From the darkest corners of his life, NYCE has managed to triumph over them all and blaze to the top as a self-made success!
Nicholas Knerr a.k.a., NYCE, (pronounced nice), was born in Anaheim, CA on November 9th. No one could have imagined the gifts this bundle of joy would someday share with the world. NYCE’s mother abandoned him at nine months old, leaving his grandmother to care for him. As life sometimes throws curve balls at us, his grandmother, Patricia Anne Robinson, passed away when NYCE was only five years old. His father was in his life, but stability forced NYCE to have to live with his Aunt, Betty Robinson, who did a fantastic job rearing him to be the man he is today.
His first taste of hip hop music was at age 8 when his cousins sneaked him in their room and showed him Eminem’s “Slim Shady LP”, released under Dr. Dre’s Aftermath Entertainment and Web Records. 
That album sold 283,000 copies in its opening week, with “My Name Is”, as the first official single. The album made Rolling Stone’s list of the 500 greatest albums of all time in 2003. When NYCE saw what Eminem was doing, his spirit co-signed his belief that he could be a successful rapper as well. Talking about finding inspiration, NYCE did that.
At ten years old NYCE met Tremaine Turner, one of the CEO’s of Slapp Maker Productions, in Los Angeles, CA. Tremaine Turner became NYCE’s mentor and manager. Their friendship would expand far beyond that of a professional relationship. Turner became a huge influence on NYCE as more of a father/big brother figure. He kept NYCE focused and grounded while also becoming NYCE role model. NYCE accredits his success to much of the relationship he and Turner established over the years. NYCE often times reflect on one of his fondest memories of Turner buying him his favorite treats of fudge and Oreo freezes from Kelley’s Coffee. Moments that made NYCE the humble person he is today.
It wasn’t long into NYCE’s pursuit of his dreams that a car accident would leave him with a broken femur, which he accredits for his talents as a Graffiti artist. During the weeks that kept him off his feet, not only did he perfect his craft as a Graffiti artist but he found a new inspiration for music through the likes of 2Pac, Nas, Immortal, Technique, Common, Kanye West and other various Midwest and east coast artist. He even found a love for R&B and Soul listening to R. Kelly and John Legend whom both inspired him to write his very first love song, “I Just Gotta Know”.
In late 2010 to early 2011 NYCE was once again faced with a terrible fate. He was diagnosed with Guillain–Barré syndrome (GBS), a disorder affecting the peripheral nervous system. Symptoms begin with paralysis, weakness beginning in the feet and hands and migrating towards the trunk. It can cause life-threatening complications, mainly if the breathing muscles are affected or if there is dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system. Guillain–Barré syndrome disease is rare, about 1–2 cases per 100,000 people per year, but is one of the leading causes of acute non-trauma-related paralysis in the world. This disease took over NYCE’s body, eventually resulting in full body paralyzes. NYCE lay in a hospital bed not even able to smile for over three months. After his release from the hospital, he then had to undergo physical and speech therapy due to the illness leaving him unable to walk, talk, or speak. But NYCE had the determination and will to overcome his circumstances and with the help of those around him that shared compassion and a will to care, as well as, belief in NYCE, a new man transformed.
Today he’s a head turner at Nebul Music Inc., producing music, which he accredits Andy Alberto Almenderez for taking NYCE under his wing. With his first completed mixtape, “Head in the Clouds” and two more on the way, NYCE and his manager Tremaine Turner, are a dual team not to be reckon with!
Throughout NYCE’s life, adversity has seemed to follow him on every corner in his journey in the music industry. But because of his love for music and the un-denying determination to become a great success, NYCE is sought to be one of the greatest rap artist of our time.
Producers NYCE are currently working with are: Syndacit Sound, Marz, Bre-Z of Slapp Makers, and Cash of Purpleductions.
NYCE reached out to Nik-O-Licious and The Heat to share with his growing audience what’s going on with him now and what his future plans are in the music industry.
