It’s hard to believe that this year marks the 10th anniversary of REKS‘ debut album Along Came The Chosen being released. It’s not so much the longevity; countless rappers have lasted longer with larger musical catalogs and bigger bankrolls to show for it. Rather, it’s his unwavering dedication to his craft as well as his passion for Hip Hop which in turn has made for some memorable moments, none more remarkable than what he elicits on his latest offering R.E.K.S. (Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme).
Right from the beginning, it’s evident that REKS hasn’t lost a step since Grey Hairs with the DJ Premier-produced record “25th Hour.” Rapidly rhyming over Premo’s piercing piano keys and airtight boom-bap drums, REKS turns into your favorite ‘90s emcee reincarnated. This same raw energy continues on “Thin Line” and “Face Off” 
, where the latter track has REKS and Showoff Records associate Termanology exchanging bars about the emerging Rap takeover coming out of ‘Murder Mass.’ Keeping the features to a minimum, REKS taps Styles P for a track that can only be appropriately described as black hoodie Rap in “Why Cry” . Here Alchemist laces the two emcees with a menacing melody that becomes eerily captivating under their intimidating rhymes.
While the abundance of brazen lyricism fits right into REKS’ usual scheme, the heart of R.E.K.S. is propelled by a handful of records that reveal a more introspective Corey Christie. “This Is Me” delves into his struggle to cope with the early passing of his father as an adolescent, while “Mr. Nobody” has him revisiting the darkest hours when poverty and family instability yielded a bleak future. “Mascara (The Truth)” shines a blinding light on several topics that make REKS question the actual progress of black culture within America. From artistic integrity (“How they want me is to dumb it down, they’ll give me money / If I tap dance, perfect circus monkey”) to Barack Obama (“Mister Black President look more like Sammy Sosa than my granny’s poster”) to discouraging childhood memories (“All my strength within to forget when / I was young and I wanted to be Barbie’s Ken / Mommy’s friends, none of them looked like Golden Girls / Hot combs for their curls, used to call them nigger-nats”), REKS’ concerns make for a great discussion whether or not it occurs in the realm of Hip Hop.
Despite a solid foundation, there are a few cracks noticeable in REKS’ blueprint. Treating “Kill Em” as a concept record to praise his peers, the name-dropping performance over Sean C & LV’s layered production conjures more bark than bite in his lyrics. Upbeat and playful in demeanor, “Limelight” touches on the possibility of fame as REKS references several different artists and media outlets to help build his celebratory status. The beat from Nottz is decent enough, however the rolling piano chords clash with REKS’ stop-and-go rhyme pattern. Similarly, an uncomfortable vibe arises on “The Wonder Years” where REKS’ delivery sounds rushed over Hi-Tek’s lethargic melody. This isn’t to say the two have bad chemistry; the piano-laden “U Know” sounds like it would have fit perfectly on Hi-Teknology 2: The Chip , one of Hi-Tek’s most admirable projects.
Front to back, R.E.K.S. provides the listener with meticulous memoirs from a man that arguably has yet to reach his artistic plateau. Couple that with a solid cast of guest features and producers (including long-time collaborator Statik Selektah), and it’s clear to see why REKS deserves mention alongside his mainstream counterparts. Truth be told, that acknowledgement may never happen, but all is fine; this Boston king will still reign supreme.
this is such a dope album, I’ve listened to the stream a few weeks ago, and there’s absolutely no filler
reks is mad underrated
dope album.
Great album. Love from Poland REKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I’m supporting this. Showoff needs to put all their energy into REKS and make Termanology a road manager or promo guy.
God damn!!! Reks never lets me down. This is the second GREAT album after the incredible Grey Hairs. His debut wasn’t bad either. This man IS hip hop.
”Rapidly rhyming over Premo’s piercing piano keys and airtight boom-bap drums, REKS turns into your favorite ’90s emcee reincarnated” This hits the nail on the head. Reks reminds me of why I once fell in love with hip hop.
Great album with bangin’ lyrics, dope beats.-5/5
way better than raekwons
Word. This should receive the attention Shaolin Vs. Wu-Tang gets. Not taking anything away from Rae, but imo Reks is a much better rapper than him, too. And all the time I hear people complaining and crying that hip hop is dead. Here real hip hop is right in front of you. People like Reks are keeping it alive.
