Emcee N.I.C.E.

Aulsondro "Novelist" Hamilton, better known by his stage name Emcee N.I.C.E., is an African American, Puerto Rican rapper. He was born in Los Angeles, California, of Puerto Rican descent, but was raised in El Paso, Texas and Topeka, Kansas.

He has served as a producer, writer and recording artist, working with legendary artists such as 2 Pac, Nas, A Lighter Shade of Brown, Aaron Hall, K-Ci Hailey, Doctor Fink, Al B. Sure, Melissa Molinaro, and MC Lyte. He is currently starring in Da Jammies as "Novelist" now on Netflix

Since 2002, he has been credited on over 28 different records. This includes an association with the Academy Award-winning film Crash, appearing on its blockbuster soundtrack as a lead vocalist/rapper of KansasCali. Their music video was included on the DVD's special features section, narrated by Paul Haggis.

Emcee N.I.C.E. would also go on to appear on four more soundtracks, along with multiple guest features and theme songs for television shows. He is also a member of one of Los Angeles’s elite rap coalitions, The Massmen, put together by industry veterans Dejon Jack H. Clark, producer DJ Fat Jack and founders Patrick "Minister 2 Bad" Parker & David "Twice D" Tarver. The group is currently led by LA hip-hop legend Abstract Rude, and its members also include Awol One, Mista Grimm, LSD, and Bobby Chevis.

History

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 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.

N.I.C.E. then 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.

It wasn’t until 2004 when the duo converted into an urban pop rock group that they achieved 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. The duo’s success didn’t stop there; that same year, they also landed on the international soundtrack of the blockbuster 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.^[1]

The success kept rolling, as the duo teamed up with Shay Todd and 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. This led to the creation of the Urban Family animated music cartoon called Da Jammies, which 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 was featured on more soundtracks, and 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 soundtrack (with the song "Uuuh").

That same year the duo made a guest appearance on an album by R&B legend 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 "Soldier". Still having momentum, in 2007 KansasCali produced and featured on another TV special, George Wilborn's 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 Lil JJ’s Almost Grown, and finally in 2009 on Lav Luv's TVOne comedy special I’m Gonna Get In Trouble.

KansasCali then went independent and became 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 make six more records. He also landed yet another song that debuted on TV, 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 documentary, Save The Brave, produced by the John Feal (first responder) of the Feal Good Foundation.

They put out an independent LP The Life, an earth song, "Celebrate the Earth", then were featured 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 June 2012 Novelist returned to his roots of hip-hop R&B as Emcee N.I.C.E. and released a single entitled "Life of the Party" that featured newcomer Blake "Jus Blake" Smith. The single gained notoriety fast when the "Dance Version" produced by hit maker Ralph "Phantom" Stacy (who also produced Dru Hill, SWV, Johnny Gill, and Houston) 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?, donating a portion of the proceeds to anti-bullying and anti-hazing campaigns.

As an actor in 2015, Emcee N.I.C.E. under his real name Aulsondro "Novelist" Hamilton ^[2] made his debut. Starring as the character "Novelist" in the 3D animated music series entitled Da Jammies now on Netflix ^[3] Executive Produced by Ralph Farquhar (Real Husbands of Hollywood, Moesha, The Parkers, Wendy Wu, etc...) in which he also serves as Co-Executive Producer along side recording artist and business partner William "Dolla" Chapman II aka D.B.I.. in the same year, Emcee N.I.C.E. made an appearance as Superman in the tv show 6 Degrees of Everything ^[4] by the Fine Brothers on TruTV

Productions, Releases and Guest Appearances

As a member and lead vocalist/rapper of KansasCali

2002 to 2006

^[11]

Music video

A music video for "Thugz Mansion" was shot. The video was nominated at the 2003 MTV Video Music Awards for Best Rap Video.

Charts

Peak positions

Motion Picture Soundtracks

As a member and lead Vocalist/Rapper of The Rocturnals

2008 (soundtrack)

2009 - 2011

As Emcee N.I.C.E. (Novelist Is Constantly Evolving)

2012

2013

2015

Tonight feat. Suhana Machete peaked at #8 on the US Billboard Hot Single Sales Chart in 2014 (Billboard Albums) ^[35]

Album

2016

Album

Charts

Acting

TV shows and special songs

References

Aulsondro Novelist Hamilton discography at Discogs