Show & Prove
Brisco

Just because Brisco spit his first rhyme over an Usher instrumental doesn’t mean the Opa Locka, Fla., goon is an R&B dude. “I took the beat to ‘You Make Me Wanna’ and made about eight different tracks to it,” says Bris, 24. “But [they were] all hard as hell.”For Brisco, life has been just as hard as his words. He lost his mother to heart failure when he was nine. Then, when Bris turned 13, his older brother was killed in a car accident. At age 14, the troubled teen’s cousin introduced him to his best friend, E-Class, the founder of Poe Boy Entertainment, who encouraged Brisco to turn his pain into rhymes.A few years later, Brisco officially signed with Poe Boy, but he didn’t start seeing any real paper ’til he received his mother’s life-insurance check at 18. “I got my money, man, and I’m in Jamaica,” he says. “I’m wearing the Reeboks, Girbaud [jeans]. I was living like Cash Money.” But life in the fast lane can only last but so long, especially when he blew the rest of his $400,000 payday in six months.

Brisco eventually got his act together and last year landed some key guest spots on DJ Khaled’s album (“Future of Dade”) and Rick Ross’ critically lauded LP (“I’m a G” featuring Lil Wayne). Weezy was so impressed with Brisco’s measured, straightforward flow that he helped orchestrate a deal for him on Cash Money this past November. Now, his Poe Boy/Cash Money debut, Street Medicine, is set for a summer release.

With features from Ross, Wayne and Fat Joe, as well as production from the Runners and Cool & Dre, who produced Brisco’s lead single, “I’m Into Dat,” the Florida MC is looking to be this year’s Mr. 305. “[Brisco’s] an honest rapper,” says Dre. “Sometimes an honest rapper’s imagination might not be out of control, because they deal with what’s in front of their eyes. But you believe him.”

That authenticity is what Brisco hopes will help listeners learn from his life’s lessons. “There’s a lot of pain on these streets,” he says. “And I want people to listen to my music to cope.” Food for thought.

------- Read the rest of our Show & Prove picks in XXL’s April 2007 issue (#90)