Tony Emcee
25, Brownsville
Sound: “Early Kanye subject matter with aspiring Notorious B.I.G.–Jay-Z lyricism underlined with the passion of a young Makaveli.”
Sample lyrics: “She’s up before the sun’s up / She’s out the door before the garbagemen come around with they dump truck.”
Career status: Movie-theater employee with a Twitter following of 9,500.
How’d it go? “For the most part, all the comments, looks, stares were positive in nature, and even if they were not, I’m an artist and I have to do my thing regardless.”

Photographs by Mark Peterson/Redux

Related:

• Archive: “Music Features”
• Table of Contents: Jul 11, 2011 issue of New York | Subscribe!