THE HEAT: So NYCE, what’s happening?
NYCE: As of right now I’m just doing a lot of recording. I have two more projects in the making, four projects. I have a mixtape and an album I’m working on. I’m doing a lot of production work as well with some local artist. NMI up and coming artist I produce for them and taking care of my responsibility of taking care of my fourteen month old son, a little nice Jr.
THE HEAT: Wow, I’d say your plate is full. Congratulations on your first son. Life has not been very sentimental to you with all the diversity that transpired throughout your life, at any point did you ever just want to say, “forget this” and just give up?
NYCE: I never thought about giving up. Life has always been kind of up and down since I was a child. It kind of made me just grow up and be strong. That’s were my single title comes from “Keep on Pushing”. You have to keep on pushing because if you let all the negative things in your life hold you down, you’re never going to prosper or get past it if you dwell on them. I just take it as God put those things in my life for a reason and they are who I am today.
THE HEAT: From your stand point in your relationship with Tremaine Turner, how important would you say it is to have a great relationship with your manager in the music industry?
NYCE: It’s very important. It’s real key. It’s like a second marriage. You have to trust that person with everything. You have to be able to trust these people with your life. Tremaine is my family, he’s more like a brother to me. I trust him with my life. I’d jump in front of a bullet for him and he’d do the same for me I’m sure.
THE HEAT: “Head in the Clouds” is the title of your mixtape, how did you come up with it?
NYCE: Well, I’ve always been a big dreamer since I was a little kid. Out here discovering who I am, I used to want to be a graffiti artist, I wanted to design clothes, I wanted to be the next NYG. Then I started to work with music, I’ve always been kind of a poet. I’ve always been real serious about my music. Basically my life right now is a dream. Right now I’m rich into dreaming until my dream is a reality. My head is always in the clouds dreaming and pushing for more.
THE HEAT: What should we be looking for to come next from NYCE?
NYCE: Right now I’m working on my second mixtape entitled, “Relevance”. I’m also working on my debut album which is entitled, “Versatility”. It’s just going to show the different things I can do as a rapper, singer, songwriter, and producer. I’m going to show all my versatility. I’m very versatile.
THE HEAT: What do you think has been the most contributing factor to help you reach where you’re going?
NYCE: I have so much support. Without support especially from the fans, you can’t move forward. So far I haven’t gotten any negative feedback on my music or my work as a producer. I mean there are haters out there but at this point I have so much support, the haters just drive me to keep on doing what I do. I got Tremaine Turner, he’s done phenomenal things for me in my life and I’m just basically working on what I’m thankful for and try and be humble and just keep on going. Like my single says, “Keep on Pushing”.
THE HEAT: Any shout outs you want to leave us with?
NYCE: Yes most def. My son, Nasiah Eden Knerr, my soft spot and motivation for everything I do, you’re going to be hearing from him someday as well. (he giggles) My Aunt Betty Robinson, she raised me from the ground up. She is the reason I am who I am today. She taught me I could do anything I wanted to do, all I had to do was put my mind to it. I’m so grateful and thankful for her. Tremain Turner, my manger, my big brother, he always has my back. My people at NMI, my engineer Andy Alberto Almanderez aka “Total Control”, holding it down for me getting all my projects out there. My fans and all the people that’s keeping an ear out for my music. I truly appreciate that. I appreciate you Nik, you know we have the same name, so that’s a great thing already. And big shouts out to “The HEAT” for giving me this opportunity to tell my story and talk to my fans.
Talk about a man who planted his feet in the ground and no matter what came his way, kept on running, never looking back, you will have to be talking about NYCE.
We at “THE HEAT” know that NYCE is definitely on his way to success! We’ll holla at’cha in a minute NYCE when the awards and credits start to over flow your life.
Much Love! One Love!
Feel “The HEAT”
I’m still waiting on my Tall galss of “Ice Water”…It’s getting so dang gone “Hot” up in here! LOL
