Nissim (rapper)

Damian Black was born on December 9, 1986, in Seattle, Washington and grew up in the Seward Park neighborhood. His parents, James "Captain Crunch" Croone and Mia Black, were both rappers and members of, respectively, the Emerald Street Boys and Emerald Street Girls in the late '70s.[1] His grandparents had also been musicians and played alongside Ray Charles and Quincy Jones.[2] He was raised a Sunni Muslim but was non-practicing, and converted to Christianity at age 14 after attending an Evangelical summer camp.[1][2] His parents separated when he was two; his mother took him with her and remarried shortly thereafter. Both his biological parents and stepfather used and sold drugs from home, prompting an FBI raid on the house in 1995 which resulted in his mother's arrest. She later died from an overdose at 37.[2]

Black began rhyming in his preteens, recording under the name Danger. When he was 13, producer Vitamin D moved his studio into Black's stepfather's basement and began mentoring the boy, producing some of his first official recordings.[3] Black also recorded with producer Bean One of Dyme Def.[4]

In 2002, Sportn' Life Records published its first release, a split vinyl single between Black and Last Men Standing. The following year, he appeared on a Sportn' Life compilation album alongside several members of Oldominion.[5][6] In 2004, the 18-year-old Black was selected by his stepfather to replace him as co-CEO of Sportn' Life, together with his father's partner, DeVon Manier.[3][4] In addition to running the label, Black began releasing singles like "You Need a Thug" and "This Is Why" (the latter produced by Jake One, whom he had associated with early on).[3] On May 24, 2005, Black released his first Sportn' Life mixtape Behind the Dirt, which featured appearances from J Smooth and Darrius Willrich of Maktub.[7]

In 2007, he released his debut album, The Cause and Effect. Jake One, Bean One, and Vitamin D contributed to the production,[3] though the album did not get much attention outside of the Pacific Northwest scene.[8] Despite this, the album sold over 4,500 copies regionally, and Black was invited to perform on the Vera Project stage at the 2007 Capitol Hill Block Party alongside Blue Scholars.[9]

After The Cause and Effect's release, Black, now a husband and father, began questioning his Christian beliefs, turning to Messianic Judaism and convincing his wife to follow suit.[1][2] He also started listening to artists like Common and Lauryn Hill;[8] both developments began to strongly influence his music. In 2008, he contributed to Jake One's debut album, White Van Music, with the song "God Like", which received play on MTV.[10]

In 2009, Black released his second album, Ali'yah. The album spent five weeks at number 4 on CMJ's hip hop charts, while the video for its lead single, "Yesterday", also gained regular rotation on MTV.[2] That same year, he performed at Bumbershoot[11] and returned to Capitol Hill Block Party.[12] He was also one of the candidates to portray The Notorious B.I.G. in the 2009 biopic Notorious,[1] though the role ultimately went to Jamal Woolard.

Six months after the album's release, Black renounced his belief in Jesus and Christianity. No longer supporting the album's message but unable to quit his contract, he agreed to promote it, but refused to accept money outside of touring expenses or perform on Shabbat.[2] He officially retired in 2011 after releasing The Blackest Brown EP with friend and fellow rapper Bradley "B." Brown. He subsequently moved to Seward Park's Jewish community and began studying for conversion with Rabbi Simon Benzaquen at the Sephardic Bikur Holim Congregation. During this time, he cut off all connections to his previous career, including abandoning his position at Sportn' Life and even getting rid of his own music collection.[1]

Nissim at the 2013 Sasquatch! Music Festival

Near the end of his conversion process, Black's son developed meningitis and had to be hospitalized, a blow to the financially strapped family. While praying over the situation in his study, Black discovered that a long-broken microphone had begun working again, and took this as a sign to return to music.[1][2]

He officially announced his return to music in September 2012.[1] The following December, he appeared on the Shtar song "Rabbit Hole" from their album Boss EP.[13]

Nissim before concert in Uman, Ukraine in 2016.

On February 26, 2013, he released the mixtape Miracle Music, his first official recording under his new stage name, Nissim.[14] The following May, he appeared at the 2013 Sasquatch! Music Festival.[1] Following a recording session in London Bridge Studio, he released his first new album, the self-titled Nissim, on September 17.[1] He closed out the year with "The Black Miracle", a Hanukkah single produced by Aish.com.[15]

In 2016, Nissim collaborated with Gad Elbaz on the song "Hashem Melech 2.0," and with Lipa Schmeltzer on the song "Bar Mitzvah Time." The following year, on March 10, he released his fourth album Lemala, which featured collaborations with Elbaz, DeScribe, Netanel Israel, and Yisroel Laub.

• The Cause and Effect (March 7, 2007; re-released November 17, 2009; Sportn' Life)
• Ali'yah (September 15, 2009; Sportn' Life)
• Nissim (September 17, 2013; Nissim World/Fin)
• Lemala (March 10, 2017; ZOAB Entertainment/Little Box Records)
• Gibor (December 9, 2019; Marom Entertainment)

• The Blackest Brown EP (as D. Black; with B. Brown) (February 17, 2011; Sportn' Life)

• Behind the Dirt (as D. Black) (May 24, 2005; re-released November 19, 2010; Sportn' Life)
• Miracle Music (February 26, 2013; independent)

• The Sportn' Life Compilation Vol. 1 (as Danger; "Make A Change", "You Need a Thug")(July 3, 2003; Sportn' Life)

• "Get Loose" (The Cause and Effect; 2006)
• "Yesterday" (feat. Marissa) (Ali'yah; 2009)
• "Ricochet" (2012)
• "Unbelievable" (2013)
• "Chronicles" (Miracle Music; 2013)
• "Sores" (feat. Rabbi Simon Benzaquen) (Nissim; 2013)
• "Live For Now" featuring Bonhom (Nissim; 2013)
• "Revered" (Nissim; 2013)
• "The Black Miracle" (Hannukah single produced by Aish.com; 2013)
• "Yerushalayim" (feat. Eric Gerstenfeld) (2014)
• "Falling Star" (feat. Gabriel Mintz) (2014)
• "Zman Cheruteinu" (Passover single) (Lemala; 2016)
• "Tagid Todah" (feat. Netanel Israel) (Lemala; 2016)
• "A Million Years" (feat. Yisroel Laub) (Lemala; 2016)
• "Hashem Melech 2.0" (feat. Gad Elbaz), (Lemala; 2016)
• "Mothaland Bounce" (2020)
• "Win" (2020)

• Jake One, White Van Music (as D. Black) (2008; Rhymesayers) - "God Like"
• Diwon, New Game (2013; Bancs Media) - "Try Stopping" ft. Mikhael and Open Mike Eagle
• Shtar, Boss EP (2012) - "Rabbit Hole"
• Lipa Schmeltzer, "Bar Mitzvah Time" (2016)
• Gad Elbaz, "WeR1" ft. Alliel, DeScribe, and Refael Mirila (2016)
• Gad Elbaz, "L'Chaim" (2017)

• L.V. and Prodeje, The Playground (2002)
• C-Blunt, Julius Ceasar (2002)
• South Central Cartel, South Central Hella (2003)
• Wicked, One Out of Many (2006)
• Lil Al, Hood Raised (2006)
• Fatal Lucciano, The Only Forgotten Son (2007)
• Brownside, 13 Reasons (2008)
• Brown King, Back to Jesus (2008)