Nick Hardt: Press

Nick Hardt - Cardiac Arrest - CD
(Nick Hardt) I wish I could properly convey the "Uh. Uh. Ahhhhhhhhhh." that the back-up rapper emotes on "Show Boats" the first song of this release by rapper Nick Hardt. . The song is pretty good, but that little part makes me smile every time because it's a bit unexpected. Some of the subjects that Nick takes on include people always trying to project the right image instead of being themselves, how drugs can eat away your life and other such goodness. There's a strong message on "That's Life" that unlike many other rap songs that I've heard, doesn't glorify drugs. Overall this is a pretty good release.
-- Mite Mutant (2007)

Modest Mouth

Lincoln rapper does his talking on debut album

by Brett Wertz

Nick Hardt doesn’t have too much to say about his music — he knows it’s different, but can’t pinpoint exactly what makes it stand out. It could be his plainspoken writing style or topic choice, but the goateed 23-year-old remains generally silent on the subject, saying only that, “It’s something that needs to emerge.”

Hardly a great endorsement for a debut album, and yet Hardt’s new release, Cardiac Arrest, shows an emotional depth and eclectic breadth barely evident in the rapper’s own glib self-assessments.

Hardt has been a rap fan since before he ever owned a CD or cassette of his own, gaining exposure to the genre as an elementary student smuggling listens of his older sister’s tape collection, including the gangsta-rap epic, Dr. Dre’s The Chronic.

“I snuck it in as much as I could,” he said, “since I wasn’t really allowed to listen to that kind of music.”

Those first tastes of early West Coast g-funk — 2Pac, Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg — eventually led Hardt in the direction of turntables and microphones, with which he began experimenting at age 17 while a senior at Norris High School.

Working on samplers, he created what he characterized as “pathetic” beats and just plain “dirty” lyrics. His family wasn’t impressed.

“My stepfather told me he lost all respect for me,” Hardt said, laughing.
Despite the admonitions of his family that he would eventually grow out of the childish rap music, Hardt continued rapping, and his subject matter evolved considerably from the days with his high-school group the Spreg Mafia.

Cardiac Arrest features many Lincoln and Omaha hip-hop regulars — from rapper Jamazz to rocker Luke Kellison, Hardt has included plenty of friends and musical inspirations alongside him on the disc.

The album weighs in at only 10 tracks, but they are a long 10, packed with promising lyricism and themes that define Hardt’s style. From the story-rap “That’s Life,” which deals with teenage drug abuse, to the emotional “Wash It All Away,” a tale of religion, suicide and escapism, Hardt’s work is sentimental and to the point.

“It seems really easy to make a commercial-friendly rap song and get on the radio,” Hardt said. “There’s a few rappers that you hear spit 16 bars and you think, ‘that is just f***ing ridiculous.’”

Though Hardt dabbles in the ridiculous with a few club-friendly songs, his material definitely hits a much deeper note — politically and emotionally — than what has risen to radio and MTV popularity.

His political views may not be the most sophisticated: “My stance is just to bitch about it as much as I can.” And yet in the context of party-tracks like Lil Jon’s “Get Low,” one has to wonder if Hardt’s voice alone isn’t at least a baby-step in the right direction.
And his bitching is only part of the story.

“Every single thought that goes through my mind, I try to write a song about,” he said.
For the left-leaning Hardt — whose voice is half Slug of Atmosphere and half Aesop Rock — the deluge of material isn’t overwhelming creatively, but just provides another reason for him to hit the streets.

Hardt, who is omnipresent in the Lincoln hip-hop scene — both at shows, battles and on stickered-street poles — has been promoting Cardiac Arrest for months.
“I’ve been fliering my ass off for the past year-and-a-half,” Hardt said. “I’ve put stickers on every pole I see.”

Nick Hardt drops his debut CD with the Thoughtless Poetz, The Awkwords, DJ Nost, Brent Docter, Woodstoxxx, Sir Skrapy, BETA, Trenton and Jeebz, Saturday, May 19 at Duffy’s Tavern, 1412 O St. in Lincoln. Cost is $3 at the door, or $6 gets you a CD.

18 May 2007

Nick Hardt to celebrate CD release at Duffy's

By ALEX HAUETER / GZO
Friday, May 18, 2007 - 12:35:34 am CDT

Nick Hardt wanted to release his first CD last week. He even had the stickers printed, but a problem pressing the new disc, “Cardiac Arrest,” forced him to move the album’s release back a week.

Despite the delay, Hardt said he’s happy to “roll with punches” and release “Cardiac Arrest” on Saturday. To celebrate the album hitting stores, Hardt will be performing Saturday night at Duffy’s Tavern, and he’ll be joined by some of his friends from Lincoln’s growing hip-hop scene, including the Thoughtless Poetz and the Awkwords.

