanied with his first love of art; clashed a major career making decision in 2001. After only attending a year and half at New York City Technical College in brooklyn, Widmark made the decision to use what God has blessed him with and took his determination to its apex.

Having run-ins with various industry names Widmark was certain success was at his very next footstep. He recalls a run-in with the now the president of Def Jam. "I met Jay-Z at the NBA store and asked if I could rhyme for him. I was nervous as hell but I still got it out. Jay said I was too young at the time and maybe we'll run into each other again in the future." Endless label meetings to lucrative offers kept his hunger alive. Determined, but still unsure of his careers progress. A friends untimely death put a seal to his future. He picked up his anger and thirst for revenge and channeled it through his music. Fatherless since the age of fourteen along with his mother and brother. He vowed that struggle would be an experience long gone.

Never having taken a breath to recoup. He honed his craft into freestyles which soon turned into mixtapes in the amount of two volumes which was recorded at TripleXXX studios. "Widmark Vol.1" an array of wordplay reminiscent of the late Notorious B.I.G. To the ride or die attitude of 2pac. "You can hear the swagger in the first volume, but unmistakeably note the uncomfort. Like I was still trying to find my way through the song." Widmark pushed hard promoting his own work through bootleggers uptown and downtown and handing out his cd's to whatever outlet he had.

A nutured perfectionist he grew and regrouped for a second disc in 2004 titled "Widmark Vol.2." Taking the same approach as Volume 1 he took his time and chose each beat to fit each freestyle and song "I adapted my song making structure to the disc, I just didnt want to show freestyles on every track. I knew it was something that became repetitive to the listener." An adamant fan of the lyrical side of the game he stuck to his guns and kept making music he knew the world would one day notice.

He later grouped with a crew uptown in the Bronx called Diamond Soundz. With few recordings under Diamond Soundz, he linked up with the in house producer Arkum-X even through the falter. Who would later produce two major tracks for his upcoming third project.

Life causes even the hardest working and succesful people stop and realize the priorities in life. Having had a daughter right around the time he dropped his first disc. Widmark knew her life was passing right by and he needed to make changes. "I knew my music would provide the essentials in my daughter's life, but I didn't know how to balance being with her and at the same time stay on my grind." Taking a year hiatus in 2005 he pushed his career choice on halt and shaped his figure into the father and the man he needed to be before his music could progress. Though the thought about hanging up the mic came during his year in slumber, everytime her wrote he evolved. This lessened his decision to call it quits and planned his new approach.

Having now a stable balance for his family. Widmark picked up where he left off in 2006 with his third disc "The Gun or The Bible." With more swagger than a runway model and with every approach molded to perfection. Widmark puts his money where his mic is and sculpts a timeless street reniassance. "This mixtape ranks with best of them from three years ago till now, and i'll put presidents on that. Everyday I write I get better. The day I see myself falter maybe that's the day i'll call the referee. But as long as I'm not heard my beast is just gon keep growing. Someone asked me one time if I was written out? I ain't answer cause I know that's what they wanted." Widmark also added company to the assault by adding what was a complete surprise to him. His cousin Prime is featured on two tracks for The Gun or The Bible.

What lies ahead for Widmark in raps overcrowded talent is anyones good guess. But it is his own battle to rise among the rest of the rest and be amongst raps top elite.