Nyck Caution, Pro Era’s Latest In Command

As one of the few multi-talented crews in the genre, Pro Era (short for Progressive Era) consistently gives hip-hop a shot of life with each and every cannonball blast. And by “cannonball blast” we mean the crop of talent (17 members) that make up the intricate rap faction’s family tree that has been booming since 2011. With the late Capital STEEZ formed as the core, Joey Bada$$ as the head, members like CJ Fly, Kirk Knight, and, the latest landing out of the bunch, Nyck Caution form as the artillery. For the latter, who is 22, forming a piece to the puzzle is something he is still getting used to. Despite having joined the team in 2012, following a chance performance at the Knitting Factory, where an impressed STEEZ initiated him into the group next day, the Mill Basin-bred lyricist is now flexing his chops as Pro Era’s latest in command. Thanks to the release of Disguise The Limit, his Cinematic Music Group/Pro Era debut, Nyck Caution is certainly poised for the limelight. But he’s still coming to terms with it.

“It’s kind of crazy because in my elementary school I did like theater and up until like eighth grade I was getting lead roles in everything. Then when I went to high school, and I went [there] for acting and I thought off rip I’m gonna get lead roles right away, [but] I didn’t get no leads until like senior year,” he told REVOLT. “So it kind of was a reality check and it prepared me for life and just being in Pro Era and not being the main dude.”

In February, Caution released his debut Disguise The Limit, a project that highlights his furious flow and uncanny lyrical prowess. Songs like “Baptize,” “Out of Reach” and “Wordsmith” emit the kind of lyrical gunpowder that has been closely associated with the Brooklyn-based collective.

To hear Nyck tell it, this lyrical-driven debut was something that should’ve arrived years ago — more specially during Pro Era’s well-documented coming out party. However, there was growing and learning to do. “If I was to drop a project two years ago, it wouldn’t have been the same. A lot of songs, I added different elements because I learned about it,” he explained. “It’s just ill that I got to finally put it out now, with a real confidence behind it. I had a completely different project that I would’ve dropped in 2013 and it was cool, but compared to this, this is what I wanted to have as my first foot in the door.” And on the first try, he accomplished.

Listen to Disguise the Limit, here.