NYOIL facts for kids

NYOIL (pronounced N-Y Oil) is an American rapper from Staten Island, New York City. He was born Kim Sharpton on April 29, 1971. His stage name, NYOIL, used to be short for "New York's Original International Lover." He started rapping when he was twelve years old.

Early Music Career

Forming The U.M.C.'s

In 1988, Kim Sharpton teamed up with another rapper from Staten Island, Haas G. They formed a hip-hop duo called The U.M.C.'s. The letters U.M.C.'s stood for "Undisputed Masters of Charisma."

First Albums and Success

In 1991, while known as Kool Kim, the duo released their first album, Fruits of Nature. This album was quite popular, reaching number 36 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Two songs from the album, "Blue Cheese" and "One to Grow On," were even more successful. They reached number 1 and number 2 on Billboard's Hot Rap Single chart. The U.M.C.'s released a second album called Unleashed. However, it did not achieve the same level of success as their first album. Soon after, the duo decided to go their separate ways.

Solo Career and New Beginnings

Changing His Name to NYOIL

After leaving The U.M.C.'s, Kool Kim changed his stage name to NYOIL. He then began working on his own music projects as a solo artist.

Gaining Attention Online

In December 2006, NYOIL released a video for one of his songs on MySpace and YouTube. The video quickly gained a lot of media attention because of its strong and thought-provoking content. It featured images that sparked much discussion. The video was removed from YouTube after less than two days due to its controversial nature. NYOIL preferred to keep his personal life private during this time. He even refused to be photographed without his sunglasses.

Releasing Solo Albums

NYOIL released his first full-length solo album, HoodTREASON, on June 26, 2007. Some of the songs from this album included "Purrrfect Beat" and "Hip Hop Ya Don't Stop." The album HoodTREASON was re-released by Babygrande Records in 2008. NYOIL has continued to create and release music. He is also known for his energetic live performances.

NYOIL's Albums

• HoodTREASON (The Warm Up Album) (2007)
• HoodTREASON double CD (2008)
• 9 Wonders (NYOIL verses 9th Wonder) (2008)