MP3: Reks (@TheRealReks) – Kites

The slang term “flying kites” refers to mail entering, or leaving the prison walls to maintain inmate contact with the outside world.

To say REKS took the underground rap scene by storm would be an understatement, as over the course of his first decade on the scene he was the definition of consistent, unleashing three consecutive albums that firmly established him as one of hip-hop’s most revered new artists: ‘Along Came The Chosen‘, ‘Grey Hairs‘ (primarily produced by Statik Selektah with additional production from DJ Premier & Large Professor), ‘Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme‘ (which debuted on the Billboard charts and included production from Statik Selektah, DJ Premier, Pete Rock, Hi-Tek, Nottz, Sha Money XL, and Sean C & LV).

While REKS’ ‘The Greatest X‘ (pronounced as The Greatest Unknown) is not a comeback album, it is a return to force for the Boston wordsmith. As he did on his previous stand-out efforts, REKS is back working with the industries elite producers (Large Professor, The Alchemist, Evidence, Statik Selektah, Nottz, Apollo Brown, Black Milk, Buckwild, STREETRUNNER) as he sets out to take the next step in his progression with ‘The Greatest X‘.

REKS stated:

“Over the past two and a half years I have been recording songs with the understanding this would be album number 10 for me and thus something monumental. ‘The Greatest X’ is a valuable addition to my catalogue; and an important album for Hip-Hop period. I liked the idea (double-album) because it would represent something special for album number 10. ‘The Greatest X’ is more of an experience than it is an album. It is one of my proudest accomplishments.”

With “Kites”, REKS bears his soul over an eerie, hypnotizing Alchemist production and pens two passionate letters to individuals who have captured the world’s attention. The first letter is addressed to Mumia Abu-Jamal, the activist & author who was imprisoned for the 1981 killing of police officer Daniel Faulkner.

The second letter is to Dylan Roof, the terrorist who executed nine people during a prayer service in South Carolina on June 17, 2015. This song comes to us at a period of great division regarding lives that matter. The relationship between police officers and citizens will remain on rocky ground until we dig up the dirt and improve the foundation. Police officers have a profoundly difficult job and they are held to the highest of standards. This needs to be better understood by all. Officers also need to be held accountable for their actions when their actions have disastrous effects. This country has a history of incarcerating Black men for both convenience & profit. Individuals like Dylan Roof will continue to exist so long as revisionist history repeatedly poisons youthful minds with ideas that claim Black equality while still promoting white supremacy. 2016 y’all. ‘The Greatest Unknown‘.

REKS forthcoming new album, ‘The Greatest X‘, will be released on 9.9.2016 via Brick Records & you can pre-order it via iTunes | UGHH [CD | Vinyl]