How to Be Outside, Inside with Niontay

The Brooklyn-dwelling rapper prefers mostly relaxed days with tasty Roti doubles and copious smoke breaks.

Person wearing a hooded winter jacket and fur hat standing by a frozen waterway.

The underground rap scene in NYC is thriving at the moment, and Niontay is one of the freshest voices making waves. The Milwaukee-born, Florida-bred emcee possesses a confident elastic and unpredictable flow that instantly draws the listener in on any track he attacks. If you caught the impressive collab album, Pompeii // Utility from Earl Sweatshirt and MIKE that dropped earlier this year, you’ll hear him killing his verse (as usual) on the cut, “F.E.A.R.”

We caught up with the current Brooklyn resident to find out his favorite hangouts in NYC — he likes to keep things simple, chill, and uncomplicated. Check out his picks for "How To Be Outside, Inside" below:

Okayplayer: Where do you go in NYC when you want to be outside without being outside?

Niontay: I’m 9 times out of 10 at the office or studio. If I ain't cookin’ up around dem parts, Anysia is my neighbor, and I’ll probably check on her to see what’s going on, or I’ll go to some other studio. My life is pretty boring.

Where do you go when you want to be around people but not with people?

Prospect Park, it’s down the street from the crib. If I’m not there, then Astor Club! Da homies man the spot, but they’re on the clock, so I’m usually just kicking back and smokin’.

What does your perfect NYC day look like?

I’ll get a good-ass double from Jen’s Roti on Flatbush Ave. Then I might smoke too much with the homies at the office. And after that, I’ll probably link up with Scotty (one my besties), and we’ll make a cool lil’ tune. I probably won’t get back to the crib till sunrise.

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