Reks was born in Lawrence Mass. He was a teenager when he fell in love with the hip-hop music. Growing up, Reks was into break dancing and was a part of the Funk Town Connection Dancing Crew that competed around the city of Lawrence. Soon he would begin to experiment with the rhyming, by penning lyrics of his own.
As the years passed, Reks began to gain notoriety around his hometown as an impressive emcee through battles and stage performances. Upon entering college at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Reks continued rapping. After a year at the university, Reks would begin penning his classic debut Along Came the Chosen under the guidance of his Generation X team formed with Soul Searchers production, manager Shay Boogs, and group members Lucky Dice, Chi Knox and Kiki Breevlife. Brick Records would release his critically acclaimed LP, which would see him nominated for best Boston Hip-hop Album & Artist of the Year.
Reks would go on to be featured in the Source, XXL, Vibe and URBS 'Next 100 To Blow Up' all while charting at the top of college radios play list and placing 45 on Billboards hot new singles chart with 'Skills 101'. Reks would next drop an independent release entitled Rekless and he has since released a solo mixtape Happy Holidays and two volumes of Rash Music with his M Diesel team.
Reks has opened for artists such as the Clipse, Ghostface Killah, Krs One , Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Redman and Method Man, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, De La Soul, Boot Camp Click and The Dipsets' JR Writer to name a few. Reks also would see his video for 'Still Searching" produced by Soul Supreme and released on Supremes' Saturday Nite Agenda debut featured on BET.
Reks is currently in the studio recording his third album entitled Grey Hairs. This project is being executive produced by DJ Statik Selektah. Sixshot.Com sat down with Reks to discuss his crew, his lyrics, and why if you want a good time you should head to UMass.
You're from Lawrence, Mass. There seems to be a lot of talent in the area,
you, Termanology, etc. What was life like for you growing up?
In Lawrence, I grew up with strong ties to family despite the absence of my father who died when I was really young and my mom who was not on the right path as a young parent. My mama has found the Lord and it’s a blessing because I remember seeing crazy shit from a young age but I always had folk around who kept me awake to the times.
Tell me about the Funk Town Connection and your break dancing.
FTC was a crew we formed around the time when you had to break dance. It was my older cousins Zay Zay, Billy, Lil Jam and a few other friends who got busy for a while.
You were into the hip-hop culture but what made you want to step behind the mic?
I remember being dumb young and remembering Kool Moe Dee and the Christmas rap. I would go to the playground at recess and recite verses from Moe Dee, Slick Rick and KRS One so the feeling was definitely instilled early.
I know you were into the battle scene but you also performed. What did you
enjoy more?
Definitely the shows. I was never really a big time battle emcee. I would always make it to final rounds and then have to face my brother Alias who would let me know my forte was commanding the stage in shows.
You attended UMASS for a while, what was your college experience like?
I think I went to school with the wrong frame of mind. I was enjoying the life a little too much and if you know UMass then you know what I mean.
Do you feel it helped or hindered your rhyming abilities?
If I did not attend UMass I would have never met Lucky Dice and the Soul Searchers and my man Shay Boogs who were all instrumental in my progression as an artist so it was never a hindrance
What were you trying to accomplish with Along Came The Chosen?
I just wanted to be recognized as a kid from a small town in Mass who had skills...it did better than I could have imagined.
Why did your second joint Rekless receive such limited circulation? How was
it different from along came the chosen?
We did not promote the second album at all we were straight out the trunk with Rekless, the album was dope as hell, it just had no push.
Tell me about Lucky Dice and Chi Knox.
Dice got an album Blowin Smoke soon to be released and Chi Knox is still grinding the mixtape idea. We are working on an official Diesel release though.
Do you still feel you have a lot of goals to accomplish in the game?
I am content but not stagnant, my goal is not to surpass Jay-Z's sales or Nas' legend. I want to make amazing music for the people so I can be mentioned as one of the true creators of classic music.
What are some projects you have coming up?
Statik's album Spell My Name Right is obviously in stores now and I got three songs on there, "Hardcore" with Termanology, "Talk To Me" with Skyzoo and Jon Hope, and my solo record Big Dreamers. My Grey Hairs album will be dropping in the early part of 2008 and I got some dope features lined up.
Why doesn't New England get a lot of shine in terms of hip-hop?
I don't look at it that way anymore, it's time to stand up and be recognized, if a cat feels neglected, then work at Starbucks. (Laughs)
Anything you'd like to say to the fans?
