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"It ain't where you from, it's where you at."
These words, uttered by William Griffin almost 20 years ago, are one of the oldest adages in hip-hop.
While rappers over the years have taken the statement to fit their own personal purposes, it can be inferred that Griffin, of Wyandanch, Long Island, meant that rap is universal; classic hip-hop can come from the most unlikely places.
THE SINIT embodies Griffin's (better known as Rakim) convictions.
Coming from Silver Spring, Md., THE SINIT consists of six members: Clebo, Enano, Laz Vegas, Obvious, St.Ag and VeRs.
From the get-go, what made THE SINIT different from other cliques was their diversity. Two of the members, Clebo and Stag, are of Haitian descent, Enano and Obvious are both El Salvadorian (Enano is also half-Peruvian), while Laz and VeRs are African American.
That diversity is reflected in their music.
"We're speaking for the people," says Stag. "[We've got] two Americans, two Haitians and two Hispanics, so you'll get things from the First World perspective and two different Third World perspectives."
"We're universal," comments Laz. "Anyone in every walk of life, from 9 to 90, can find something they can connect to."
"We've got the music everybody could feel," chimes in Enano.
With such different backgrounds, it's hard to imagine a group being so cohesive, but somehow, they are.
"We're focused on the same goal," states Obvious. He continues, "Once you got six individuals, if someone slips, someone brings that person back up," a statement that speaks volumes about the family nature of THE SINIT.
"It's one voice. Ain't no moves being made without anyone else, We all fam. We move as a unit," VeRs concurs.
He jokes, "All for one and one for all, all that musketeers shit."
That family comparison is actually literal, as Laz and Obvious and VeRs all lived together for a period of time in a 2 bedroom apartment which they dubbed The Hellhole. Laz and VeRs combined their equipment and the first batches of THE SINITs songs were created.
It was when they finally recorded as a group that they realized, even with their remarkable group dynamic, everybody in THE SINIT is an impressive individual artist.
"None of us sounds the same," notes Clebo. "When we're together everyone gels so well, [but] everybody shines on their own."
"You ain't heard no camp out there like that, Niggas all sound the same in their cliques," adds Vers. "You gonna feel [at least] one of us."
And from Clebo's consciousness to Enano's smooth flows to Laz' touch of poetry to Obvious' lyrical ferocity to Stag's wit to VeRs' punchlines, that statement is on point.
"We try to bring originality to the table," says Laz.
An added bonus is THE SINIT fire in-house production, mainly done by Laz and VeRs. The duo's repertoire runs the hip-hop gamut, as they have beats for any occasion, from club joints to underground bangers. Laz specializes in synth production and VeRs' trademark is his creative sampling. Their experience playing musical instruments as kids (Laz can play the drum and bass; VeRs on the keys) definitely benefits them behind the boards.
In Silver Spring, in the shadows of Washington, D.C.-not exactly a hip-hop hotbed itself- THE SINITs collective talents have served them well to this point. The group was the subject of an article in a local weekly newspaper and they've appeared on local cable TV. Their website (www.thesinit.com) is also a factor in keeping their buzz strong.
The group has developed a devoted fan base, thanks to performing regularly at various spots in the D.C. area.
"When we do our shows, people come support," says Obvious. "They know we ain't coming with no half-ass shit."
But because of the area's low profile on the hip-hop map-D.C. is known for the more regional go-go music-it's been hard to gain national attention.
Of the D.C. hip-hop scene, Laz says, [There's] no such thing." He continues, "Half the cats around here sound like the radio."
Clebo's take is a little different. "There's a lot of nice emcees in D.C [but] D.C. emcees don't support each other," he says.
THE SINIT is determined to rise above the limitations of their home market.
"We got positive minds," says Enano.
With a mixtape titled SINIT CITY: OUR AMERICA dropping INDEPENDENCE DAY 2006 and plans to do some out-of-town shows, success can't be too far behind.
In the words of Stag, "We know exactly what we're doing."
OUT NOW IS THE LEAD SINGLE FROM THE SINIT CALLED "L.U.I.(Life Under the Influence) VISIT WWW.THESINIT.COM FOR INFO ON HOW TO PURCHASE.
We have performed live in various venues in the MD/DC/VA area, and we are currently shopping our latest releases:
St.Ag - De Ja Vu
St.Ag - Muscles
VeRs - The Best Of VeRs
To view a history of our performances, click on the link below:
The Sinit's Show Timeline
If you are interested in hearing snippets of our latest projects, or information on purchasing them, check out our online store.
The Sinit's Online Store
Thank you for your interest in The Sinit.
Contact RLM at (240) 593-0644 to speak to a representative for booking or release information.
