Some of the main influences the new generation of rappers have are artists who aren’t that old. Among these are Odd Future and Top Dawg Entertainment, but one artist who has managed to work with both crews and has also had an impact on the newer generation is Mac Miller. Through his use of psychedelic lo-fi beats, it is arguable that the rapper/producer had an impact on the current boom of lo-fi hip-hop producers who have emerged on every music-streaming site out there. One young artist in particular to be insanely influenced by the Pittsburgh rapper is Puerto Rico’s Reyes †††. After releasing his first mixtape, Luna en el Día last year, the Mayagüez-based rapper/producer stayed relatively quiet until recently when he released his Zeeky-produced single “Tengo.”
(art for “Tengo” by GAQUINO)
Featuring a lo-fi boom-bap beat, “Tengo” features Reyes ††† rapping about a few things he has and wants, thereby the main subject, being control. In the song he raps, “tengo la capacidad pa’ escribir lo que está en mí” (I have the capacity to write everything that’s inside of me), where he shows he has power over something, the ability to express himself. However, despite having this form of control he goes on to sing, “¿dónde está mi fuckin’ paz?” (where’s my fuckin’ peace?) and “tengo todo, pero no te tengo aquí” (I got everything but I don’t have you here), showing how he can’t have everything he wants. By rapping about this subject matter, one can easily connect with the young rapper and think about how much we can really control in life.
(Reyes ††† performing in Vox Populi: Puerto Rico’s Fifth Anniversary by Alejandro D. Orengo Colón)
In a time where we try to keep everything organized or have things our way, we can only manage so much. This is what “Tengo” is about and Reyes ††† explores this vulnerability in an open manner, leaving the listeners to think about their own lives. There are small things we can control in life like the way we decorate our room and the order of our playlists, and there are other aspects, like relationships, that we can work on in order to have some form of peace. However, other elements like death or friends moving away are some of life’s facets that we can’t have overpower. These are just some of the sides of life that Reyes ††† makes one think about with “Tengo,”and the laid back lo-fi boom-bap rap beat only helps one think deeper about the subject matter.
(Reyes ††† performing in Vox Populi: Puerto Rico’s Fifth Anniversary by Alejandro D. Orengo Colón)
Despite his young age, Reyes ††† is an artist who’s able to write introspective raps and he showcases this in his latest lo-fi hip-hop single “Tengo.” The artist shows promise and hopefully this latest track will be the introduction to an active 2018 from the up-and-coming artist.
Listen to “Tengo” on Soundcloud here