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Orlando never ceases to surprise me. With it’s growing underground hip-hop scene, you never know what you’ll find. You’ll hear some dirty south rappers, some grimey hard-core crews, and even some mellow acts. The Nu-Ridians, however, are on a whole different tip.

Upon first listen, Les Deal a.k.a. L.E.S. and Vaughn McKenzie a.k.a. C-Monk, both 24, don’t sound like Orlando rappers at all. The group name itself represents their New York past and their Florida future. Their sound comes from a mix of NYC flair and Dirty South syrup with some island charm thrown in, bringing us a fresh new vibe. "We’re versatile. We’re not one dimensional. We’re targeting every aspect of the game," says C-Monk. "We’ve got something for everybody," L.E.S. adds.

L.E.S. and C-Monk both hail from New York City. Ironically, both moved to Orlando in 1989, though they didn’t know each other. The brothers hooked up at Valencia Community College in 1996. Both hail from the islands (C-Monk was born in Jamaica and Les’s Family is from Curacao) and they were born only 12 days apart.

When you first meet these guys, two words come to mind: humility and positivity. These are the most humble rappers I have ever met. When asked what issues they plan to touch on or stay clear of, L.E.S. replies, "Definitely guns. We have this line in a song ‘ The only burner I pack is for CD-R’s." We don’t use them, so why rhyme about them? We rap about the things we know."

But don’t let the humble vibe fool you. When it’s showtime, the fellas truly bring the A game. A Nu-Ridian’s show is electric. It’s as if Les and Vaughn go to the lab, drink a secret formula and emerge as L.E.S. and C-Monk, two brothers with high energy that are a force to be reckoned with. And you best believe the shows are tight. "We realize the how important they are. We practice and come up with routines to try to get the audience involved." says L.E.S. In fact, each show is taped and later critiqued for errors or ideas for improvement, truly a professional move.

The fellas were smart enough to bring some family into the fold. Les’ mother Edidelsa (Dee) is their manager. "We had this guy who was trying to sign us to a management contract before even showing us anything. He didn’t even prove himself to us. I was talking it over with my mother, and the things she was saying made more sense than what he was saying. At first she was like ‘Oh no, not me’, but we finally convinced her," says L.E.S.

When asked about the hip-hop scene in Orlando, they say, "Rapping in Orlando is like being a big fish in a small pond. In New York, your next-door-neighbor is a rapper. There’s much more competition," says L.E.S. "But it’s hard down here, because corporate radio stations are targeting a certain audience. It’s hard for local artists to come out," says C-Monk. They also spoke on the internal problems in Orlando’s music scene. "Nobody wants to support each other. There’s a lot of hate out there," says Vaughn. "If people would only see that if we can come together and support each other’s stuff, then things can happen." says L.E.S. However, he did point out some heads in the movement who are doing it right: Andromeda, Anduze, and their producer Mind Bender, among others.

Where do the Nu-Ridians see themselves in the future? "Worldwide. I’m talkin’ IMAX! Big screen," says C-Monk, "We’re talented, disciplined, and we have a strong work ethic, so I think we’ll be successful." The Nu-Ridians are in line to be the next big act to break out of Orlando, so look out for them in the Orlando hip-hop scene. "This is what we do. We live hip-hop every day," Says L.E.S. "Expect big things," adds C-Monk. - Chris "cuffwerks" Cuff