Hardt has been interested in rap for as long as he can remember, but he’s only been performing for the past two years. “I actually went to an MC Hammer concert when I was like 8 years old,” Hardt said in an interview earlier this month. “That was pretty righteous.”

In high school, Hardt began to write songs with friends, but it wasn’t until he befriended the Thoughtless Poetz two years ago that he took his work to the stage.

In those two years, Hardt has performed in clubs in Minneapolis and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, and opened in Lincoln for nationally known hip-hop artist Afroman. He also has been a regular performer at the Chatterbox’s Super Dimebag Saturdays, which were held on the second Saturday of every month starting in January.

Based on attendance at Chatterbox shows, he thinks Lincoln’s hip-hop scene is becoming more popular.

“We’ve been getting really good crowds there,” he said.

Hardt began work on “Cardiac Arrest” in November 2005, writing and recording songs on an 8-track in a sound-proof closet in his basement. He produced more than 40 songs, most of which were never likely to make the album.

“A bunch were me messing around,” he said, “nothing I saw myself putting out.”

He chose 10 songs for the album, which vary in tone from party-inducing to tragic to angry.

Tracks like the opener, “Show Boats,” which introduces Hardt’s rap persona, and “Be a Punk Tonight” are lively, beat-driven tracks that cry out for a live performance in a crowded room.

“I like to play on basic, everyday emotions,” Hardt said.

He also knows how to craft thought-provoking songs that demonstrate an awareness beyond any dance club. For example, “Psycho” is a haunting account of the anger that follows an unsuccessful relationship, and “That’s Life” uses a gentle acoustic guitar melody as part of a story about two sisters affected by drug abuse.

“I get inspired by the newspaper,” he said. That was most apparent in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, when Hardt donated the proceeds from one of his shows to relief efforts.

Saturday night, though, is Hardt’s party, and he said he hopes having a CD will help him further establish his identity in Lincoln’s hip-hop scene.

“Once I get the album out, it’ll be like having an office,” he said.

He also promised not to disappoint the Duffy’s crowd.

“I just try to give as much of myself as possible because I put myself into my songs.”

After a short pause, he jokingly added, “And I get the party started.”

Reach Alex Haueter at 473-7254 or at ahaueter@journalstar.com.

Aug. 9
Bobby Danjerfield, Ellmatiq, Nick Hardt and Cruise AKA That Guy
Sokol Underground, 8 p.m., $5
onepercentproductions.com

Bobby Danjerfield — a self-described fascist who is hoping that there are ladies at the front “about to get naked!” — headlines this group of Omaha rappers. Clearly the most seasoned of the group, Danj is sort of a homeless man’s KRS-One, spitting political raps to compliment his love of weed. Speaking of weed, Ellmatiq loves it too! Ell evokes memories of ’90s beat artists Bone Thugs-N-Harmony. Nick Hardt really hates the government, but loves Casio keyboards. If you’re high and have $5, check this out.
— Mike Shearer

Money from local shows to be donated to Katrina relief
BY JOEL GEHRINGER / Lincoln Journal Star
Friday, Sep 09, 2005 - 12:44:46 am CDT

Any musician knows a single song or chord has the power to bring smiles, tears, laughs or sobs.

But it also has the power to save lives — and in the wake of Hurricane Katrina, Lincoln musicians are stepping out to prove it.

In the coming weeks, local bands will perform to collect donations for victims of the hurricane. On Thursday, two shows featuring some of Lincoln’s most popular groups will raise money for disaster relief.

First, the Rococo Theatre, 140 N. 13th St., will host the Kris Lager Band, Forty Twenty and The Balance in a 5 p.m. 18-and-older show.

“It just hit me in the last few days how huge a mess this thing is,” Lager said. “You tend to think local and sometimes you get caught up because it’s so far away. But you definitely want to help, knowing people are struggling, and the only way we know how to help is to play music.”

The Rococo will ask for a minimum $5 donation as admission to the show. Food and beverages will be available.

Proceeds will go to the American Red Cross hurricane relief fund. Volunteers will be collecting donations outside the Rococo at noon that day.

“People can drop off whatever they can get together,” said Justin Kadlec, Rococo marketing manager. “Anyone in the community can come by. We just want to make an environment that everyone will feel welcome in, and we want them to know we’ll get their donations to the right spot.”

Knickerbockers, 901 O St., will also hold a concert Thursday to raise money for the Red Cross. This show — also $5 and 18-and-older — will feature Lincoln hip-hop groups Thoughtless Poetz, IdolWise, Foundayshuns, Awkwords and Nick Hardt and the Kansas City group Soundskid.

Hardt, who coordinated the Knickerbockers donation effort, said the show was scheduled before the hurricane hit, but he felt obligated to donate his proceeds.

“I was reading articles and watching TV nonstop when it happened,” he said. “I don’t really have money to contribute, so I thought this was the perfect outlet to show my support.”

