Milwaukee’s own Hektik has been hard at work ensuring that his legacy as a solo artist is cemented within the world of indie Hip-Hop music. He’s been doing more shows, collaborating with more of his peers, and not too long ago he dropped a full length project titled Die Slow 2. The 14 track collective had the city buzzing and includes some top notch features from other 414 talent. So The Illixer had to backtrack and bring it to the readers.
“Eazy” F/ Mic Crawf
The production here is smooth. The low lying base, floating secondary elements, and mellow vibe make for a rewarding combination. The hook is just as likable. The delivery is distinct and the lyrics are down to earth. The verses are of a grade A quality. Hektik goes in first and Mic Crawf comes in on the second half. Each artist brings their own personalized flow, striking wordplay, and authentic rhymes. They illustrate the struggles and hardships that exist despite how things may appear on the surface. Peep as Hektik spits: “I’m out here looking like something that the cops a kill. We ain’t talking basketball at all how they got the steel/steal. Trying to look good on paper like a dollar bill. Or some artists’ skills. I searched for snakes. Now my lawn is tilled. N—as holler kill kill til they sending shots for real.” Definitely an in your face opener right there. As a whole, this is a great real talk type of selection.
“Did You Know”
The production here is choice. The weighty bass, discreet musical ingredients, and dramatic vibe work favorably together. The hook is dope. The melodic tone is a different change of pace for Hektik and the lyrics are sincere. There is only one verse present. But it definitely completes the assignment. Hektik takes on an intense flow, lively wordplay, and heartfelt rhymes. He gives the listener vivid insight into his love related frustrations. He shares: “You either ride or you die cause I’m en-route. We were just beginning. And you barely making ends now. Two n—as at the same time, big clown. Late night face-time with ya tits out. Poured up in yo cup and it spilled out.” Those bars paint quite the stirring image. Overall, this is a quick valid track.
“Non Fiction” F/ B.U.
The production here is appealing. The booming foundation, hard hitting background details, and sobering vibe compliment each other nicely. The hook is solid. The delivery has some character to it and the lyrics are of a street savvy nature. The verses are on point. Hektik and B,U, feed off of one another effortlessly whenever they link up on a track. Both rappers bring unique flows, proficient wordplay, and unfiltered rhymes. The duo give the listener quite the earful as they breakdown their individual versions of the meaning behind the song title. A little snippet from Hektik’s reality includes: “B—hes lying on they sanity. N—as lying on they salary. They want to be with me at company picnics but wasn’t with me at the factory.” One has to appreciate the just straight up nature of those lines right there. All in all, this is another slick offering from the pair.
**Honorable Mention**: “Jugo” F/ GP El Magico
This song is a whole vibe and the video is equally as lit. Hektik and GP El Magico put on for the South-side for sure. Couldn’t do a legitimate in-depth review of the single/video because my Spanish is pretty rusty (lol). But the record still deserves some stand alone recognition.
**My Two Cents: Die Slow 2 is worthy of all of the hype and praise that is has received. Hektik demonstrates growth and hunger on this project. He is settling admirably into his own. Also, he did an excellent job of selecting beats as well as guest artists that are flattering to his style and skill set. We still got a few months left in the year but I’m putting Die Slow 2 as one of the top local releases of 2022. If you’re not up on Hektik, I suggest you get familiar asap. -MinM
