Brooklynite Gallery in Bedstuy, Brooklyn

Chez Oskar in Fort Greene, Brooklyn

Queens Nock’in

While it seems hip-hop is making a departure from its original NYC native sound; every now and then a New York MC chooses to challenge this occurrence. -Next up to the mic is Nock, hailing from Hollis, Queens. With a nostalgic 90’s hip-hop flow, Nock is taking us back to the days when hip-hop belonged to the “Rotten Apple”.

On “Queens Finest” he gets straight to introducing himself, his sound, and his life. “I don’t condone but my past is written in stone.” He raps about serious issues in his hometown of queens; but manages to smoothly place these words over a smooth, melodic, feel good beat. On the tracks “This is Us” and “Humble Pie”- which effectively uses Tribe Called Quest‘s addictive Electric Relaxation beat , Nock manages to find a smooth balance between the aggressive sound of NY hip-hop and a laid back tone . Yet, the beats on these tracks are so memorable; almost any decent rapper could sound good over them. But Nock does manage to deliver decent lyrics and not be outshined over the classic instrumentals.

With “Rock Bellz” and “OMG’ he gets straight back to the grit of his native NYC sound. Yet, with these tracks he doesn’t manage to sound unique or capture the same addictive effect as tracks such as “Higher.” His artistic abilities and flow are heard more on smoother tracks. “See I’m a rock star. Pulling strings like guitars.”

Hopefully he manages to stick to the smoother and catchy tracks, which work better for his flow and makes him a more unique and marketable artists. Based on some of his work, being able to smooth out his classic NY sound is a forte he could possibly master. In today’s Drizzy, Nikki, Weezy, and Yeezy hip-hop era, just being a decent MC does not guarantee success. People want a character, a unique persona they can be entertained with. With more comedic rants, similar to the one heard at the end of “Humble Pie”, this decent MC could possibly become a star.

Check out his music @ http://www.reverbnation.com/NOCK

written by Steven Chew

The Chew Chronicles @ SugarCane Restaurant in Prospect Heights, Brooklyn, NY

The Chew Chronicles @ Private Stock in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY

The Chew Chronicles @ Fish & Sip in Park Slope, Brooklyn, NY

CHEW'in in Rome

2 weeks ago, I had the great pleasure of experiencing one of the best trips of my life. -

I ventured to Rome, Italy. In the"Eternal City", the people were friendly, the sights were phenomenal and the food was TO DIE FOR. Known for its amazing cuisine, historic visions, and passionate ambiance-Rome's beauty captivated my heart, while its food captivated my senses.

While walking through the streets, we stumbled across, Campo de Fiori. A romantic piazza filled with restaurants, evening strollers, and tasty gelato spots. It is here that we discovered, "Baccanate". We sat outside to enjoy the view and to take in the full Roman evening experience.

The staff was friendly, comical and laid back

-which I enjoy. Yet, it was my dish of choice that had me head over heels in love with "Baccanate".

The "Pappardella di farro con pomodoro piccante e pecorino di fossa" -a spicy tomato pasta with pecorino di fossa cheese - was absolutely savory. The perfect combination of subtle spiciness and Italian seasoning created an awesome dish. I paired the dish with a red wine, Merlot.

If ever in Rome, it is a must.

No trip to Italy is complete without a creamy helping of gelato. The Italian treat is served at several places in Rome. Yet, there are certain places known for the best. -Such as "Giolitti". This historic and well-known gelato spot located near the Pantheon is worth the hype. Granted it is a struggle to fight through the crowd to scream out your order. Yet, one taste of this gelato, and you'll be screaming in pure delectation. I had the cioccolato and stracciatella in a cup. While my cousin and traveling partner had the crema, limoncella, and caramel on a sweet cone.

While in Rome, I sampled several gelatos. Though none compared to the taste of Giolitti. -None.

As a foodie, a trip to Rome was a dream come true.

Many wonder if certain cities, well known for their food are worth all the rave they receive.

Let me be the first to tell you that Rome-is worth it!