Hardt said he approached the night’s other performers about turning it into a benefit. “I didn’t know if the money thing would be an issue,” he said. “But right when I asked them to do it, they were down with it from the get-go.”

Nick Rainforth of Thoughtless Poetz said he was more than happy to send money to the storm’s victims.

“They need it more than we do,” he said.

Rainforth said his band will also perform on Sept. 18 at the Zoo Bar, 136 N. 14th St., with Electric Soul Method, the Kris Lager Band, Section 8, Awkwords and Hardt. The $5 admission charge will go to the Red Cross.

A daylong concert at the Lancaster Event Center, 4100 N. 84th St., is also in the works. Lincoln band Soul Dawg will play along with other to-be-determined acts on Nov. 5. A $5 admission and proceeds from a silent auction will benefit the Salvation Army.

“Nobody is going to make a penny off this except for the victims,” said Deb Hayes, the concert’s organizer. “I grew up in Virginia, where hurricanes were a common occurrence, but we never had the devastation that I saw (from Katrina). I just feel that something needs to be done to help. … To find out that people are still dying, well, I want to do something.”

Other than volunteering with concerts to raise money for the Hallam tornado victims, Hayes said she has no prior experience organizing concerts, but she felt compelled to raise money for the victims.

“This is the first time I’ve gone in head-first on my own,” she said.

Hayes said she’s looking for more performers and hopes bands will step forward to perform at the concert. She’s also looking for volunteers to help organize the event.

For information or to volunteer, contact Hayes at 465-0289.

SoundsGood, Hardt to perform at Knickerbockers
By: MEGAN R. ROONEY
Issue date: 9/15/05 Section: Arts
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The college campus is an ideal place for musical innovation. The University of Kansas at Lawrence gave SoundsGood the chance to shine and Nick Hardt the opportunity to perform.



SoundsGood and Hardt are just two of the performers taking the stage tonight at Knickerbockers. Dro of Thoughtless Poets and Equal Eyes are also featured.



Joe Good and Miles Bonny of SoundsGood met at Lawrence, but came into their own in Kansas City. Good and Bonny have roots in jazz but found their vocations in hip-hop. Good's grandmother was a Kansas City jazz pianist, and Bonny's father was a jazz trumpeter on the East Coast.



"We both had a lot of jazz in our upbringings, and it's always been a part of our trying to get an emotional reaction from people," Good said.



SoundsGood's catalog includes two studio albums: "Joe Good and Miles Bonny Present SoundsGood" and "Biscuits and Gravy." The material is reminiscent of De La Soul and A Tribe Called Quest with a twist.



"This is musically-based hip-hop, not just rhymes and beats," Good said. "We're regular guys with a passion for music. We want hip-hop to be respected as music and not just a novelty."



Lincoln is the fifth stop on SoundsGood's first national tour.



The tour is in support of "Biscuits and Gravy," but it is also an opportunity to move beyond territory the group already has won over.



"We wanted to get out of Kansas City," Bonny said. "We've got a good following there, but it's kind of an adventure to be meeting new people in each place."



So far, the tour has stopped in Minneapolis, Minn., and Des Moines, Ames and Grinnell, Iowa. All of these towns have large college populations. SoundsGood is confident that their hip-hop mission finds welcoming ears near colleges.



"We're just out of college, so we still connect with the college mindset, but we also connect with the adults because we're out there every day working hard," Bonny said.



Hardt also performs tonight. Hardt is a sophomore English major at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.



Growing up just south of Lincoln, Hardt had an early introduction to hip-hop.



"All my sisters' boyfriends were hugely into hip-hop. They pounded out rap and I just started loving it," Hardt said.



Hardt, Bonny and Good share a common Midwestern background.



Hardt believes the universal nature of the human experience gives his style of hip-hop and rap a wide range of appeal.



"Non-interest in hip-hop comes from the inability to relate to it, like shooting people or something," Hardt said. "I write about my life. I didn't grow up in a ghetto. A lot of people who live in Nebraska go through the same things I do."



Tonight's show was planned weeks ago, but Hurricane Katrina changed the focus of the concert. Hardt and the other performers felt the need to do something.



"I contacted the Red Cross and asked how I could go about making the show benefit the Hurricane Relief Fund," Hardt said.



Good agrees that artists can participate in hurricane relief efforts.



"We don't just want to make a lot of money and make music. We want to change people's lives," Good said.



"The least we can do is entertain some people and get some donations to help these people."



All proceeds from the $5 cover will go to the Red Cross Hurricane Relief Fund.





Who: SoundsGood, Nick Hardt, Dro of Thoughtless Poets, Equal Eyes

Where: Knickerbockers, 901 O St.

When: Thursday, Sept. 15, 9 p.m.

How Much: $5, 18+