By shelz.
Reks has been on the scene since some of you were too small to reach the volume control on your daddy’s stereo. In that time, he has ambled through the culture, soaking up all the elements of Hip-Hop, some of which are now found on the fringes (he used to be a break dancer.) Armed with a sense of loyalty to the movement, a bag full of boom bap and a never say die flow, Reks is dropping his 3rd studio album, R.E.K.S. (Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme.) His loyalty to old school paints this project retro and places him deep in the heart of the Golden Age. If you like that, then you are in luck. But if you like your rap with a side of modernism, then you might be bored with this release.
The team of producers is a who’s who of late 90’s beat makers and those who have most capably followed in their footsteps. Premier and Pete Rock set the tone while Hi-Tek, Alchemist and Reks’ in house guy, Statik Selektah, lace him with sample and thump heavy foundations that send him off to lyrical battle. The sonic sentiment is morose and weighty, which is perfect for Reks’ observations on life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.
Reks surfs a plethora of topics thoughtfully, some surface and others incredibly personal. “Thin Line” is an almost RZA-like underpinning, kissed with Asian elements and a Jigga sample that chronicles the fragile connections between friends while “Limelights” upbeat, quirky rhythm serves as a great track for Reks’ bouncy delivery. The intonation and narrative could remind some old heads of Sir Dzl, but Reks’ deference rarely borders on thievery. Static Selektah brings us up to date with “This Or That.” The snaky bassline and head nodding percussion remain smooth but still provide enough punch for Reks’ chest thumping and chastisement of lesser emcees.
You’re screaming no homo, but that’s so homo. Agreed.
“The Underdog” isn’t exactly car culture bump, but waving your hand in the air like you just don’t care with the top down could result from the Blaze P track. Reks takes us down his personal memory lane; waxing nostalgic about his bad ass kid shenanigans. Then he brings it to the present claiming he’s the best rapper you’ve never heard of.
The album isn’t all bread and butter though. The lone contribution from Alchemist, “Why Cry,” starts with some stair step strings that abruptly drop in favor of thump and an odd Caribbean-flavored hook. The verses sit atop some horror core digital strings reminiscent of Sid Roams, but not as effective. The scratches at the end are dope, as is Reks, but the verse from Styles P is forgettable. “Face Off” with Termanology has a Sha Money XL track that begs for a G-Unit tag. Also, after the first ten cuts, the songs start to run together; not because the tracks aren’t well put together but the deference starts to pile up. That idea of nostalgia is what Reks wanted, but 16 songs is a lot of throwback.
All and all, R.E.K.S.(Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme) is a good album. The production is solid and Reks is a great emcee. He flips his flows, dodging the idea that he is a one trick pony, and selects tracks that fit the emotion of his narratives. The themes range and there isn’t any big willie lifestyle fakery, just a true point of view. However, this release is for a certain sub-set of fans and 90’s portal rap tends to just draw only the most crotchety of the culture. That means Reks will probably continue to be the greatest rapper Hip-Hop has never heard.
3.25 out of 5
Reks – “25th Hour”
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