Haunting the backdrop, the soft space behind the bassline, the lingering hum of the harmony, and almost everywhere in between, Ren.y.c is everywhere we listen in the new single “Wicky,” and yet the premise of this audial experience doesn’t necessarily suggest self-indulgence. Indeed, there’s an introspective quality to how some of this lyrical imagery could be interpreted, but for the most part, I would have to say that the real message in this piece has more to do with self-confidence than it does with self-admiration.
Taking into account the tone of the instrumentation they’re presented to us beside, there’s something darkly honest about the concept and narrative being offered to the audience “Wicky” that allows for us as listeners and critics to take its title incredibly seriously. While Ren.y.c is not an artist who is still trying to figure out who she is or where she belongs in the grander scheme of things (at least as it relates to her place in the underground hierarchy of American hip-hop), she’s very much acknowledging that her development will likely never conclude – leaving her to stew in the angst of knowing she will both constantly feel like she’s peeking while never actually reaching her ceiling. It’s rather profound, and easily one of the most relatable narratives I’ve come across in rap lately.
The bass element here doesn’t have as much of a presence as a lot of other producers would have given it, but frankly, I don’t think that the tight style of the mix allows for a lot of excesses on that end of the EQ. To present old-school fundamentals (the structure) through new-school intensity (Ren.y.c’s actual delivery), there has to be a lot more emphasis placed on the tone of the percussion than the thickness or volume of the bassline behind it. Thus, the lack of any synthetics on the backend was essential to making “Wicky” sound like a tightly wound grenade as opposed to just another alternative rap track with a fussy bass/drum component. By doing things this way, Ren.y.c’s vocal never has to compete with anything in the instrumentation, and the beat can contribute to the overall mood of the music as much as any of the lyrics – or the voice conveying them to us – ever would.
If Ren.y.c stays on this path and keeps making music as well-arranged as “Wicky” is, she’s going to be riding the gravy train in this industry for a long time to come. her is definitely among the most competitive scenes in all of the country at the moment, and although there’s a credible argument to be made that she’s not the only interesting player to be following right now, her latest single might be the best new release to hit record store shelves in February in or outside of her immediate scene. She’s got the right edge at the moment, and provided she stays true to the persona she’s established so far, she won’t see this momentum slowing anytime soon.
Cleopatra Patel