What’s Important About These Items
Once upon a time, in the tropical kingdom of Kingston, Jamaica, Nomad Carlos co-created the underground Hip Hop scene. Miami-born, Kingston-raised, and now based in Long Island, New York, Carlos and his crew – The Council of Gods – typify the global nature of Hip Hop. This proficient MC-producer generously gave his recently released albums – “Element of Surprize” and “The Psyche” (the latter a co-production with The Artivist) – to The Hip Hop Museum. While the records exist in digital format, for Carlos, what he chose to donate “are like pieces of art to me, and for projects in which I put 100%, they deserved physical release.” Carlos shares with this author the importance of tangible sound, what he refers to as “music in its purest form.” We celebrate his decision to press vinyl for his LP and ship it worldwide to fans.
Why Carlos Donated These Items to the THHM
Any creator can attest to what Carlos told us about “Element of Surprize: “I was very hands on with the making of this project, from the samples chosen, to the concepts, to the sound’s overall direction. With the lyrics, I aimed to paint a picture.” What he describes as his “most cinematic body of work, including vivid tales and unique concepts, a love story, conversations with my late grandfather, and lessons on how to move as a man in this Babylon world” contributes to the album being the one most special to him within his vast catalogue. Even more significant is “Element of Surprize” is the first vinyl release by a Hip Hop artist in Jamaica. This historical moment is one we proudly share with Carlos.
Speaking for the THHM, we feel honored that Carlos gave us the album responsible for “where [he] began to develop [his] ear and overall production skills.” Between splicing skits, adding obscure sound bites from his favorite video games (because, good people, he is a gamer), he crafted specific stories. Carlos made an EP as much for himself as about himself. He told us how “The Psyche” “explores how the effect of society and my environment growing up in Kingston affected my psyche.” While all Hip Hop is personal, the perspective here is truly unique. You can hear (and purchase) Carlos’s work on Bandcamp and Spotify and watch him on YouTube.
In Carlos’s Words
“I was always aware of the THHM from before there was even city approval for its building in The Bronx. I’m from a predominantly dancehall music culture in Kingston, Jamaica, and our cultures are like brothers and sisters. The museum is held to the highest standard when preserving the culture, I want to be a part of that, and to have my own contributions to Hip Hop culture included feels great.” – Nomad Carlos