Uh… calm that nonsense down with Reks being better than Raekwon. Don’t be a fool all your life just cause you wanna go against a grain. This Reks kid is nice. He’s cool. But seriously? Y’all niggas kill me with this as the wind blows, prisoner of the moment type shit. Reks isn’t better than Rae on Rae’s worst day.
Just enjoy this album and it’s content and leave it at that.
Funny duddy onion head ass nigga.
^^^@Mr Flamboyant he said reks latest album is better than rae’s latest lp dickhead, not that hes better than rae overrall. Now u can calm down nigga
Currently listening. Dope. Gritty. Lyrical. Musically inspiring.
Currently listening to it right now. Sounds dope, gritty, lyrical and musically inspiring.
holy shit, just checked out 25th Hour…goddamn!
best album released this year so far
see – that’s all Im saying – that 25th Hour joint….. that’s all hip-hop needs to be for me…….that’s it
This dude is the truth. This guy displays hungry, high level lyricism while actually saying things of real relevance…a far cry from 99% of the money driven posers flooding the industry with bullshit. “25th Hour” is easily the best track of the year so far…Support people with actual talent and kick the bums to the curb!
round of applause for some true Hip Hop music from Reks. im def standin’ infront of the counter today coppin’ that shit…Showoff, Showoff!!
Love this album lyrics and production is on point. This album is amazing if you don’t have it get it. You will not be dissapointed with this album. This album is how all hip hop should be like no gimmicks just real hip-hop.
“Barack Obama (“Mister Black President look more like Sammy Sosa than my granny’s posterâ€)”
color struck ?? or exposing european atrocities during slavery?
you do know that obama’s not descended from slaves right?
Best album !
best of 2010
**edit** 2011
edit *2011*
edit: 2011
edit, “2011”
2011
-2011-
*edit* 2011
They say you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover but man-o-man, when I see this album cover you just know it’s going to be a banger! Five stars.
iiight so with this album droppin. . .I gotta quick question. Who do ya think is better Reks or Lupe Fiasco? and post your reasons why for your answer. . Thank you!
You cant make conparisons like that. they both have different styles and different methods to approahcing their subject matter.Imo, all the good emcees are just one big group and there is no rating of whose better or worse cause i love them all in their own way.
Both are great emcees. end of discussion.
*comparisons
Surely you’re kidding right? “end of discussion?”
REKS has kept his style the same and always stuck to whats true to him. Lupe dropped a shit album and keeps blaming it all on “the record label MADE me dumb it down!”
REKS is a true fuckin MC, Lupe is a pop artist. You certainly can make a comparison between them, and it’s not even close.
well lupe hasnt even been in the game for as long as Reks first of all and that last album , while it was garbage, cant fully be blamed on lupe. he needs out of atlantic. But based on what we know hes capable of from food and liquor and the cool, lupe is not a pop artist. He is not in the same category as kanye and jayz as his lyrics are not as watered down. so yes, while reks has kept it real since the start, I kinda do understand where anon is coming from.
Ill……….thats all I got to say 4 1/2 if I could, but Ill hook it up with a 5 to even out all the haters ratings…..real hip hop stand UP!
real hip-hop! glad to see a real hip-hop album with no dumb-ing down for the mainstream.
5/5. Reks is incredible with flow nd lyrics. The production on this is amazing. A definite classic.
Just Calm Down. The Track with Premo is amazing and “This Is Me” is cool too. But listen carefully to his other trax, he always got the same flow…boring. 3,5/5
oh and your favorite artists comes up with TOTALLY, DISTINCTIVELY different flows each and every track thats on all their albums??
just wondering…….
^^TOTALLY, DISTINCTIVELY different flows each and every track thats on all their albums??
and flows that are better than reks??
Talib Kweli(gutter rainbows) vs Reks
Flow: Kweli > Reks
Production might be better in R.E.K.S but imagine Talib was spittin
Yo this just shows how jaded some people get. Are you really expecting a dude to change his flow track-for-track over an LP? How many people do that successfully? He is sticking to his message and although he may not switch it up a lot, Limelight was really the only skippable track for me.
Solid fuckin album, buy buy buy.
AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA @ Talib’s flow being better than Reks’. Reks is one of the most vicious flowers of ALL time. Talib’s flow has no variation and he always sounds like he’s packing waay too many words in one line. It sounds like he’s mumbling. I’ve never heard that Talib bodied a track with his sheer presence. Reks does it almost fucking every time.
Talib has bodied one track in his entire life with respiration lol, talib was a bad example to use, let use skyzoo he is way more interesting than reks and while i feel this album did deserve a 4 i can’t help but think reks is boring. I wish he’s get on duckdown records, that’ll be a good fit for reks. They’d make sure he’d have some flavor to go along with his talent…….I love duckdown’s A&R
@jihod, dude your a joker, you must not have coped train of thought
perfection damn near imo
This is C.L.A.S.S.I.C.
i just heard this cd and wow am i impressed. his flow and lyrics is great, production is amazing… 5/5
What Mothsfuckas?????!!!!!!!!!!!
This is a great album.Too bad it doesn’t finish how it starts though.
Too the dick trying to compare Kweli to Reks learn your hip hop, both great artists but completely different styles and approaches.
Always seems no matter what too many “fans” have to find something to knock, just appreciate……….
Reks-N-Effex!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Sincerely,
Keenan Cunnin
Best album out period!! Why do men get on here to argue about who spits better? If you understand lyricism like K-Rino, Canibus, and Nas then you’ll understand another dominate lyricist, Reks. “Grey Hairs” was classic but this is another banger. Not to mention the mixtapes like “In Between the Lines” that were superior to the mainstream corporate owned “rappers”. Theres no need to talk about Lupe he’s a sell out. He cries about 360 contracts then comes out on some pop s***. Reks is pure underground and he most likely will stay there. He wont compromise his integrity by selling his soul to the Devil. Literally yall fans of some satanic artists. Weezy, Nicki, Jay-Z, all of mainstream are promoting the Devil. SELL-OUTS! Even Reks said in his freestyle from last mixtape “Satan seeking to guide us”. At least he knows theres things deeper than material objects. Show some respect for the lyricist of the year who DIDNT SELL HIS SOUL!!! Homo pop artists….plz no comparison….
u damn right homie. I feel u 100% on this one. REKS, keep up the good work. true hip hop headz got ur back, even in Paris. Peace
By the way mainstream groupies this album is 5 stars!!! EAZZY
The nigga is wack. Niggas on here always overrated underground rappers. The nigga is rhyming about nothing, just throwing shit together, forced multis, shit doesn’t even rhyme half the time, off beat, etc…
I’mma write this here rhyme like guru’s in the passenger
Standin’ on the East Coast staring out to Africa
accolades escalades fade my vernacular
remain intact for the generation is coming after
the average rapper you praise days numbered like a calendar
challengers caliber mediocre enter the catheter
I.V’s wrap em up mad as fuck need a ladder up
escalator elevator skyscraper hella haters
on premo beats meditate a bit
to elevate my spit scribble deadly scrips hell or with
angels I strangle the instrument mango chops
can’t go pop I gotta remain
boom bap true dat who dat be
mr. say goodnight I’ma blaze a mic willingly
kill or be killed industry in the realest of real emcees
soul will flow into me future of the rap gold and never dead???
lmfao That shit is garbage as fuck. The nigga is just trying to rap fast so you won’t notice how shit his lyrics are. Fuck outta here with that wack ass shit. Learn to write to a beat, dipshit.
I’mma write this here rhyme like guru’s in the passenger
Standin’ on the East Coast staring out to Africa
accolades escalades fade my vernacular
remain intact for the generation is coming after
the average rapper you praise days numbered like a calendar
challengers caliber mediocre enter the catheter
I.V’s wrap em up mad as fuck need a ladder up
escalator elevator skyscraper hella haters
on premo beats meditate a bit
to elevate my spit scribble deadly scrips hell or with
angels I strangle the instrument mango chops
can’t go pop I gotta remain
boom bap true dat who dat be
mr. say goodnight I’ma blaze a mic willingly
kill or be killed industry in the realest of real emcees
soul will flow into me future of the rap gold and never dead???
Dude is garbage. Stop hoping on ever rapper that spits fast. One okay line in the whole first verse. smh
I can pick apart the greatest verse of all time like you did. Be objective you fucking dumbfuck.
