During the month of February, Rue The Poet decided to show up & show out for an entire week. He released not one, not two, not three, but four whole tracks pretty much back to back. Each release holds an unique title as well as some kind of significance for the enlightened emcee. It’s not a feat that one gets to witness too often from an artist, so The Illixer decided to spotlight the effort by briefly touching on each single. Take a peek after the jump.
“Y.G.B.Y (You Gotta Be You)” F/ Abby Jeane Rebel Love
This is the first song that came out during the aforementioned release week. The meaning behind it is spelled out relatively well within the title … basically just be true to yourself. Rue played nicely on the phrase during the promo for the record. The tune is set to a snazzy instrumental with refreshing supporting details and a vibrant tempo. The hook is amazing. The harmonies are enchanting and the lyrics are uplifting. Abby and Rue kill it. The verses are of a high quality. Rue The Poet’s companionable flow, novel wordplay, and expressive rhymes make it hard not to be positively impacted by this selection. He gives his perspective on various scenarios in life in a very graceful fashion. And the ending of the tune is the icing on the cake. It’s always nice to hear children involved with music. Overall, this is a top of the line offering as well as the site’s favorite of the four.
“Elevator Thought … Again Lol”
This marks the second release. Rue decided he wanted to have a little fun and share some of the things on his mind. The production here is composed of light airy ingredients with an even-tempered vibe. So it definitely gives off that elevator type of feel but in a more attractive way. There is no hook on this number which works out just fine. It’s a shorter clear-cut track, so one isn’t really missed. The uninterrupted verse is satisfactory. Rue spits consistently and uses decent wordplay with valid rhymes. He puts together something that would certainly be entertaining to mull over while traveling in between floors. A snippet from his musings includes: “Keeping yo ears interested. Listen to what I’ve invested. I put time in this. My hard work and my time too. Beats that I rhyme to. Plus ya boy trying to get signed too. This music, I know you love. Ya boy need that, gone and show me some. Shout out to the girl that really dug me though. Way back when I had the Philly Fro.” The personable nature of those words right there is a prime example of what makes this single so appealing. In the end, this is a solid effort.
“E.T Luvin (Truth Be Told)”
The production here is sleek. The low key framework with the discreet background elements and peaceful vibe make for a likeable combination. The hook is top notch. It summarizes the purpose behind the song with a well polished delivery and fetching lyrics. The verses are kosher. Rue The Poet respectfully demonstrates his creativity as he expands on the topic of love via the usage of galaxy themed metaphors. It’s a different approach to the subject matter that any female would be flattered to have inspired. All in all, this is a charming third release.
“Ruezophrenia”
What would the local music scene be without the occasional round of controversy right? Well the 414 scene lit up when one rapper declared his greatness over others via social media. It spawned a lot of talk and a lot of spur of the moment tracks as well. Artists were anxious to prove themselves and their skills. Rue decided to join in on the fun. This made for his final release in the four part series. This selection opens with very witty and daunting banter. From there, the production kicks in. The production falls on the darker side with a heavy foundation, haunting components, and an eerie vibe. This is another cut where there is no hook. But there is enough present in the verse to keep the listener quite content without one. The elongated verse is mint. Rue experiments with his flow a bit, his wordplay is cunning, and his bars are sharp. He emotes the shadowy vibe of the beat while playing up the essence of the title and confirming that he is definitely worth mentioning amidst the greats. A highlight from his display of his more intense side includes: “I’d rather just keep it poetic. Chill and stay humble and you’ll be respected, I keep on telling myself over and over. But f–k it, I think they won’t get it. So f–k it, forget it. Some of y’all gone hate when they let him in. Saying he ain’t did enough to be a veteran. And most of the one’s talking all that smack be the ones that I’m already better than.” Those bars right there send out a clear cut message to anyone opposing Rue for sure. As a whole, this is a fierce track and a strong way to conclude the releases.
**My Two Cents: I love Rue’s ambition and I think his release week was an honorable undertaking. All four selections are well packaged and speak vastly to Rue’s versatility. My only wish is that he would’ve spread the releases out over a longer period of time. It would’ve given his fans a bit more of an opportunity to appreciate and soak in each track. But he’s definitely staying on top of his game and it will be interesting to see what he comes up with next. -MinM
