RVA hip hop review: Reppa Ton – Forever Changes

by | Oct 14, 2015 | MUSIC

One of the equations I live by is Change + Growth = Evolution.

One of the equations I live by is Change + Growth = Evolution. You may, or may not remember Reppa Ton’s last release The Third Power, which I described as “not his best work”, but also as “a good place for him to start.”

I admit, at times I can be a harsh critic, but thats because I want to see the best out of every artist daring enough to share his work with the world. I hold artists to the standards I hold myself. After all, if we aren’t doing our best, all we are doing is trying. So when I finally took some time to listen to Forever Changes I was hoping for a new “best” from Reppa Ton, and I believe that is what we got.

While not perfect, (perfect is boring by the way) the 12 tracks Reppa Ton has selected to give us are great examples of his strengths, his weaknesses, and most importantly his growth. Not only as producer and artist, but as a man as well. My favorite song on here is track three which is called “Famous” and to me, it is the best example of what Reppa Ton is capable of.

A fast delivery, strong beat which I do believe he produced, and a strong sense of focus. It also has a cool little intro where Aloe Black is talking about his fame, and lack of. Other notable records here are “Red Onion” featuring Nay B, where Reppa Ton is writing to his incarcerated brother and depicts an exchange between them, and of course Timeless featuring J-Leel, which is the most accessible and well put together record on the project, but really not something I personally am into. That being said, I’m fully aware that I don’t have the “normal” tastes when it comes to music (let alone anything really), but you would have to be deaf to not recognize its developed sound and complete feel.

I didn’t care for the “Scorpio Sexually” because Reppa Ton, I don’t care about what you do or want to do in the bedroom man thats your business, and really after a song like “Devotion” with A.G. and Da Paper Lady right before, it really took away from the maturity this project represents. Still though. I also wasn’t too interested in hearing “Palm Trees” which sounds just like “Bitch Don’t Kill My Vibe” because really, Kendrick is Kendrick, Reppa Ton is Reppa Ton, be you, because you’re great.

Anyway, I knew from when the first track “The Butterly Effect” came on that this time Reppa Ton was gonna bring it and not only did he do that, he earned my listen, and he deserves yours too.

Amy David

Amy David

Amy David was the Web Editor for RVAMag.com from May 2015 until September 2018. She covered craft beer, food, music, art and more. She's been a journalist since 2010 and attended Radford University. She enjoys dogs, beer, tacos, and Bob's Burgers references.




more in music

It’s Still Our City Ep. 27 | PRISONER

RVA Mag and NODDERLY presents It’s Still Our City, a podcast hosted by Harrison Christy and with Clair Morgan as co-host and producer through NODDERLY. "Formed sometime in 2012, PRISONER started out as a four-piece. Their earliest songs were mostly punk/hardcore mixed...

RVA Live Music! Alice Cooper, Miramar & Halloween Shows!

Halloween time, babe. Going to try to cram as much as I can into this column, because I know we are all trying to cram as much as we can into this weekend.Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit us up at griffin@rvamag.com....

‘The Roll Up’ Sparks One, Plugs In, Sees What Happens

Editor's note: Christian Detres is a main contributor to RVA Magazine. The Roll Up is a pretty simple idea, and Christian Detres, the man behind it, explains it best. "It's just invite four musicians to the studio, get them fucking stoned, have a nice conversation,...

Bijoux Nouveau Found Her People in Richmond

"My overwhelming feeling is gratitude for the jewels in my life since moving to Richmond and finally feeling welcomed. Feeling welcomed into this community is one of the most honoring gifts I could receive. We’re all looking for that sense of belonging.” — Bijoux...

Tim Barry Part 2 | Richmond, Family & November Fest

Tim Barry just released his ninth full album, Clear Blocks Ahead. He and I had a long, overdue conversation about everything and nothing, but sometimes about that new album. In part one of this three-part series, I brought up my first AVAIL show and found out that it...

RVA Live Music | Thundercat, Glimmer, Deathcat, Rikki Rakki

Lotta indie and a lot of dreamy shoegaze with a healthy dose of funk and hip hop this week. Got a show coming up? New single? Simply want someone to talk music? Hit us up at griffin@rvamag.com. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ormQQG2UhtQ Thundercat,...