Words//Harvey Norfield
Instagram//@_hrv
Instagram//@_hrv
Alex Anyaegbunam, a.k.a. Rejjie Snow, is a 22 year old rapper hailing from Dublin, Ireland – an unconventional setting for a hip-hop uprising. As a hip-hop fan, the work of Rejjie Snow is relatively new to me; however he immediately struck me as something unique. His seemingly monotonous rapping style, reminiscent of Tyler The Creator, blends perfectly with the downtempo, jazz-infused beats which are particularly prevalent in his early releases. Despite his career being relatively young, Snow already appears to be evolving his sound, and this is manifested in his latest release.
The 'Keep Your Head Up' single, features two very different tracks. The title track is a twinkling love song with an 80's R&B vibe that is revitalised for modern airwaves. The backing track simultaneously alludes to the music of Luther Vandross and Kendrick Lamar, which makes for an ingenious combination. Intelligent lyrics that have become something to expect from Snow, covering sensitive subjects such as drug abuse are coupled seamlessly with an infectious chorus that you would expect to have stuck in your head after listening to one of your parent’s soul compilations. This track clearly marks a transition into a more user-friendly sound fit for radio, while staying true to his hip-hop roots.
The 'Keep Your Head Up' single, features two very different tracks. The title track is a twinkling love song with an 80's R&B vibe that is revitalised for modern airwaves. The backing track simultaneously alludes to the music of Luther Vandross and Kendrick Lamar, which makes for an ingenious combination. Intelligent lyrics that have become something to expect from Snow, covering sensitive subjects such as drug abuse are coupled seamlessly with an infectious chorus that you would expect to have stuck in your head after listening to one of your parent’s soul compilations. This track clearly marks a transition into a more user-friendly sound fit for radio, while staying true to his hip-hop roots.
Keep Your Head Up is accompanied by ‘Late Again’; a song with a very different feeling. This track features a sedated, muddy beat similar to those adopted by A$AP Rocky in his latest record ‘At. Long. Last. ASAP’. Late Again embraces more poignant lyrics than the title track. Snow refers to writing rap lyrics as a therapeutic escape, perhaps from ill mental health, with striking lines like “Never called the doctor but instead I chose the pen”. Here he showcases his lyrical prowess, and the pathos evoked provides an insight into the mind of Rejjie Snow.
From his 2013 debut EP ‘Rejovic’ to this latest release, Rejjie Snow constantly pushes the boundaries of the hip-hop genre, experimenting with ambient sounds and varying tempos, even dipping into electronic funk with his 2015 single ‘Blakkst Skn’. Snow’s latest single doesn’t disappoint, radiating a more mature sound with an improved production quality. He has confirmed that fans should expect a full-length record entitled ‘Dear Annie’ this year, and at 22, he is now at a stage of his life where he is “free and fully devoted to music”, which implies a lot of work has clearly gone into crafting his debut album, making it his most exciting project to date.
In the few interviews with Rejjie Snow available online, he suggests that his birthplace of Dublin isn’t exactly the most hospitable environment for unconventional characters, and as an Irish rapper he certainly stands out from the crowd in his hometown. It appears that being in Dublin somewhat held him back from realising his potential as an artist, but after spending more time in the states, Snow has gone from widely misunderstood to comfortable with his music and his image. This newfound freedom to express his creativity could see Rejjie Snow become of hip-hop’s premier names in the not too distant future.
From his 2013 debut EP ‘Rejovic’ to this latest release, Rejjie Snow constantly pushes the boundaries of the hip-hop genre, experimenting with ambient sounds and varying tempos, even dipping into electronic funk with his 2015 single ‘Blakkst Skn’. Snow’s latest single doesn’t disappoint, radiating a more mature sound with an improved production quality. He has confirmed that fans should expect a full-length record entitled ‘Dear Annie’ this year, and at 22, he is now at a stage of his life where he is “free and fully devoted to music”, which implies a lot of work has clearly gone into crafting his debut album, making it his most exciting project to date.
In the few interviews with Rejjie Snow available online, he suggests that his birthplace of Dublin isn’t exactly the most hospitable environment for unconventional characters, and as an Irish rapper he certainly stands out from the crowd in his hometown. It appears that being in Dublin somewhat held him back from realising his potential as an artist, but after spending more time in the states, Snow has gone from widely misunderstood to comfortable with his music and his image. This newfound freedom to express his creativity could see Rejjie Snow become of hip-hop’s premier names in the not too distant future.