Sitting before me is a young man with a dream. Creating music since childhood, he started writing lyrics at eight years old with his cousin, engaging in harmless, adolescent fun. Developing a budding skill, he continued. On his thirteenth birthday, he received a microphone, with which he persisted to record music, unleashing tracks on the World Wide Web. Recognized by “Crank That” rapper Soulja Boy, who began to play the rookie’s music on his radio station, Curtis Nyarko, also known as Kurtiz The Kid, a Freshman Biology major and aspiring rapper, has received a considerable amount of attention at the mere age of nineteen.
Discovered by Sean Gilbert, former NFL player and CEO of I GOT Records, Curtis was signed and since then, has made his mark as a promising young star. “What I’ve learned so far is, if you have a talent, don’t be so shy to let others know about it,” said Nyarko. Always the modest mouse about his craft, he would post his songs online, hoping others would somehow stumble upon them. Now, still equipped with a humble mentality, he wants the world to know what he’s got up his lyrical sleeve. Releasing his first album in May 2010, entitled Space Trippin, his debut was a story from beginning to end. “The intro is me falling asleep, and the outro is my alarm clock waking me up,” said Nyarko. Each song is a different experience, a lucid trip through space. More recently, Curtis released his newest project, Capsule Corp. Generated by his love for the anime cartoon Dragon Ball Z, Capsule Corporation is one of the largest and most prosperous companies in the Dragon World. Mirroring its success, Curtis’ movement invites anyone with a goal in life they wish to accomplish.
The album also captures the reunion he shared with his friends after coming home for winter break, including inside jokes and highlights from a memorable night at a Miami nightclub. “I’m young, wealthy, fresh, and I’m fly/ Immortalized through music, so I can never die,” are the lyrics from “Heart of a King,” off of Capsule Corp. Supplied with an eager thirst for meaningful music, Curtis appreciates the more progressive sector of rap. Although he was supported by Soulja Boy in the very beginning, he does not identify his own technique with the Atlanta rapper’s, naming his idol Kanye West. “I like how Kanye is outspoken and doesn’t hold his tongue,” said Nyarko. “He started out as a music producer, and then grew as an artist. Before he was doing strictly hip hop, and now he’s doing orchestrated instrumentals, which amazes me.”
Kurtiz the Kid houses club-worthy tracks like “In My Zone,” and “Kodak Moments,” but he makes sure to include the roots of old school. Avoiding profanity, he appreciates uncontaminated songs. “I like a challenge, I don’t like taking the easy way out by filling in space with a curse word. When I can’t think of anything else, I’ll actually sit down until I come up with something,” said Nyarko. Concerning rappers who drop swears on the regular, he isn’t a fan. “If you have a purpose in your music, that’s fine, but if your just cursing to fill in spaces because you have nothing else to say, which a lot of rappers do, I don’t think that’s cool,” he said. With intent to study medicine, Curtis Nyarko has a bright head on his shoulders. His shy exterior and pleasant air give him the ingredients for an element of surprise, specifically during a live show. Having performed with the likes of Fabolous and Keri Hilson, he plans to make use of his surroundings with more local shows, and appear in other cities for spring break and summer. In the meantime, Curtis reads his biology textbook by day, longing for the moment he can slam it shut, and release his lyrical rhapsodies.