Cymarshall Law brings New Jersey hip-hop back to lyrics, music on 'The Peaceful Warrior'
Cymarshall Law is burning bright on his new LP.
Law, aka Cymar Simmons of Burlington County, has teamed with UK producer Slimline Mutha for the new LP “The Peaceful Warrior,” which includes the lyrical gem “Burn Bright.”
“(Mutha) sent me the beat and it sounded like an old school Pete Rock beat,” Law said. “It's super hot. Somebody was saying something that was annoying to me, to be honest. They were putting down people who try to get theirs. People who try to burn bright, exactly. When somebody tries to shine their light, somebody else will try to put it out because they feel bad about what's going on in their life.”
Law's inner light has been shining bright on the underground hip-hop scene for two decades.
“I made the devil curse when I was born, he said God damn!” raps Law on “Burn Bright.”
“On a lot of the album cuts I'm talking about personal things but on this song I wanted to just burn bright, as the whole song is bars and word play and fun hip-hop. So when you're listening to it, you don't think too hard. You're just bouncing your head,” Law said. “It's this guy's doing his thing.”
Law set up shop in New Brunswick before going global and performing around the world. He comes back to the area with a show on Friday, Oct. 20, at Rose City Studios in North Brunswick. Cory Gunz is also performing.
“The Peaceful Warrior” is a head-nodding treatise on spirit, contentment and being the flyest lyricist in the room.
“At the end of the day, at the beginning of the day, this is music, “ Law said. “Whether it's underground hip-hop, whether it's gospel, whether it's rock 'n' roll. No matter what it is it, it's music. So we're bringing it back to the music, being able to bop you're head and being able to tap your feet.”
Go: Cymarshall Law and Cory Gunz, 8 pm. Friday, Oct. 20, Rose City Studios, 542 George Road, North Brunswick, $25; instagram.com/rosecitystudiosnj. Visit hiphopintheflesh.com for more on Cymarshall Law.
Worlds Collide in New Brunswick
Behold a world with an alternative rock music club in every corner of the state of New Jersey.
That world took place in the '80s and '90s, and it returns Saturday, Oct. 21, at the New Brunswick Elks Lodge for the Worlds Collide deejay dance night.
Matt Pinfield from the Melody of New Brunswick; Ted Wrigley from Aldo's in Lyndhurst and the Loop Lounge in Passaic; Mark “Spike” Simchock from the Melody and the Roxy in New Brunswick; Loretta Windas from the Green Parrot in Neptune; and Pete Santiago from the Melody will spin at the Worlds Collide party.
Many of the aforementioned venues have previously had reunion nights. Now, it's all happening on a single night. Non-tendered free drink cards for the closed clubs that have been sitting in a pocket in your leather jacket for the past 30 years will probably not be redeemable, but bring them anyway.
Go: Worlds Collide, 7 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 21, Elks Lodge, 40 Livingston Ave., New Brunswick, $15.
Remembering Rose
Rose Montana's warm smile and words of encouragement are missed by all on the Asbury Park music scene, especially by city musicians.
Montana, who passed away in July after an illness, supported Asbury Park music for decades with her photographs and videos. Remembering Rose: A Celebration of Life for Rose A. Montana will take place at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct .21, at the Transparent Clinch Gallery in Asbury Park.
Vini Lopez and the Wonderful Winos, and Jarod Clemons will perform. Proceeds raised will go toward a memorial bench for Rose on the boardwalk.
“You will always be in my heart,” said Clemons when Montana passed away in July. “It’s going to be a completely different place without you.”
Go: Remembering Rose: A Celebration of Life for Rose A. Montana, 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct 21, Transparent Clinch Gallery, 500 5th Ave., Asbury Park, $10; facebook.com/transparentclinchgallery.
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Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at @chrisfhjordan; cjordan@app.com
This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Cymarshall Law brings NJ hip-hop back to roots on Peaceful Warrior
