Cliff Notez

Prolific collaborator and award-winning multimedia artist Cliff Notez seamlessly manifests a mix of hip hop, jazz, folk, soul and R&B that’s been likened to “Kendrick Lamar’s To Pimp A Butterfly, blended with the paranoia of Radiohead’s Kid A.”

Their music reveals the repercussions of trauma, exposes the realities of the Black experience, and shares an intimate journey towards healing. Heavy lyrical themes are often juxtaposed with uplifting sounds: bright horns, sparkling keys, snappy percussion and glowing guitar riffs.

Cliff Notez’s work has caught the attention of publications like The New York Times, NPR, The Boston Globe, and Boston Herald, among others and have garnered shoutouts from the likes of Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley. They performed at Boston Calling Music Festival in 2022 and have previously shared the stage with Ja Rule and Gym Class Heroes.

It’s no surprise Uproxx dubbed Cliff “one of the most remarkable music figures in Boston,” as their influence extends far beyond the hip hop scene. Passionate about social justice and amplifying Black stories, Cliff Notez has worked hard to give back to their local community and to lobby for inclusion. Currently an Assistant Professor at the Berklee College of Music—and having previously taught at Harvard, MIT, Emerson, and Northeastern University—Notez shares their industry expertise in college classrooms and they are working to develop Berklee’s first Bachelor of Arts in Black Music.

As the founder of digital media company HipStory, Cliff Notez brought hip hop to one of the largest art museums in the world. Their programming for the Late Nite series at the Museum of Fine Arts created an opportunity for rappers to perform at one of Boston’s most prestigious institutions—giving the genre access to cultural conversations it is often left out of.

Cliff Notez was named “Best Musician” and one of the “100 Most Influential Bostonians” by Boston Magazine, and listed among the “50 Most Influential Bostonians” by Boston Common Magazine. With over 11 Boston Music Award nominations and as the winner of “Song of the Year” in 2020 and the coveted “Best New Artist” award in 2018, Cliff Notez continues to be a central figure of the Boston music scene.

In 2023 Cliff Notez embarks on an sonically adventurous release schedule of 5 singles that pave the intro for his next opus, All Us in Wonderland, beginning with the first track “Could Be Normal” on Feb. 14th that calls back to the lyrical delivery of Outkast and the wonderment of Prince.