Thank you to all my fans across the world that have continued to keep me relevant. I will not disappoint you. Grey Hairs will be one of the best releases of 2008, without a doubt.
Thanks for taking the time to speak with me.
As the years passed, Reks began to gain notoriety around his hometown as an impressive emcee through battles and stage performances. Upon entering college at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst, Reks continued rapping. After a year at the university, Reks would begin penning his classic debut Along Came the Chosen under the guidance of his Generation X team formed with Soul Searchers production, manager Shay Boogs, and group members Lucky Dice, Chi Knox and Kiki Breevlife. Brick Records would release his critically acclaimed LP, which would see him nominated for best Boston Hip-hop Album & Artist of the Year.
Reks would go on to be featured in the Source, XXL, Vibe and URBS 'Next 100 To Blow Up' all while charting at the top of college radios play list and placing 45 on Billboards hot new singles chart with 'Skills 101'. Reks would next drop an independent release entitled Rekless and he has since released a solo mixtape Happy Holidays and two volumes of Rash Music with his M Diesel team.
Reks has opened for artists such as the Clipse, Ghostface Killah, Krs One , Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Redman and Method Man, Talib Kweli, Mos Def, De La Soul, Boot Camp Click and The Dipsets' JR Writer to name a few. Reks also would see his video for 'Still Searching" produced by Soul Supreme and released on Supremes' Saturday Nite Agenda debut featured on BET.
Reks is currently in the studio recording his third album entitled Grey Hairs. This project is being executive produced by DJ Statik Selektah. Sixshot.Com sat down with Reks to discuss his crew, his lyrics, and why if you want a good time you should head to UMass.
You're from Lawrence, Mass. There seems to be a lot of talent in the area,
you, Termanology, etc. What was life like for you growing up?
In Lawrence, I grew up with strong ties to family despite the absence of my father who died when I was really young and my mom who was not on the right path as a young parent. My mama has found the Lord and it’s a blessing because I remember seeing crazy shit from a young age but I always had folk around who kept me awake to the times.
Tell me about the Funk Town Connection and your break dancing.
FTC was a crew we formed around the time when you had to break dance. It was my older cousins Zay Zay, Billy, Lil Jam and a few other friends who got busy for a while.
You were into the hip-hop culture but what made you want to step behind the mic?
I remember being dumb young and remembering Kool Moe Dee and the Christmas rap. I would go to the playground at recess and recite verses from Moe Dee, Slick Rick and KRS One so the feeling was definitely instilled early.
I know you were into the battle scene but you also performed. What did you
enjoy more?
Definitely the shows. I was never really a big time battle emcee. I would always make it to final rounds and then have to face my brother Alias who would let me know my forte was commanding the stage in shows.
You attended UMASS for a while, what was your college experience like?
I think I went to school with the wrong frame of mind. I was enjoying the life a little too much and if you know UMass then you know what I mean.
Do you feel it helped or hindered your rhyming abilities?
If I did not attend UMass I would have never met Lucky Dice and the Soul Searchers and my man Shay Boogs who were all instrumental in my progression as an artist so it was never a hindrance
What were you trying to accomplish with Along Came The Chosen?
I just wanted to be recognized as a kid from a small town in Mass who had skills...it did better than I could have imagined.
Why did your second joint Rekless receive such limited circulation? How was
it different from along came the chosen?
We did not promote the second album at all we were straight out the trunk with Rekless, the album was dope as hell, it just had no push.
Tell me about Lucky Dice and Chi Knox.
Dice got an album Blowin Smoke soon to be released and Chi Knox is still grinding the mixtape idea. We are working on an official Diesel release though.
Do you still feel you have a lot of goals to accomplish in the game?
I am content but not stagnant, my goal is not to surpass Jay-Z's sales or Nas' legend. I want to make amazing music for the people so I can be mentioned as one of the true creators of classic music.
What are some projects you have coming up?
Statik's album Spell My Name Right is obviously in stores now and I got three songs on there, "Hardcore" with Termanology, "Talk To Me" with Skyzoo and Jon Hope, and my solo record Big Dreamers. My Grey Hairs album will be dropping in the early part of 2008 and I got some dope features lined up.
Why doesn't New England get a lot of shine in terms of hip-hop?
I don't look at it that way anymore, it's time to stand up and be recognized, if a cat feels neglected, then work at Starbucks. (Laughs)
Anything you'd like to say to the fans?
Thank you to all my fans across the world that have continued to keep me relevant. I will not disappoint you. Grey Hairs will be one of the best releases of 2008, without a doubt.
Thanks for taking the time to speak with me.
