http://www.nypost.com/news/regionalnews/36741.htm

 

M.C. PROBLEM CHILD

 

By ANGELA MONTEFINISE

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December 19, 2004 -- A 14-year-old prodigy from Long Island is making a name for himself in the rap world ? by bashing the 'burbs.

Harrison Schneider, whose rap name is Problem Child, lives in an immaculate home in a posh Long Island neighborhood in Great Neck, complete with a gym, big-screen TV and $30,000 of recording equipment in his bedroom.

 

But the skinny, short-haired ninth-grader says he hates the trappings of wealth.

 

"When I was born, we had no money at all," Schneider said, wearing a gold microphone chain, a fake diamond earring, a red Izod sweater and a pair of titanium gold-colored glasses. "I'll be honest, we were broke. I had, like, two pairs of pants. That was my life. I was used to that. It was cool.

 

"Then my dad made some money" in real estate, he said, "and everything just went downhill. Money is the root of all evil."

 

Now Schneider ? born and bred in Floral Park, Queens ? is an unlikely up-and-coming rapper. And he's not worried about his "street cred."

 

"I know if I saw a 14-year-old white kid who called himself a rapper, I'd probably laugh at him before I heard him, too," he said. "I expect those looks."

 

Once Schneider moved to Great Neck two years ago, his straight A's turned to D's and kids started picking fights with him.

 

He had a knife pulled on him, and teachers singled him out because of his "attire" and demeanor, he said. He's now at an alternative school, even though he reads books on quantum physics for fun.

 

"If you're not in Abercrombie shirts and tight jeans, you're not welcome," he said. "I wear baggy jeans and sometimes bandanas. These kids in BMWs their daddies bought them tried to intimidate me."

 

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Schneider, who wrote poetry for fun at PS 115 in Queens, turned his frustration and anger into raps, writing brutally honest and emotional songs about a variety of things, from life in the 'burbs to people perceive him.

 

"They saw me as a problem child when I wasn't . . . that's actually where I got my name Problem Child," he said.

 

His tunes ? which include his lyrics and sometimes his beats ? range from funny to poignant to ironic, with phrases such as "musical lobotomy" and "how dey see me's how dey treat me, what dey treat me I become."

 

And now, Schneider is getting ready to hit the big time. "Discussions are under way with various record companies," Schneider's manager Keith Wortman said, adding that 18 of Schneider's creations will be released on a CD next year.

 

Schneider, who plays guitar, keyboards and drums, has also just started working with well-known producer Dame "Grease" Blackmon, of DMX, Mary J. Blige and Fat Joe fame.

 

It all began when his dad, Barry, took him to In Da Street studios in Hollis, Queens, 18 months ago.

 

"I figured he'd realize it's not for him," Barry said. "He'd have a little CD. It'd be cute. Then he blew the people at the studio away."

 

Murder Inc. rapper Black Child was at the studio that day, and started spreading the word about the "little white kid who could rap," Schneider said.

 

News traveled to Wortman, who wanted to see Schneider for himself about six months ago.

 

"He was like, let's do an album. I couldn't believe it," Schneider said. "I really want to do something different. I'm about the real spirit of hip-hop, not about money, ho's, cars and clothes."

15 minutes of fame countdown.

 

*Begins watch*

lol

 

too funny

somebody send that kid to bed without his dinner.

I didn't know my people could rap?

 

Oy Gevalt!

 

I thought the only Hebraic rappers were "Two Live Jews"

I'm sure MTV will love him even if non-white rappers of equal level of suckitude come along and won't get 1/100000000 the attention.

I didn't know my people could rap?

 

Oy Gevalt!

 

I thought the only Hebraic rappers were "Two Live Jews"

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:lol :lol :lol