Big K.R.I.T., CyHi The Prynce Talk 'Uncapped' Series

NEW YORK — Vitamin Water hosted the last show in its "Uncapped Live" concert series at the Hudson Hotel on Wednesday night, and Freddie Gibbs, Big K.R.I.T., CyHi the Prynce and Rye Rye came through to rock the New York City crowd.

Over the last few months, the "Uncapped Live" series has partnered with up-and-coming acts to help expose them to bigger audiences. MTV News caught up with K.R.I.T. and CyHi before the show to talk about what the opportunity means to them.

"They're actually helping artists such as myself, Big K.R.I.T., Pill [and] other up-and-coming hip-hop artists that's looking to stand on the forefront of hip-hop and the game," CyHi told us. "We're coming from the underground and we're doing it organically, so they're a big help to up-and-coming artists such as myself."

The G.O.O.D Music MC opened the show, casually walking onstage in a black tee and his signature Jesus piece; the crowd actually didn't notice him at first. Cy went on to perform songs from his Royal Flush mixtape series and various features. But he really got the crowd rocking when he did his verse from Kanye West's "So Appalled."

The ATLien said he loved performing in New York, because New Yorkers are typically harder to impress.

"They're the originators, and I guess you have to pay homage to the originators, and at the same time I remember me and K.R.I.T. was on the same show and I got booed. Ever since then, every time I come back it's like pandemonium. That's just the war wounds or the process you have to go through to become a stronger artist. A lot of crowds may not perceive you as well as other crowds may and you may think that they're supposed to."

Big Krit — whose Live From the Underground drops September 27 — was grateful for the platform the "Uncapped" tour provided newer artists. The Mississippi MC said he loved the opportunity to perform in front of an audience that may not know have been familiar with his music, jaded New Yorkers or not.

"Anywhere where you are performing in front of people who might not know who you are, it can be intimidating. But I've been doing this so long and I've been in front of crowds who knew who I was that didn't bob their heads or really didn't care that I was onstage. So to have the opportunity to be in front — far from where I'm from and performing my music and people are listening — it's dope all the same, whether you get booed or don't get booed."