On first look, the duo RPxSB give off two particular vibes: Bay Space and MF DOOM. We’re not sure if the latter is an affect on Roddy Picante and Keep-Bizzy, or Rock Plaid and Survive Bullshxt, however the a number of pseudonyms, robust visible aesthetic and versatile model of their current Creatures album collection actually could remind hip hop followers of the not too long ago handed rap legend. Equally, the Bay Space (RPxSB hail from San Francisco), can also be kown for producing innovative artists. The weirder-than-weird artwork scene there’s chargeable for the innovative kinds of E40, Andre Nickatina, Too $hort and, in fact, Tupac Shakur. Following in these illustrious footsteps, RPxSB’s Creatures could put this duo on the identical Bay Space map.
RPxSB aren’t precisely new; their YouTube channel goes again to 2014, the place the chums started releasing “spit clips,” movies the place they rapped collectively over common beats. Roddy Picante additionally has just a few solo tracks launched round 2015, nevertheless it appears they deided early on that working collectively was higher. It actually appears to be like to be extra enjoyable if their movies are something to go by.
The duo has posted a variety of these clip-style movies in addition to in-studio and enjoyable pictures of their life whereas creating (or partying) over the previous seven-odd years, and it was a wise transfer to doc all this chaos. It gave a face and a vibe to RPxSB lengthy earlier than they had been doing extra structured albums and movies for unique tracks. The duo think about themselves filmmakers on high of being hip hop artists. These high-quality movies the place followers can get to know the fellows will make them really feel like they’re coming alongside for the experience.
Flash ahead to 2 years in the past, RPxSB started working in earnest on unique tracks and launched their first LP, Audioporn. Their movie manufacturing enterprise, now known as Mobligated Movies, additionally solidified with the discharge of the primary video from this album, “SamOl.” The social gathering vibes had been nonetheless there together with his tongue-in-cheek shot at Pussy Riot, however their sound from this album on could be a bit mroe grounded in indie rap and, dare we are saying it, acutely aware hip hop.
Mentioned acutely aware rap was tempered with a wholesome dab of irony, as soon as once more A’la MF DOOM or Odd Future, nevertheless it’s there nonetheless by way of all RPxSB’s releases over the previous three years, and there have been many. The duo launched two full-length albums in 2020 and two lengthy EPs (one other type of collection) and an album, an EP and a one-off single in 2021. That’s nothing in comparison with 2022: the three Creatures albums are their second, third and fourth long-plays this 12 months, and it’s solely September. That’s a variety of work.
We’ve established that these two undoubtedly put the work in, however their model makes it appear easy. As with a extremely good dancer or actor, audiences watching RPxSB’s movies or listening to Creatures will get misplaced on the earth these two expert rappers create. It comes each from the circulate and the manufacturing on this case. With a various producion model starting from funk to entice and each Roddy and Bizzy having wonderful vocal timbres and lyrical prowess, it’s actually a can’t-miss.
Act I of the Creatures collection is Issues that Kill Me Inside, launched August 26. Opening with a clean, semi-atmostpheric monitor known as “Skyfall,” the introspective tone of Act I is about from leap. The beat on “Skyfall” is minimal because the duo flex their rapping muscle tissue. No mumble rap or one phrase per bar right here; the flows roll off these golden tongues sooner and smoother than the hip hop world has heard from anybody in years. Additionally they change kinds fairly simply. “Skyfall” has a type of Mike Jones-meets-MF vibe the place the jazzy, one way or the other much more chill second monitor “Climate Patterns” has a extra gravely, syncopated format a’la Nas or fellow Bay Space artist E40. Act I closes with “Indie Playlists,” a spotlight of the entire collection the place the pair reminisce in regards to the golden age of hip hop. A favourite of the aritsts themselves, yet one more well-produced black and white mini movie with 90s vibes that match the tune.
Act II: Boar, dropped on September 2, predictably has a a lot completely different vibe than the primary act. No much less introspective in lyrics, the music and verse are extra aggressive, as is the subject material. Second monitor “Kevin Nash” is downright creepy, giving Geto Boys’s “Thoughts Taking part in Tips on Me” vibes, whereas the trappy “Fentanyl” that includes Actual Ones is has a chill but eerie high quality. The creepily named closing monitor “The Demon Hour” is surprisingly pretty peaceable with actually attention-grabbing sound design.
Act III: JOPO simply dropped final week on September 9 and it essentially the most lighthearted installment of Creatures. Based mostly on the cartoonish album artwork for every installment (Issues That Kill Me Inside is a smiley face surrounded by medication and Boar is, nicely, a boar), JOPO is a type of clownish character and the album has extra foolish vibes, not less than musically. Additionally taking from the golden age of clowns, there’s a great deal of 50s and 60s sampling in tracks like “Dangerous Lemons” and “Bip Metropolis Blues.” JOPO can also be most likely the funkiest of the three installments, taking the soiled south and Houston undertones to the forefront. We had been proper to identify that Mike Jones model, it appears, because the closing monitor right here, “281-330-8004,” is a callback to a lyric in Jones’s “Again Then” hit from 2005 and it’s additionally sampled within the monitor.
In a good music world, the Crreatures collection could be blowing up already. With vocal and lyrical chops that rival the greats like DOOM and Nas, indie uniqueness like their Bay Space neighbors E40 and Nickatina and soiled south funk like Mike Jones, RPxSB are nearly too good for this period of hip hop. With numerous model, epic flows and one thing for everybody, in case you like actual, good hip hop, do your self a favor and grow to be one of many Creatures.
All the Creatures collection is out now and might be streamed on Spotify together with the remainder of RPxSB’s discography. Take a look at their equally epic movies on their YouTube and VEVO channels.
