To sum it up, Kryptik has patiently sat back and waited for his time to emerge and make himself known to the Underground world. He has made a large impact in a short amount of time and his momentum only continues to grow. He puts 110% of his heart into every thing he does, every show, every lyric, every little flier or sticker. No matter what it is, he strives for perfection and is his own biggest critic. His fans mean more to him than his own music, and so he takes the time to individually acknowledge every single one of them, and will continue to provide them with the music they've longed for since the death of the radio. Come see Kryptik live, and you'll begin to understand how much love he has for music, and how much he enjoys providing the crowd with a memorable experience. He is not the average rapper, and he is not the average performer. In Kryptik's opinion, average is boring. Average is the same 30 songs on the radio about 24 inch rims, platinum chains, and going to the club. Average takes no skill, no creativity, no intelligence. Kryptik's music is far from average, just listen for yourself.
A Brief History
Who the hell is Kryptik??
Kryptik emerged on the Underground rap scene early in 2006, however is no stranger to the music. He has been an avid supporter of underground music for most of his life, influenced by the likings of Esham, ICP, Twiztid, the Wu-tang Clan, and Cypress Hill just to name a few. Disgusted with the lack of ability and creativity displayed in the Mainstream music industry these days, he decided to take matters into his own hands and make the change from spectator to participator. He began developing his career in 2002, studying the workings of the Underground, observing and soaking in all the knowledge he possibly could. He spent 3 years writing, polishing his skills and perfecting his craft, carefully planning his debut. When he was finally ready, Kryptik exploded on the scene with hurricane force. His music is filled with pain, anger, violence, and sick humor, with shocking lyrics and a vast amount of versatility. What separates him from other artists who speak of similar things is his extensive vocabulary and the creativeness of his delivery. He considers himself a "Wordsmith," with the ability to manipulate the English language and present his sick thoughts in a way that keeps his listeners interested. This has not only earned him a fan base of many "Juggalos," fans of underground legends I.C.P. who love this type of deranged music, but has also earned him much respect from his peers in the CT hip hop community which is greatly influenced by neighboring New York City.
Wait, I think I heard of him somewhere . . .
The release of a 5 track demo which was dispersed in mass quantities at literally every underground show on the East Coast in 2006 started a huge buzz in the underground scene, building Kryptik a fan base and earning him respect as a legitimate artist who was making a name for himself. An internet radio station by the name of CrypticRadio.com (no relation) got hold of one of these demos and immediately put Kryptik in steady rotation. In one week Kryptik received more plays and requests than any other artist in the history of the station, earning him a nomination for "Artist of the Month" which he won by a landslide victory. Soon after Kryptik was featured on numerous other radio stations and sites such as Rotten Radio, Blackboxx Radio, and Faygoluvers.net "Songs of the Week." The track "Down 4 tha Cause. . .the MurdaRap Anthem" has become an instant underground hit, with a hook that has the entire crowd chanting at every show.
So he plays shows??
The only way to truly experience Kryptik is to see him perform live. Unlike other rappers, a Kryptik show is an actual SHOW, not simply getting on stage with a microphone while bobbing your head and rapping. Each individual show he plays is carefully planned, from the set list, to the stage set, to costume changes and surprises that keep the crowd on their toes. The live DJ and animated "hype-men" add to the performance and give anyone in attendance a show that they'll remember and talk about for a long time. In November of 2006, for his second ever live performance, Kryptik was added to the bill to open for underground rap legend Tech N9ne at the Webster theater in Hartford, CT. It was his first time ever playing his home state or the Webster. Since then, Kryptik has played over 50 shows in 2007 and early 2008, including opening for everyone from Potluck to D.O.P.E. to Bone Thugs-n-Harmony. He has performed in 8 different states and was invited to the 2007 Gathering of the Juggalos presented by Psychopathic Records, as well as 4 dates with Lewn on the 2007 Misery Loves Kompany tour presented by Strange Music. Kryptik began renting his home state venue, the Webster Theatre, in mid 2007 and puts on his own underground shows every two months booking artists from around the map such as PLC, Ruthless, Mastamindz, Lewn, and Ill.e.gal just to name a few. These shows, to quote the Webster Theatre staff, are "the most successful shows of this type that anyone in this state has ever put on at this venue."
Where can I hear his music?
Besides myspace, soundclick, and his website, (all listed below) Kryptik has put out his own home-pressed CDs which are usually given out for free to eager fans. The first was a 5 track demo that he recorded himself in mid 2006. Since then, he has learned much about engineering and his skills have greatly improved. He put together his own home studio at a location know as "The Grindhouse" where he spends 90% of his time working on music, whether it is his own, or recording and mixing for other local artists. The sound quality of his work is greatly above average compared to most. Besides dozens of collabs with countless Underground artists, his most recent release is a 20 track, full 80 minute mixtape entitled "Venom Volume One" which was released on Feb. 29th of 2008. Only two months later, Venom Volume Two is already nearly finished. This is why Kryptik calls his studio "The Grindhouse," because the grinding never stops. The more music, the better.
Important Notes:
Kryptik has played shows with/opened for the following artists:
TECH N9NE
ICP
BONE THUGS
KINGSPADE
POT LUCK
ANYBODY KILLA
BLAZE
HED P.E.
KING GORDY
CRITICAL BILL
AMB
DEAD BY WEDNESDAY
BIZAAR OF D-12
PLAYAZ LOUNGE CREW
WOLFPAC
GRAVEPLOTT
RUTHLESS
MASTAMINDZ
LEWN
INTRINZIK
D.O.P.E.
Q-STRANGE
FURY
ILL.E.GAL
T.O.N.E-Z
In the following states:
(57 performances in 2007 and early 2008)
Connecticut
Pennsylvania
New York
Virginia
Massachusettes
Maryland
Rhode Island
Illinois
And has been a part of the following tours/festivals:
2007 MLK Tour featuring Tech N9ne, Potluck, and DFG (with Lewn)
* 11.17.07 @ the Palladium in Worcester, MA
* 11.18.07 @ the Webster in Hartford, CT
* 11.19.07 @ the Knitting Factory in Manhatten, NY
* 11.20.07 @ the Crocodile Rock in Allentown, PA
2007 Gathering of the Juggalos (bombhouse stage)
2008 Gathering of the Juggalos (second stage)
2008 ABK's Regulate in '08 Tour (with Lewn)
* 1.17.08 @ the Crocodile Rock in Allentown, PA
* 1.18.08 @ the Peppermint Beach Club in Virginia Beach, VA
2008 Fire and Ice Tour featuring Tech N9ne, Paul Wall, and Ill Bill (with Lewn)
* 5.08.08 @ the Palladium in Worcester, MA
* 5.09.08 @ Lupo's in Providence, RI
* 5.10.08 @ Toad's Place in New Haven, CT
Kryptik's music has been featured on:
*Faygoluvers.net *RottenRadio.com
*CrypticRadio.com *BlackboxxRadio.com
*Under the Ground Volume One compilation CD
*Below the Surface Volume One compilaton CD
*Kryptik "East Koast MurdaRap" demo/ E.P. 2006-2007
*Kryptik & DJ Cubed "Venom" Volume 1 and 2 mixtapes 2008