Northern Issues is a side project of the CT artists Issues and Northstar. The title of the collaboration was derived from both of their names and seemed fitting as alot of the subject matter on the E.P relates to life and everything that they have expirienced growing up and living in the Northeast U.S. The working title of the album itself is the ever appropriate "Come and See How Good We Look". The two became close friends in 2006 and have been making music ever since. They are individual artists with individual styles sharing the same producers. As fate would have it, often times a track would come into their hands that spole personally to both of them, so naturally they had to share it. The deep connection with the raw material along with whatever the two were going through life-wise at the time harbored some very real music that was never forced. It just seemed to happen. On this premise, Northern Issues was created without them even realizing it until it was almost complete. The joint effort to add finishing touches and make it a publishable E.P started in April '08, in an attempt to take the CD players of every Civic and Jetta in Connecticut by force by the beginning of the summer, with the additional agenda of creating a buzz for the release of their solo E.P's (NorthStar; Assault and Flattery and Issues; Rehab) They are also continuously working closely with the entire NuLife set, including Willis (also finishing his solo E.P) and DJ Secret, both found in the top friends section. Add em'.
Don't let the title throw you off. Though of course they are, really really ridiculously good looking, they know there's more to life than that. And of course neither of them authored this. ; ) They are in reality extremely hard working and focused individuals to whom which life and music are seldomly separated. Their agendas aren't financial gain or semi-stardom. Their only goal is to get people to hear what they have to say and perhaps revive the way people feel about song making and hip hop in general. They also have the intention of speaking directly to people going through similar personal battles they are continually a part of, in an attempt to help someone in the same way music saved them on several occasions. Time to return the favor. The creation of the project was bound to happen whether they intended it or not, and it is yet to be seen if the kid they never knew they had will grow up and be a part of the big world. They have a very unique sound unlike any mainstream hip hop of the day and most local or underground artists as well. They don't fall into any of the day's genres, fortunately, as they both feel quality is a word that doesn't apply to alot of the garbage that's tossed into the mainstream killing all the dolphins and seaturtles and baby seals and whatnot.
NorthStar's background is in poetry and many other musical styles aside from hip-hop, including rock, reggae and instrumental. Backed by the notoriously nefarious DJ Morgasm, a long time friend from the backwoods they were raised in, and an arsenal of deep thought picture-painting sampling and song design, he is about to release "Assault and Flattery" (July '08).
Issues' in your face attitude is ever-present in his tracks, reminiscent of the insides of the dumpster walls that he crawled out of. *again, neither of them authored this ; )* Ish speaks from the back streets of a few of the shittiest places in CT and a history of drugs and violence, intertwined with spirituality and women. They are both very opposite in style and this contributes greatly to the versatility of their project. They sound completely different when they are solo, and different again when together.
They are both completely confident that their CD will find a permanent summer home in ANY car CD player it visits. It says to the listener... "Can I spend the night tonite? AND FOR 2 MONTHS STRAIGHT?!?"
Tune in regularly for newly posted tracks and project status info, show listings and updates on the individual artists' lives and careers, along with regularly updated blogs that will be sure to capture the interest of at least a few losers like Norty and Ish.
ENJOY THE SUMMER. LIFE SHORT BUT SWEET FOR CERTAIN.
