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Of all the rappers in Milwaukee, Genesis Renji may be the hardest to pin down. On his most memorable work, he’s refused to meet the listener half way—his albums can be thorny and demanding, almost confrontational in their release of grievances and frustrations. But Renji refuses to box himself in as a tortured artist. Some of his recent singles have been bright and uplifting, almost summery.
Though it’s just four songs and 16 minutes, Renji’s new Lucid EP captures both sides of his persona. It opens on a heady note with the “Back to Basics,” where Renji chips away at the fabricated personas that rappers create for themselves (“My sole motivation is keeping ego alive/Masculinity fragile, it won’t let me cry,” he raps). Then he immediately cuts the tension with “Chyna,” a slinky, strip-club number filled with pre-scripted lines about “no hands” and dropping it low. No judgement: There’s merit to this style of music, but it’s territory that’s been covered so many times before—and with so much more enthusiasm—that you almost have to wonder why Renji even bothered.
The EP saves it’s most personable numbers for last: a woozy, star-gazing track called “Constellations” that’s one of the most romantic things he’s ever written, and the even more overtly puppy-doggish love song “Purple Stones.” It’s a bit scattered, but Lucid reaffirms Renji as one of the Milwaukee rap scene’s most fascinating thinkers.
You can stream the EP below, along with the “Chyna” video.
