Playing a stage in New York City isn't exactly going where no man has gone before, but for the majority of Connecticut hip-hop artists, it probably feels that way. Very few Connecticut emcees get the opportunity to perform in NYC, which is one reason Phenetiks' appearance at The Annex on Jan. 9 is so impressive.
"NY is a comfortable vibe for us and the Phenetiks' sound," says Deto-22, who, along with DJ Sir.Cumference, Protégé and Roc-one make up the foursome. Deto points to another reason they're amped to perform in the City. "We're looking forward to rockin' with Homeboy Sandman" — Homeboy Sandman being one of the most buzzed-about emcees in the Five Boroughs.
For Phenetiks, a lot of their buzz has developed from their live shows. They attribute it to their DJ, Sir.Cumference. Protégé calls him "our innovator," adding, "He comes up with some insane formulas for scratching and adds flair to our tracks." Roc-one, the lone New Yorker in the group (he's from Brooklyn), says Sir.Cumference could be "a one-man show."
Of course, he could be, but with the rest of the crew there he's part of a four-man show that has been improving by leaps and bounds when it comes to their performances, improvements that Deto says have been the result of their time in the local scene.
"I stepped up my 'on stage' after seeing Hawl-Digg of Workforce kill it one night," Deto remembers. "He kills it every night, but on this particular evening we were going on directly after them and he destroyed it. I was like, 'There's no way I'm going up there and doing my usual.' It helped me shake off a few more stage fright pounds. We also see Sketch Tha Cataclysm, The Rising Sun Quest and d_Cyphernauts give their 110 percent every time."
Phenetiks also feed off each other. "The four of us know each others' shit," says Deto, "so it's easy to just go up there and have fun and just let the energy fly."
Protégé adds, "How can someone else enjoy your music if you yourself are on stage and you don't look like you're having a good time? I've noticed that if I'm having fun on stage the crowd usually reciprocates that."
With plenty of crowds reciprocating and NYC calling, Roc has a theory on why more Connecticut artists don't make it to bigger stages, and it starts with them not perfecting their craft while in the state. "I think most cats don't make the transition to performing — period," he states. "It's because they don't believe in their own art and movement, so they remain stagnant."
Stagnant is something Phenetiks aren't. In 2007, only two years after they became a group, they were named one of the "Rawkus 50," a high honor for any underground rap group. Protégé says the group has come to view the entire thing more as a learning experience than the launching pad so many groups were hoping it would be. According to Deto, "We made some friends out of it and figured out some assholes, too."
Look for a lot more from Phenetiks in 2009, as Roc states, "This year is where we take everything we've learned and put it to use at full force. There will be no half-stepping." No half-stepping, indeed, as the crew plans on releasing Protégé's solo album at the start of the year, Roc's shortly thereafter, a few projects Deto's working on with some other members of the AntFarm Affiliates, and then finally a third Phenetiks album. Fans can rest assured that they'll be hitting plenty of stages in support of all of these projects, although as Roc points out, "Ironically, the hardest crowd to please is in CT."
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