A Product of My Environment by Reckless
A Review
One thing about Hip Hop is that emcee’s put so much good
stuff out there focusing on their experiences through life and what they see
around them. This is why Hip Hop music always remains so relevant year in and
year out, simply because the listeners can always relate to what is being said.
Regardless of whether you agree with what is being said or how it is being said,
the content is always relevant to the moment.
It was with great interest that I have listened to this new
album by Nottingham Emcee Reckless. Now I have not ventured to Nottingham and
so I have no idea what live is like there But, the title of the Album ‘A
Product of My Environment’ gave me the impression that what I was about to hear
was a reflection of life in and around the area Reckless makes his home.
So, let us take a trip through the Album and find out what
kind of product his environment has made him:
Kicking off with Glad
Rags, immediately this is something we can all associate with. Dressing in
the freshest trainers and gear out there, everyone has a brand they favour and
this track is all about the love of how he likes to dress, and for Reckless his
label of choice is Adidas. A heavy track that you could find yourself nodding
along to, The Production comes from Oozhe and also features Mandato, both who
also hail from Nottingham. A Video for Glad Rags will be dropping soon so keep watch for this one. Up next is Stet
on it, a slightly more laid back track that gave me a mental vision of the
Viz comic strip Fat Slags. This track is a vision of those who have yet to
discover their self worth and are consumed by the basic instinct to find a
mate. Production comes from Manchester producer Blizzard.
Black Balled
drops next and is a hard track with a heavy beat and is a message to all those
‘Dick Riders’ out there, Reckless don’t care and don’t give a fuck so, you need
to step off. This track is also the first video from the Album. Production here
comes from Oozhe. The next track, Working
Class Zeroes, is a laid back kinda track that is all about working your ass
off day in and day out to get though life. Many of us can associate with this
and how hard it is to make ends meet in today’s society. Production on this one
comes from Blizzard and features the always on point DJ Jabbathakut on the
cuts. Following on from the vision of the working class is something that,
again, plenty of us can associate with at one point in our lives as Booze Britain, takes you on what could
be a typical night out in many an English City and the stark reality that the British have a bit of a reputation as
drinkers. This banger of a track features Idranix from Leicester and Production
from Oozhe.
From a good night out on a Friday night at the end of the
week, When Saturday Comes, links us
into another staple of British life and something a great many out there enjoy,
Football. This heavy rack takes us on a journey to the pub and on to the terraces
and the emotions of watching 90 minutes, end to end on a Saturday afternoon.
Production on this one comes from Oozhe.
Bennis Gonna Get Ya,
Produced by Blizzard, is Reckless ode to his favourite place, Benidorm and the
things he gets up to on a weekend there every year. A laid back easy track that
may well bring a chuckle to many who have memories of Benidorm or other such
destinations.
From a fun vision of getting away from it all to the tongue-in-cheek
track, Sawney Bean, Not the Scottish
Cannibal of old but, a light-hearted track with a nice banjo riff, which is all
about a band of country yokels. It might be a bit over the top but, it’s all
just a bit of fun. Now, from a bit of fun, it’s back to reality with a bit more
of a darker look at a division between the older generation and the younger,
millennial generation on Victor Meldrew
vs The Snowflakes. Now, I’ll be honest here and admit I had to look up what
a snowflake was. To me term seems quite derogatory but, this is all a bit of
fun and the track works well and will get your head nodding. Production comes
from Blizzard and features the dope cuts of DJ Jabbathakut.
You can always tell when someone puts a little extra into a
track and Man About Town is one of
those tracks. Here Reckless tells us all about a good friend and local hero.
This one has an easy going vibe, with its cool trumpet sample, and you can feel
the respect he has for this guy and putting that energy and emotion into
something always gives a deeper vibe. This one features production from C.W.
Lee & Blizzard.
Next up is the penultimate track, which all about being
Egotistical, on Nobody Else. The
track is nice banger with a cool Piano vibe which features Bristol’s own Twizzy
and production from Oozhe.
The last track on the Album is Peter Pan and features CW Jones from Button Eyes on the Hook and a
debut from Nottingham’s MC Webz, alongside Shivaz and Kelly Kelz. A nice
chilled out track that really spoke to me about Life, Love, Being young at
heart and always living in a way that is the greatest expression of your true
self.
I won’t lie and say that I got the vibe of this album
straight away. It took me a while and it really made me realise how we are all
different products of our own environments and our own experiences. How I see
things is not how Reckless or anyone else sees things. We are all individuals
and that is exactly how it is supposed to be.
Reckless has done an admirable job in bringing us his
experiences of everyday life. Sometimes fun and sometimes gritty, you can feel
that this has taken thought, feeling and a desire to give an insight into his
environment, an environment which has moulded and shaped who he is over the
years.
Overall, the production and verbal skills displayed on this
album fit real well together and there is a good balance to the album. It is
also good to see a range of guests from different parts of the country all
bringing an extra element to compliment the particular vibe of each track and
as always with DJ Jabbathakut bringing the Dopeness, how can you go wrong.
A Product of my Environment adds another dimension to the
already high standards that we have seen here in the UK this year. Definitely
one for you to check out this release is available on Wax, CD and Digital download.
A highly enjoyable listen that stands the test of time, it may well appeal to
some more than others. But, as I have already noted, this will be down to you
own life experiences. However it appeals to you, it is still one you should
check out. So, go cop this one and see where it takes you.
Putting our something out as an independant artist takes time and money. So, support independant artists like Reckless. Only in this way can you continue to get inovative Hip Hop that tackles subjects you might not have heard before, just like you get here on A Product of my Environment.
Huge respect goes out to Reckless for sending this over to
me to review for you. It has been a pleasure to review as well as a challenge,
at times, to really get the vibe and the feel of the vision Reckless is putting
across.
Till next time.
I’m out,
Steve
To purchace the a physical or Digital copy of the Album Click the links below:
Black Balled Video
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