Genre-defiant artist Neycha performs her new hit song for Essence.com's "New and Next".

NEW YORK - July 22, 2013 - PRLog -- Called "a new American badass" in Timeout New York's annual round-up of the 7 best NYC bands, Neycha boldly returns to pick up where she left off after her abrupt hiatus from music following the homicide of her parter of 10 years.  

Although it's been five years since the release of her second album, White Noise, fans of Neycha's distinct sound will find themselves right at home.  Her forthcoming album, The Holy Hell of Hope (http://www.theholyhellofhope.com), is full of the same gritty drums, outside-the-box song structure, vocal stylizing, distorted guitars and synths tucked in the crevices found on her critically acclaimed debut album The Dirty Side Up. Lyrically driven and emotionally provocative, the acid hip-hop anthems for which Neycha is perhaps best known are not your typical run of the mill songs. They are what she calls "instinct music, from the guts out, documenting the journey of the soul."

Her new hit song, I'm Still Here, is the first single from The Holy Hell of Hope.  A portrait of monster resilience, the album shares the fundamental hopes and disappointments that animate all life.  Speaking about the album, Neycha says, "It is my personal meditation on how to make pain holy.  But let's be clear, these are not songs of sorrow. They are instead battle-cries, 'f!-that-anthems' that I’d like to think of as prescriptions for releasing a multitude of disappointments and re-engaging hope."

Following the release of the official music video for I'm Still Here last month, Neycha sat to perform the acoustic version of the song at Essence.com's studios.  Watch the performance and interview here (http://www.essence.com/2013/07/17/new-next-meet-electro-s...).

See the official music video for I'm Still Here:  http://youtu.be/swSHD92RI28