VERSATILE AKA Stryccnyne

Michael Goodwin, Also known as Stryccnyne, was born and raised in Harlem, N.Y. In elementary school, Stryccnyne wrote small raps however, it was not until he reached junior high school that he decided to write his first book. He deemed himself “Rizing Son,” seeing himself not only as an up and coming artist, but as a young man transforming into a greater person overall. Despite the occasional boos when he performed his pieces, he was determined to better himself and continued to write. When he reached high school, he began to change his style which later led to his decision to create a new alias. Rizing Son gave way to Stryccnyne, an emcee who stimulated any audience with his rhyme skill, and metaphorically poisoned his opponents. In time, boos became cheers, he was asked to perform for school functions, and Stryccnyne became a member of the group Reaper’s Helix. From that point, he knew that there was no turning back. He continued his growth in his first year of college where he performed at open mics and participated in emcee battles. Classmates didn’t refer to him by his birth name but instead referred to him as “Strycc.” When Stryccnyne transferred from Temple University due to financial constraints, to the school he is currently attending, City College, he continued to write new lyrics. Over the years, Stryccnyne has delved deeper into Hip-Hop, listening to underground rap artists among others who have influenced his art. Stryccnyne plans to record a full album with original production in the near future but for now, he takes it one day at a time.