Renaissance = Rebirth. A great word to describe the musical journey of Realz Reality. As part of a veteran group of the infamous underground duo Distant Pham along with Master Wiz, it is still possible to discover new awesome music from the artist, Realz Reality. Going back to the mainstream with the recently released album, “Renaissance of the Risen”, this album promises some hard-hitting beats, top-notch lyricism, and some big collaborations. Be prepared to be blown away by this 21-track collection loaded with pure talent and skill from the artist.
Starting strong with the track, “The Risen”, a worthy introduction to the album. It delivers a clear message to the audience on what to expect in the whole album. It is packed with Realz’s signature style and further solidified by the unique and lit production of Master Wiz. It showcases the artist’s clear flow, and his personal views and outlook in life as observed on the lines that he delivers. This can also be observed in tracks like “X2“, “Misery Torment” and “Collateral Damage” as they tell the story of the darker parts of Realz’s mind and how he perceives the world around him.
Now, Realz did some huge collaboration on this album. With “3 Wishes” showcasing the style of the artist Colle’ Kharis, this gives us an unapologetic track that tackles the ugly reality that is currently the trend in society, especially how some people would do everything to get ahead of everyone. It is clever how the production only did simple background sound for this track which highlighted the rapping skills of both the artists. On the other hand, the song “Keyed In” is a collaboration with the artist Tek (Smif N Wessun). It is loaded with simple and easy-to-remember beats. It is no surprise that the lines and flow in this track were highlighted because of how the lyrics were cleverly written. The rhymes and the measure of the words and lines just fit all perfectly.
The track “Live” is a vocal surprise. It is jazzy. SEXY! Well, freedom is sexy, right? As this song depicts, it romanticizes living your life and being free. Esraelia and Realz’s vocals just suit perfectly as arranged in this track. Speaking of perfect, “Good 4 Her” also fits that description. It is a combination of yet again, jazz and hip-hop; and for this, the production has done a great job for it. It has drama yet it is cool. Additionally, “The Essence” is a track that will make you feel like you’ve been transported to the early years of hip-hop because of its musicality. Growls? Repetitive beats? Classic! The hook of the track is great. It has a classic hip-hop sound yet is refreshing.
Entering into the topic of something personal, starting off with the track “Cloud 9”, as it talks about relationships. It tackles how two people flourish on their own thing while supporting each other on their own track. It is modern and somehow has pop undertones, yet is a full-blown chill vibe through and through brought by the skillful rap of Realz Reality throughout the track.
The track “Glory” is my personal favorite. To me, somehow it felt like it had undertones of preaches in church. Was it divine intervention? Probably. But I’m sure I love this song so much. It somehow made me feel victorious. The piano is also so cool along with the heavenly vocals in the background. Although it is packed with Realz’s signature rapping style, it is melodic and, hence, very catchy to the ears.
Diving deeper into this album, “On My Own” is a powerful song that tells us the story of Realz and how he navigates through his life. This song also acknowledges that although he’s been through a lot, he is not alone and he is not afraid to ask for help if he needs to. In addition to that, the tracks “This Is Me”, “As the Clocks Ticks”, “Lucky Me”, and “The Symphony” are also packed with Realz Reality’s personal story.
Overall, this whole album is loaded! Not only with awesome and skillful lyricism but also with genres and musical cores that you wouldn’t expect would work well if mixed with hip-hop. It is indeed an experience; this is a type of listening ride that you wouldn’t know what to expect next. It is full of emotions as written in the lyrics and is dramatized by the lines as thrown by the clear rapping of Realz Reality. Being able to rap is one thing, but rapping and effectively telling a story while maintaining correct measure for words and rhythms? That’s one helluva skill.
Amongst the other tracks that this album features are “The Coming”, “Just Another Day”, “Only”, “Hip Hop Anthem”, and “Get Off”. Check it out and experience the music of Realz Reality. Renaissance of the Risen is now available on Spotify. Follow the artist’s socials for more!
