Not your average ‘Niceguys’ | The Triangle

Not your average ‘Niceguys’

The Niceguys, from left to right: Yves, Free, Christolph and DJ Candlestick, are working on releasing their second album, “James Kelley” this fall. Their debut album “The Show” is on iTunes now.

“The only thing promised on this tilted axis is victory for my Niceguys, death and taxes,” boasts the hard-hitting track “Die Later” by The Niceguys of Houston, Texas. In no sense are they your ordinary hip-hop group. The group consists of four pieces: Yves – the MC, Christolph – half the production team, Free – the other half of the production team and Candlestick – the group’s DJ. The four met while enrolled at the University of Houston. To date they have released ”Niceguys Finish Last, Vol. 1,” a 2007 mixtape, “The Green Room EP” in 2009 and their debut album, “The Show,” released September 2010, with another album titled “James Kelley” coming this fall.

“The Show” took over a year to record and wasn’t released by any major label, just the four guys and their friends. Listening to the album from start to finish, it is truly an experience. Yves takes the listener through the highs and lows over production, ranging from rock-influenced hip-hop to slow R&B songs that’ll make you want to grab “Somebody” and slow dance. Songs like “Die Later” and “Mr. Perfect” will blow you out of your chair with their high energy. “On This Road” is one of many songs featuring incredibly clever lyricism from Yves: “Burning from the fact, they’ll be no turning back, from rap to two ferns with Zach Galifianak, I’m tryna take it there, so the fern is exactly where I’m at, hell is home, I furnished it in fact.”

The guys make sure to get boastful on the album with “Victory Lap” and “It’s Like That.” “The Show” has a little bit of everything for everybody. As Yves told me, “when you listen to the album, you find something new every time; it’s like the gift that keeps on giving.” And a year after the release, it’s still fresh, unique and relevant.

While many artists push content every few months to stay relevant, The Niceguys spend time with each project to ensure they’re delivering the best product. “We keep growing and developing as a group, and it’s hard to put a lid on the creativity. This project has been a huge growing process for the guys, and we want to put the music out the right way,” Yves said. The new album, “James Kelley,” features the lead single “Ari Gold,” which is now also a flashy music video, directed by Danny Ocean of Evesborough Films, and can be found on YouTube.

The most impressive thing about The Niceguys is their ability to stay in touch with their fans. Yves said, “the most important thing for an artist is to develop trust with your fans. You want your fans to connect to you as the artist, not just to your music.” The guys know that they have a long way to go, but they’re willing to do whatever it takes to make it. This is just the beginning for The Niceguys.

For more information on The Niceguys, visit their website at thenicelook.com, like them on Facebook (The Niceguys Music) or follow them on Twitter (@TheNiiceguys). “The Show” is available as a free download on their website or for $9.99 on iTunes.