Kurtiss Jackson, also known as Kurt Nice, nurtured a love for Hip Hop music and culture as a youth growing up in New Jersey during the 1970’s. Through dancing, and graffiti art, he first participated in what later became a multi-billion-dollar industry of hip-hop products. While in college studying psychology at Rutgers University, internship at a local cable television station reconnected him with Hiphop. Soon, he switched to studying communications and graphic technology where he refined his skill as an entrepreneur.
In 1996, he debuted, Shades of Hip Hop a video mixtape/documentary of the Hip Hop Kulture which showcased unsigned talent, underground media and new music in the mid 1990’s. Kurt Nice was among the first video producers to popularize street cyphers, behind the scenes interviews, on-location performances, and round table discussions about Hip Hop to be distributed in the United States. After receiving recognition in the second issue of XXL magazine in November of 1997, Kurt went on to complete 8 volumes by the year 2000. This was before the craze for underground hip-hop DVDs really began.
The list of artists and music industry personalities showcased on Shades of Hip Hop is an eclectic mix of Hip Hop icons ranging from today’s top artists like Jay-Z and 50 Cent to old-school pioneers like Slick Rick and KRS-ONE. Then, in 2006 Kurt started a 24 hour internet radio station called Shades of Hip Hop Radiio on Live365.com. Again, he showcased underground talent and developed new formats that would show a more cultured side of Hip Hop, this time for the budding market of internet radio.