Throughout my years as a die-hard hip-hop fan, I have always kept my ear to the street. Especially the New York streets… Harlem to be exact. There is something embedded within that borough that guarantees greatness. Legends like Big L, Cam’ron, Ma$e, Puff Daddy and Jim Jones were all spawn from it’s iconic avenues. About 5 years ago, I got my first taste of Harlem’s best kept secret: Tom Gist.

Amongst all of the flash and pizazz of the game, exists a clever street poet determined to bring back the true essence of emceeing. I first heard about the Dipset affiliate on Cam’ron’s highly acclaimed 2007 mix-tape entitled Public Enemy #1. Songs like Think Out Loud and Bad Day provided my first endearment to his honest and genuine message. Though his image caters to a street-based following, his lyrics take his appeal a step further. Every verse I’ve heard contains infinite wit and obvious depth. The term “surface raps” could never be applied to Tom’s approach to writing. His love for the game and dedication to his craft are vividly evident in anything he attaches himself to.

Though mainstream radio hasn’t seen a lot of action from Gist in recent years, his consistent and unrelenting grind remains. In just 3 years, he has released an onslaught of music through mix-tapes like Gistology, Gistmatic, Fly And Frustrated and The Lost Verses. Needless to say, true fans of the Harlem native have been getting a generous dose of their Gist-Fix.

With more collaborations, mix-tapes, shows, booked features and appearances on the way, 2012 has the potential to be his biggest year yet. Raw lyricism is often overlooked in the era of “swag”, but true heads know, the foundation of this crazy game we call hip-hop was built by dudes like Tom Gist. With that said, on behalf of myself and the whole Dreamland Apparel family, we welcome Mr. Gist as an official sponsored artist on the team. Moving into the new year, fans of both movements can expect both musical and fashion collaborations, showcasing complimentary strengths and influences. We are very excited about this union and hope to achieve great things as a result. Stay tuned.

IF YOU DON’T KNOW, NOW YOU KNOW: Three Tom Gist songs that you MUST listen to.

Harlem Blues

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

The Bronx Song

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

What The Streets Made Me (Feat. A-Mafia)

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

GRAB BAG: A small collection of my personal favorite songs from his catalogue. Click the album art to download.

ON THE LOOKOUT: Keep your eyes and ears peeled for Gist’s highly anticipated EP dropping on iTunes entitled From Scratch.

A CLOSER LOOK: Some of Tom Gist’s newest visuals.

CONNECTIONS: Twitter, Website