Biography
Discovered by De'Jon J. H. Clark and DJ Fat Jack, Novelist aka Emcee N.I.C.E. had early success in 2002 with a co-production of "Thugz_Mansion" (Acoustic Version) that landed him on both the Triple Platinum album "Better Dayz" of iconic rapper 2 Pac and Platinum album "God's Son" of Hip Hop Legend Nas.
From there N.I.C.E. co-founded a Las Vegas based duo called KansasCali, an R&B hip-hop group that would later evolve into a urban pop rock band called The Rocturnals. In 2002 the duo released an independent record called "Vegas One (The beginning)" and in 2003 landed the theme song for the NFL all time leading rusher Emmitt Smith's T.V. show "The Emmitt Zone", but it wasn't until 2004 when the duo converted into an urban pop rock group that they would achieve real success landing on the Oscar winning film "Crash Soundtrack" and music video for song "If I..." prominently featured in the "Special Features" of the DVD that went on to sell well over 10 million units, but the duo's success didn't stop there; that same year, they also landed on the (International Soundtrack) of the block buster film "Mr. & Mrs. Smith" starring Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie.
The duo was also chosen by Billboard Magazine Executive Tamara Coniff to open and perform at the First Annual Billboard Digital Entertainment Awards. The success kept rolling teaming up with Shay Todd co-founder Shiro Gutzie of the Superb Group to release the duo's EP "Hello World" in 2005. That same year the duo also made guest appearances on R&B Legend Aaron Hall's final album "Adults Only", featured on the song "Serve That Body". Also in 2005 Novelist Co-Founded urban animation company Toon Farm Animation with business partner William "Dolla" Chapman II that lead to the creation of the Urban Family Animated Music Cartoon Series, called "Da Jammies" which also starred Emcee N.I.C.E. and his business partner along with other notable actors such as Darius McCrary, Kyla Pratt, Kel Mitchell, Tiny Lister, Kim Whitley, James Avery, Alisa Reyes, Kurtis Blow, YoYo, and Lil' JJ.
In 2006 the demand continued to grow for Novelist's group as KansasCali would be featured on more soundtracks, ESPN's movie soundtrack Once in a Lifetime: The Extraordinary Story of the New York Cosmos with their song "U Gotta Fight!" which prominently features Novelist and Orlando Bloom's Haven (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) for the song "Uuuh". That same year the duo made a guest appearance on another R&B Legend's album K-Ci Hailey of K-Ci & JoJo with both production and features on his album entitled "My Book" with songs "It's All Love" feat. KansasCali and Production on the song called "Soldier". Still having momentum, in 2007 KansasCali would produce and feature on another T.V. Special, George Wilborn TVOne Comedy Special "I Don't Want to Be No Star" in 2008, Jamie Kennedy's Kicking It Old Skool with song "The Life" as the Closing credits and Lil JJ's Almost Grown and finally in 2009 on Lav Luv TVOne Comedy Special "I'm Gonna Get In Trouble" before going independent and becoming an urban rock band, changing their names to The Rocturnals. From 2008-2012 Emcee N.I.C.E. as Novelist with The Rocturnals would go on to do 6 more records along with landing yet another song that debuted on T.V. this time teaming up with Mark Cuban on an NBA theme song "This is Where Amazing Happens" debuting at the NBA All-Star Rookie Challenge in Dallas on TNT, then came The first responders Documovie called "Save The Brave" produced by the John Feal (first responder) of the Feal Good Foundation. Their independent LP "The Life" an Earth song "Celebrate the Earth" then finally featuring on Prince & The Revolution Co-Founder Doctor Fink's compilation record "Doctor Fink presents A Tribute to Prince" with their classic remake of "Pop Life".
In 2012 Novelist returned to his roots of Hip-Hop R&B as Emcee N.I.C.E. (MC Nice) and release a single entitled "Life of The Party" that featured new comer Blake "Jus Blake" Smith in June, the single would gain notoriety fast when the "Dance Version" produced by hit maker Ralph "Phantom" Stacy who also produced Dru Hill, SWV, Johnny Gill, and Houston(singer) was released featuring iconic and controversial actress Stacey Dash and "Jus Blake". Russell Simmons Global Grind jumped on it first followed by Yahoo Music and TooFab. The music video was leaked by TMZ and its subsidiary TooFab but suffered a blow when Stacey Dash announced her support for Presidential Candidate Mitt Romney much to the chagrin of the African American community, any momentum the record had and or was building came to a screeching halt. Emcee N.I.C.E. tried to pick the momentum back up in December with a Christmas Release "Christmas With U" feat. Who Am I? in which he donated a portion of the proceeds to Anti-Bullying and Anti-Hazing campaigns.
