Roni.O: “Speed” applies maximum effort and mastery
Roni.O is a Hip-hop artist and producer from Rochdale Village, Queens. He has released several (100+) mixtapes singles, and albums since his first self-released project in 2004 “Crush’n The Hataz vol. 1”. One of his latest projects is the single “Speed”, produced by himself. The SlipSity Music Group CEO delivers a professional Jay-Z style with an extreme realness and street savvy. Roni.O obviously didn’t make his name in underground hip-hop by being a rapper with a gimmick or someone who was carried along by production. His reputation is that he is a lyricist first and foremost.
“Speed” is structured around that strength, with the focus being on the vocal performance. It’s clear that the rapper spent a good amount of time crafting these verses in order to make sure he said what he wanted to say here.
“Speed” is a prime example of how hip-hop can serve as a platform for storytelling, as Roni.O confirms that the hype around his lyrical prowess is real. He has his own sound for sure, so this track is a timeless intermission from the rest of the confused jumbling of different decades of rap.
The track serves as a yardstick for measuring how the Roni.O has both grown and stayed grounded since his debut. He spends time on the track channeling his lyrical density while adding notes from his personal journey. It’s more than just tough talk, though the tough talk is reliably clever.
Across the track, Roni.O’s nuanced rapping, the cohesive production, and the rappers’ willingness to get his message through cohere into an affirmation for the artist’s fans. Roni.O’s penchant for switching lyrical style between braggadocios and confrontational is perfectly executed here.
He also makes sure the lines aren’t overly complex, but say just enough to leave a strong impression. Roni.O’s gift for bringing lyrics that matter certainly does not falter on this release. The atmosphere combined with the thought provoking lyrics shows that quality music can be released when applying maximum effort and mastery.
Without being at all pretentious, “Speed” is here to say that the current themes of mainstream rap can be changed. First and foremost, the production style here is an astounding representation of this overall concept. Then going along with the beat is Roni.O’s voice showcasing the top-tier delivery he has up his sleeve. People keep saying hip hop is dead. I keep telling them that hip-hop isn’t dead. It’s just not on the radio!
niiiiice