These days, it's hard to come by a rapper whose rhyming ability speaks for itself.
For Miami MC C-Ride, there are no gimmicks or sideshow props in his lyrical hustle; his style, much like his name, stands out on its own. “This old school pimp I grew up with said I always made him want to jump in the car [when I rhymed] ‘cause I ride on the beat," C-Ride explains, of his moniker. “The difference with me is that you can press play when you listen to a lot of rappers, but you'll get a different bounce with me." Growing up in the infamous Carol City neighborhood of Miami, C-Ride (born Christian Coates) came up like many teens raised in a broken home—he never knew which step would lead him in the right direction. With absentee parents, the Southern rapper relied on the support of his grandparents. But holding the reigns on a precocious, yet troublesome 17-year-old was a job in itself, and C-Ride found himself leaving the state of Florida in 2001, to live a life less drama-free in the ATL with his older brother.