"N-I-Z-M it's who I am to the world—mind, body and heart…" Nizm is a multi-dimensional, hip-hop emcee with 15 years and five albums under his belt. Enter L. David Stewart—the man behind the expression that the world knows as, Nizm. Born in 1981, Stewart was raised in a middle-class, two-parent home. While he did grow up in an urban environment, his fans will never hear him rap about the trials of "hood life" because that simply isn't him. He would rather his fans know that while he is an emcee, he is also an architect, graphic designer, model, businessman and currently pursing a second Master's degree.
A true wordsmith, the name "Nizm" derived from a lost game of Scrabble. He later discovered that in Urdu, Pakistan's national language, "Nizm" means "discipline" and in Japanese, the name means "new". Thus, "Nizm" is symbolic of the refreshing diversity and maturity he articulates in his music.
Through his music, Nizm channels hip-hop's "Golden Era", circa 1994 through 1998, when listeners were fans of highly original beats and raw, yet skillful lyricism. He considers himself to be a contemporary version of the artists of that time. Like those artists, Nizm seeks to use his lyrical skill to improve the human condition.
Nizm released his first album with the group, Knowledge Giving Birth, entitled Subtle Perspectives. This album helped Nizm establish his presence. He used the creative differences he encountered as a member of Knowledge Giving Birth, Ill Nature, UNI, Scam Artists/Specialists to hone a unique and individual sound allowing him to release his first solo album, In Due Time. It sold over 1000 copies.
His third project, entitled The Exodus was very personal and focused on his journey from Chicago and stepping out on his own in Toronto, Canada. To date, The Exodus has been considered some of his strongest work.
In 2007, Nizm released his first full length project in almost five years, Me, This Is. This project served as a review of the changes in his life, from finishing school to the death of a parent and grandparent. A diverse project, Me, This Is, led to much acclaim and press, ranging from the Chicago Tribune subsidiary, the RedEye to other outlets such as Lerockbox.com, Fakeshoredrive.com and GoWhereHipHop.com.
Recently, Nizm released his fifth album, aptly titled, ReDfined Xpression. The album, released on his imprint, Refined Gentlemen Music, shows his growth as an individual and an artist: redefining the expression of his feelings, and how he views his music and the world. This album offers a sound that is mature, genuine and sincere while tougue-in-cheek and witty. The lead single, titled "Deswaggified", a call to end use of the word "swagger" is currently in rotation nationally and internationally. This album also served as an introduction to his band, "Those Guys".
As Nizm continues to grow his brand of Refined Gentleman Music, he is motivated by a pure love for hip-hop music and a passion for learning. This has made him somewhat of an anomaly—never forsaking his education at the cost of fame. In fact, his music shows the parallelism between education and hip-hop and the important connection they make.
