Draft:N.B.S.

N.B.S.
Background information
Origin	Cambridge, Massachusetts, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop, East Coast hip hop, hardcore hip hop
Years active	2003–present
Labels	NBS Entertainment, Big Bang Records, Traffic Entertainment Group
Members	E'Flash (Imam Bilal-Firmin) V-Knuckles (Rahim Muhammad)

N.B.S. (an acronym for Natural Born Spitters) is an American hip hop duo based in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The group consists of cousins E'Flash (Imam Bilal-Firmin) and V-Knuckles (Rahim Muhammad). Known for their East Coast hip hop sound, N.B.S. has established an international following in Europe and Asia through self-funded tours and collaborations with international producers, including Germany's Snowgoons, Hungary's Scarcity Budapest, and Switzerland's Empire Music.

History

Formation and early life (1990s–2003)

While closely associated with Cambridge, both E'Flash and V-Knuckles originally hail from the Roxbury neighborhood of Boston. E'Flash was raised in the 120 Taurus Buildings, and V-Knuckles lived in the Madison Park Village townhomes. Both relocated to Cambridge during their youth, and V-Knuckles began writing lyrics at the age of 12.

The members subsequently attended historically Black colleges. E'Flash studied at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, while V-Knuckles attended Howard University in Washington, D.C. During this time, V-Knuckles (performing under the moniker Rah Vital) began distributing music through early internet platforms such as MP3.com, developing a listener base that extended to Japan.

Debut and mixtape era (2003–2009)

In 2003, N.B.S. established their own imprint, NBS Entertainment, and released their debut studio album, In Due Time. The album was recorded at Cybersound in Boston and featured production work from J. Cardim. The album established the duo within the Boston underground hip hop scene before going out of print for over a decade.

Throughout the mid-to-late 2000s, N.B.S. became a regular fixture on the Boston live music circuit, performing at showcases such as the Boston Hip Hop Unity Fest. The Boston Herald noted their performances for displaying "strength and unity" within the local scene. The group maintained their output by releasing a series of mixtapes: Green Heist Vol. 1 (2003), The Antidote (2005), Green Heist Vol. 2 (2005), and Straight Piff 1.5 (2006).

They gained broader recognition in 2007 with a feature on the track "You Wanna" from producer 9th Wonder's album The Dream Merchant Vol. 2, appearing alongside artists Sean Price and Royce da 5'9". They followed this feature with the Evolution (The End Of The Beginning) compilation mixtape in 2007. This release marked the beginning of a long-running professional relationship with Brian Shirley, who provided production under the alias Neomatrix. Shirley later transitioned to become the group's general manager and creative director.

The duo also utilized their music for local social commentary. In 2009, they received press coverage for a track addressing the arrest of Harvard professor Henry Louis Gates Jr. by Cambridge police, an event that sparked a national conversation on racial profiling.

Industry debut and international breakthrough (2010–2014)

N.B.S. partnered with Big Bang Records, an independent label founded by fellow Cambridge rapper Virtuoso (Miguel Blackmer-Hart), to release The Prelude in 2010. Initially hosted by Mr Peter Parker as a mixtape, the music was repackaged and marketed as their debut industry full-length album.

Brian Shirley acted as general manager and creative director for Big Bang Records alongside Virtuoso, shifting the group's focus to international markets. This management team developed an export strategy that helped N.B.S. secure tours across Europe independently.

In 2012, they released The Dispensary, a compilation featuring the single "Our Time" with Outerspace. The release performed well in the Asian market, earning physical distribution in Japan through retailers such as Disk Union.

Their 2013 album, The Smokefest, secured distribution through Traffic Entertainment Group. Following this release, N.B.S. focused on international collaborations. In 2014, they released Budavets, a full-length collaboration with the Hungarian production crew Scarcity Budapest, and SwissVets: Hot Dogs to Swiss Francs, produced entirely by Swiss beatmakers Jakebeatz and DJ Tray.

They also expanded their touring footprint in Asia, traveling to Malaysia in 2015 to headline the "Lawalah Vets Tour" alongside the local collective Lawalah Familia.

Collaboration with Snowgoons and recent work (2015–present)

In 2015, N.B.S. formed a partnership with the German production team Snowgoons to release the joint album Trapped in America. The album featured a politically charged sound with guest appearances from Termanology, Reks, and Onyx. The physical CD release included a remastered version of their 2003 debut, In Due Time, as a bonus disc.

In 2020, during nationwide protests regarding systemic racism and police brutality, they reunited with Snowgoons for the sequel, Still Trapped in America. That same year, they reconnected with their Hungarian collaborators to release the Lost in Budapest LP.

Both members have also pursued solo albums. E'Flash collaborated with producer Bluntz in 2023 for the Bluntz With Flash EP. In October 2023, V-Knuckles released his solo album The Next Chapter, featuring production from Phoniks and guest appearances from Wu-Tang Clan's Inspectah Deck and Fredro Starr.

Musical style and influences

N.B.S. is classified as hardcore East Coast hip hop. Their dynamic is built on the vocal contrast between E'Flash's calm delivery and V-Knuckles' energetic flow. E'Flash cites Boston pioneers such as Ed O.G., Guru, and The Almighty RSO as main influences, while V-Knuckles cites artists like Kool G Rap and Nas.

In their hometown, the duo is known for connecting their music to Boston sports culture, having recorded anthems for the Boston Celtics during their playoff campaigns.

Discography

Studio albums

• In Due Time (2003)
• The Prelude (2010)
• The Smokefest (2013)
• Budavets (with Scarcity Budapest) (2014)
• SwissVets: Hot Dogs to Swiss Francs (with Jakebeatz & DJ Tray) (2014)
• Trapped in America (with Snowgoons) (2015)
• SwissVets 2 (2018)
• Still Trapped in America (with Snowgoons) (2020)
• Lost in Budapest (2020)

Mixtapes and compilations

• Green Heist Vol. 1 (2003)
• The Antidote (2005)
• Green Heist Vol. 2 (2005)
• Straight Piff 1.5 (2006)
• Evolution (The End Of The Beginning) (2007)
• The Dispensary (2012)
• The Prelude To The Smokefest (2012)

Solo projects

• Bluntz With Flash (EP) (Flash with Bluntz) (2023)
• The Next Chapter (V-Knuckles) (2023)

Guest appearances

• "You Wanna" (9th Wonder featuring N.B.S., from The Dream Merchant Vol. 2) (2007)