Nick Hickman is an average UT student. He’s a business studies major, watches “Grey’s Anatomy” and “Family Guy” and reads the Bible. However, unlike most students, Hickman, under the name N-Luck, has just released his first album, titled “Split-Personalities.”
The recording, while thick in synthetic hip-hop rhythms at times, is actually more reminiscent of Christian R&B and pop, a characteristic that reflects Hickman’s religious perspective.
Born in Memphis, Hickman spent the early years of his life in the projects. At age 11, he joined his local church’s choir and started developing his own lyrical style and gospel articulation. While still in grade school, he realized that he wanted to devote his life to the poverty-stricken children around him, so he and a fellow choir member co-founded Hickman’s first band, New Addiction.
The group made a name for themselves among local music enthusiasts and Christians alike, but in 2005 the duo disbanded suddenly when Hickman’s partner moved to Colorado. Though his early hopes of success with New Addiction were lost, Hickman was not deterred and went solo the same year, eventually deciding on the name N-Luck. With the release of his first solo album, Hickman thinks that whether or not it is a spectacular success, it’s the first step in making a big impact.
“I’m talking about a huge impact,” Hickman said. “People have this perspective of Christian music always being this bluegrass stuff. I feel like (this album) is going to make a huge impact.”
Yet, while Hickman’s choir and Christian-pop roots are evident on most of the new album, the opener, “We Move On,” “Get Back” and the following song, “Run 4 Your Life,” channel his Christian loyalty through his rap, hip-hop, LL Cool J-type influence.
In “We Move On,” Hickman raps through the ground rules of getting through rough times in the ghetto, a moving tribute to the poverty he witnessed first-hand. “Get Back” delves into a deeper, funkier hip-hop beat than the first; in this track, Hickman pays tribute to the relationship between his music and his spiritual influences. “Run 4 Your Life” combines the serious tone of “We Move On” with the rhythmic drive of “Get Back” to portray the violent nature of life in the projects.
But Hickman is not just a rapper; his other identity as a Christian R&B/pop artist is more conspicuous in other tracks.
The second song on the album, “Here We Are,” is a stark contrast to the hip-hop opener. Instead of driving bass drums and upbeat, rhythmic accents, the song blooms into a beautiful piano and guitar-guided piece with a Michael W. Smith-style choir soaring above the alto-driven harmony. Though a surprise to first-time listeners, “Here We Are” is a pretty introduction to Hickman’s “Split Personality.”
“Changed by the Cross” is the story of Hickman’s spiritual revelation and how he felt touched by his God to change the world for the better. It combines elements of Hickman’s rapping abilities with a Toby Mac pop sound, culminating in probably the most personal tune on the album.
Then there’s “Take Love,” a tasteful acoustic song that allows Hickman’s versatility to shine amidst an uplifting theme. This tune, like the previous, “Here We Are,” is surprising in its context, but Hickman sells the transition well. The next track, “My Friend,” is very similar to its predecessor but adds the rhythm section back into the mix. The album winds down with “I Will Be Around,” another variation of Hickman’s more lyrical singing, though he again mixes in elements of his earlier-expressed hip-hop grooves.
Of course, most of Hickman’s sounds are not completely original — the tracks leaning toward R&B and hip-hop are perfect models of the genres, as are the more Christian-pop tunes.
Nevertheless, the aspect of Hickman’s musicianship that really catches the listener’s attention isn’t a profound new sound or amazing proficiency on a particular instrument. It’s the simple fact that one person can sing and compose songs that are of completely different natures and still perform them both as if each was his own personal creation.
This duality and Hickman’s perfection of many genres are what give Hickman the potential to rise as a fresh, new artist. Nick “N-Luck” Hickman’s new album, “Split Personalities,” can be purchased at most music retailers.
Grade: A
