RVA hip hop review: Cha$e Royale – Royale Reigns

by | Jul 10, 2015 | MUSIC

Greatness. We all have it within us, but how many of us really chase it? Cha$e Royale has ambitions, he’s hungry.

Greatness. We all have it within us, but how many of us really chase it? Cha$e Royale has ambitions, he’s hungry. I really liked how he stuck to the theme for the majority of ‘Royale Reigns,’ even sampling the movie Troy for interludes, which is one of my favorite movies when it comes to expressing what making choices to choose ones legacy is like.

A lot of this reminded me of Lloyd Banks, early Banks, the good one, with a new school twist.

The only thing that I really felt didn’t belong on here was “NODNearlyOverDosed.” I don’t get the slowed voice thing. Sure, use it for a part of song, but not for the whole thing, especially smack in the middle of the project.

I respect the risk, as sequencing is key and the middle of any project is a turning point when it comes to momentum, but he lost me there for a second. Fortunately he finish strong, with records like “On The Rise” and “Traveling Man 15” which, though I hated, the hook he really brought in the verses.

That being said “Traveling Man ’15,” I’m interested to see where I see you next, as it’s the hungry that are never full for long.

Brad Kutner

Brad Kutner

Brad Kutner is the former editor of GayRVA and RVAMag from 2013 - 2017. He’s now the Richmond Bureau Chief for Radio IQ, a state-wide NPR outlet based in Roanoke. You can reach him at BradKutnerNPR@gmail.com




more in music

RVA Pro Wrestling is on a Tear Right Now

Last year, Dogwood Dell was packed out. The hillside was full, the crowd was loud and RVA Pro Wrestling put on one hell of a show. It wasn't just wrestling. It was entertainment built for a Richmond audience, mixing big personalities, over-the-top antics and...

Photos | The Strokes at Allianz Amphitheatre

The Strokes are the most important rock band of the 21st century. In 2001, they changed the dial from grunge to garage, and singlehandedly sent every record label on a scavenger hunt for their sauce. If you weren’t around back then you might think I’m exaggerating....

Good Day RVA is Back and Bringing Friends Along

For four nights this weekend, bands from different generations of Richmond's music scene are taking over Get Tight Lounge. Called Tonal Recall, the series is part reunion show, part showcase and part excuse for a bunch of old friends to get back in the same room. ...

Deau Eyes Returns With New Album ‘To Grow Instead’

Four years is an eternity in today’s music industry, especially when algorithms reward content, not creativity. When streaming services punish silence, at the expense of artistic evolution.  In this disconnect, some artists race against trends, abandoning the...

Before Anyone Was Watching

I went to Virginia MOCA expecting to hear Andy Howell talk about skateboarding. Instead, I left thinking about community and how people find each other. Howell's installation opens Seamless, the museum's new exhibition exploring the overlap between art and design. At...