Friday, 13 August 2010

THE LOST BOYZ 'RENEE'


When it's got right, hip-hop does storytelling like no other genre. And with 'Renee', the Lost Boyz sure got it right, getting everything on-point to create one of the most cinematic tracks in the genre's history.

From the opening bars documenting Mr. Cheeks' chance meeting of his shortee, to the first refrain of the chorus, tantalisingly suggesting that Renee has died before we've yet heard the story, this track grabs the attention and sweeps the listener along, with powerful images filling the head at every bar. It would take a hardened cynic not to be moved by the poignancy of the story.

Where the appeal of many 90s hip-hop classics lies in the mesmeric appeal of the beat, this is one where every lyric does count, and five minutes kicking back to listen to the whole thing makes for a very rewarding experience.

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