It’s no secret that the world of Milwaukee hip hop constantly grows and evolves. A simple search on YouTube or Soundcloud will tell you that the city’s scene gets exponentially larger every day, with new names added to the fray with each passing year. Many, however, do not move with intent like rapper, engineer, and local label owner Genesis Renji, who recently added author to his list of titles. His new book, “The Book of Genesis: GOAT Talks – Words to Motivate, Manifest, and Move” was released this past December during a break from dropping music. The collection of quotes and thoughts are assembled to help not only musicians, but creatives as a whole. The origins, however, were based on social media.
“I was just on Facebook, and Richon Martena, a model in Milwaukee, had said something which I commented under with my own witty rapport” said Renji. “She was like ‘I’m about to start a book of Genesis, and just put all your quotes in there’ which made me think about it. That spawned what the book is. Outside of me being a musician, it’s not related to music at all.”
A glance at Renji’s accolades shows why he’s credible as a motivational author. In addition to his many musical releases, he’s also previously won local competitions, including US Bank’s TourPossible event at Turner Hall Ballroom, and scored endorsement deals with global brands along the way. Hip hop is a competitive artform, and those who stand out do so by carving a unique path for themselves. It’s a formula that Renji is willing to pass on to others. The expansion of “GOAT Talks” has also led to digital content, including short video snippets, as well as weekly rooms on Clubhouse, an app currently in beta development that has gained rapid favor amongst music industry professionals.
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“It’s been pretty cool. The last one we did was about pivoting whenever people feel stuck” said Renji. “We’ve had some great people come in and share their stories. I’m playing with the idea of doing more with it.”
When he’s not putting out motivational material, Renji also has a deep catalog of songs stashed away for release whenever he feels like putting them out. With an arsenal of content at his disposal, there’s truly unlimited potential for his artistry.
“I’m constantly cooking up something” said Renji. “I’ve got something in the tuck in case we have to jump off of the plan that we have laid. I already have the backup. Planning and preparation is so critical.”
You can currently order “The Book of Genesis – GOAT Talks” in paperback or digital form on Amazon as well as GenesisRenji.com.
