New Artist Spotlight: RPxSB’s Chaotic and Cartoonish World of ‘Creatures’ [Video]

On first look, the duo RPxSB give off two particular vibes: Bay Area and MF DOOM. We’re not sure if the latter is an affect on Roddy Picante and Stay-Bizzy, or Rock Plaid and Survive Bullshxt, however the a number of pseudonyms, sturdy visible aesthetic and versatile fashion of their latest Creatures album collection definitely could remind hip hop followers of the not too long ago handed rap legend. Similarly, the Bay Area (RPxSB hail from San Francisco), can also be kown for producing leading edge artists. The weirder-than-weird artwork scene there may be accountable for the leading edge types of E40, Andre Nickatina, Too $hort and, of course, Tupac Shakur. Following in these illustrious footsteps, RPxSB’s Creatures could put this duo on the identical Bay Area 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 well-liked beats. Roddy Picante additionally has a number of solo tracks launched round 2015, nevertheless it appears they deided early on that working collectively was higher. It definitely seems to be to be extra enjoyable if their movies are something to go by.

The duo has posted lots of these clip-style movies in addition to in-studio and enjoyable photographs 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 authentic tracks. The duo contemplate 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 trip.

Flash ahead to 2 years in the past, RPxSB started working in earnest on authentic tracks and launched their first LP, Audioporn. Their movie manufacturing enterprise, now referred to as Mobligated Films, 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 can be a bit mroe grounded in indie rap and, dare we are saying it, aware hip hop.

Said 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 means 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 lots of work.

We’ve established that these two positively put the work in, however their fashion makes it appear easy. As with a very 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 fashion starting from funk to lure and each Roddy and Bizzy having glorious vocal timbres and lyrical prowess, it’s actually a can’t-miss.

Act I of the Creatures collection is Things that Kill Me Inside, launched August 26. Opening with a easy, semi-atmostpheric monitor referred to as “Skyfall,” the introspective tone of Act I is ready from bounce. 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. They additionally change types fairly simply. “Skyfall” has a form of Mike Jones-meets-MF vibe the place the jazzy, in some way much more chill second monitor “Weather Patterns” has a extra gravely, syncopated format a’la Nas or fellow Bay Area artist E40. Act I closes with “Indie Playlists,” a spotlight of the entire collection the place the pair reminisce concerning the golden age of hip hop. A favourite of the aritsts themselves, one more well-produced black and white mini movie with 90s vibes that match the music.

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 “Mind Playing Tricks on Me” vibes, whereas the trappy “Fentanyl” that includes Real Ones is has a chill but eerie high quality. The creepily named closing monitor “The Demon Hour” is surprisingly pretty peaceable with actually fascinating sound design.

Act III: JOPO simply dropped final week on September 9 and it essentially the most lighthearted installment of Creatures. Based  on the cartoonish album artwork for every installment (Things That Kill Me Inside is a smiley face surrounded by medication and Boar is, properly, a boar), JOPO is a form of clownish character and the album has extra foolish vibes, at the very least musically. Also taking from the golden age of clowns, there’s hundreds of 50s and 60s sampling in tracks like “Bad Lemons” and “Bip City Blues.” JOPO can also be in all probability 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 fashion, it appears, because the closing monitor right here, “281-330-8004,” is a callback to a lyric in Jones’s “Back Then” hit from 2005 and it’s additionally sampled within the monitor.

In a good music world, the Crreatures collection can be blowing up already. With vocal and lyrical chops that rival the greats like DOOM and Nas, indie uniqueness like their Bay Area neighbors E40 and Nickatina and soiled south funk like Mike Jones, RPxSB are virtually too good for this period of hip hop. With various fashion, epic flows and one thing for everybody, should you like actual, good hip hop, do your self a favor and turn into one of the Creatures.

The total Creatures collection is out now and will be streamed on Spotify together with the remainder of RPxSB’s discography. Check out their equally epic movies on their YouTube and VEVO channels.