CLASSIC ALBUM BITCHES!
“you screamin ‘no homo’ but that’s so homo/such a no-no, please swallow the fo-fo/someone tell kanye west to keep his clothes on/and if wayne’s ET ish then tell ’em phone home!”
reks can only be described as real hip-hop. much like all of showoff records. hip-hop heads in the building!
Good work Reks, good music. Cigarettes is CRAZY!!!!!!!!
If you wanna compare Reks and real MCs to anyone,pick the rappers that stay on the radio. Lets get at them because they suck. I hate new lil hip hopper’s taste in rap. Lil Wayne only went in on the first Carter,everything else was ass. Go listen to that freshman video on Datpiff. This is what these lil MF like,SMH. This what Nas was talking about.
Dope album. 25th Hour is the song of the year right now.
5*
Anyone that says this album isn’t a banger is retarded. Listen crab this sh*t is hot. Ask yo mama.
5/5. This, Pharoahe and Saigon are the best albums ive heard so far this year.
REKS made a dope album, but it does tred on featuring whoring. Though I’ll give it up, he pulled it off well.
FIRE
Anyone who doesnt think this album is pure fire is a fool. Plain and simple, Reks goes hard track after track cuz thats what he wants to do. Im just a fan of someone putting their all into the music on tracks and i can actually feel them.
You sleepin if u aint with this.
nufnbujinbneto
To many critics not enough fans.
4.5/5 only because i am comparing to monch which i would rate a 5.
REAL HIP HOP live through this cat, album is classic
nothin on here but some good ass hip hop
Underdog is my shit
reks best album up to date.
Really good hip-hop album. It really grew on me. His flow is on point and the beats are refreshing. Boom Bap from 11′ to infinity.
Cream:
25th Hour
This is Me
Mr. Nobody
The Underdog
Cigarettes
Thin Line
Kill Em’
This or That
Album of the year
ONE OF THE BEST ALBUMS OF 2011, RIGHT THERE WITH SHAOLIN VS WU, 5/5!!!!!
REAL TALK, GREY HAIRS WAS BETTER. SOME GARBAGE ASS BEATS ON HERE; ESPECIALLY FROM HI-TEK, WTF MAN?
Goddamn… In between all the ring-tone, Hip Pop and gum shit Reks is a Real Hero out to save this music we call Rap. And what a savior… Spitting over some of the best beat makers (Primo, Termanology a.o.) Reks stands out as an unique star. Sure he won´t get to sell as many records as all the big super rap stars such as Wiz, Gucci or Soulja Boy but in contrast to the three mentioned Reks CAN Really spit and he got something to say to.
One of the best albums of ’11 and probably ’10 to!!
Some songs could have been cut out but still it’s nice to finally hear an artist who actually is very talented and not just young, hot and easy to sell to the teen-girls. If Hip Hop must survive and be something else (again) than just mindless pop music, more artists need to step they game up. Best album since Roc Marcianos Macberg EP.
Dope as hell Im fN obsessed with this album
this album is solid..4 and a 1/2 mics, reks deserves more recognition in this rap game dammit,,.,
If u don’t like Reks then u simply should NOT listen to hip hop, in a way i hope shit like this stays underground cus all those people ignorin real shit don’t deserve to hear it.
Still album of the year.
This and ”Armor Of God” are the best albums of the year without true competition. NOBODY is spitting like these two. AMAZING!!!
one of the best albums this year
In my top 5 for 2011, this album is absolutely amazing. I listened to Reks’ other two albums and I must say his rapping has improved dramatically. His flow is impeccable, allowing words to just roll over each other. The lyrics are very poetic, especially in 25th Hour, which is one of the best songs in 2011 if not the last decade. Amazing production, particularly with Limelight. The beat was catchy and worked perfectly with the rapping, and said something itself. I enjoy it when the beat adds something to the meaning of the song
Favorites:
25th Hour
Underdog
Self-titled
Like A Star
Limelight
REKS brings it harder than any hip hop album of 2011
Must buy
5 out of 5 , no question..just listened to it again after a few months and its still classic…
So good. Legit flow and the beat is so dope.
This has to be a 5. Reks is a real MC in a world full of fakes.
This is flawless. Classic hip hop and I still play it like it came out yesterday.