Today marks the official release date of “Murder” by Billy Reeves; a New Zealand-born, Melbourne based indie rapper with an expansive catalog consisting of numerous full-length projects and singles. This track is the reason I decided to cover Billy as it is truly one of, if not the best, tracks he has created so far. “Murder” touches on the unfortunately all-to-common combination of industry and ego seen by artists as they garner fame and Billy emulates this attitude, with help from personal experiences, to give this track some much-needed authenticity.
“This song was inspired by a personal experience I had in the music industry working with those who put themselves on a pedestal and are ego filled,” said Billy Reeves. “The song finds me putting myself in the same mental state and going off like never before.”
The production is phenomenal, starting with a vintage-sounding string orchestra that quickly fades into a bombastic series of bass drum blasts as Billy bursts onto the track. He proceeds to casually ride the flow with satisfying precision as his inflection exudes nothing but pure confidence and creates an air of dominance as Billy bodies the beat. There is a small change of pace as the track segways towards the end with a simple, yet effective, combination of rhythmic claps and simple piano keys. The track then drastically switches into a powerful and hard-hitting breakdown, very similar to the second half of Kendrick Lamar’s “DNA.” Billy absolutely crushes this segment with vigor and unparalleled energy. The only complaint I have about it is that this part isn’t longer as this truly is Billy at his best.
While “Murder” is Billy’s shiny-new toy, the rest of his multifaceted catalogue is worth a listen due to the individual versatility each project brings.
His earliest release Priority, his first album, was released in 2017 and features one of his most successful tracks “808’s (feat. Cheap Saffron)” that utilizes bombastic 808’s (shocking) and a satisfying flute melody that ingrains itself into your head and remains there after listening. The delivery in this track contains a contagious energy of excitement and euphoria exuded by Billy that makes obvious that he truly enjoys creating music and sharing his passion.
My personal favorite project of his thus far has to be Papa Green, a mob-inspired album that explores a life in organized crime as well as the lives of several people indebted to the mob. The first track “Repertoire” touches on the day-to-day of a crime lord as Billy’s fictitious persona recounts his attempts to balance his 9-5 job while also working part time for the mob as a hitman. Lines like “IRS wonder how I bought that new car, but if I drive that b**** I might get pretty far” help to paint the picture of ill-gotten gains and the challenge of keeping those gains unnoticed for the sake of his family; a theme that pops up several times in this work.
“Stash (feat. Jordan Lindsay)” has Billy executing what could arguably one of his most potent flows as he constantly flip-flops with the changing tempo of the track. This track is fairly simple in its concept which is
basically just Billy and Jordan bragging about wealth. While the substance offered here isn’t quite as up to par as his other tracks, “Stash” is a certified banger and finds a nice home in Papa Green.
In my opinion, Papa Green is Billy’s best execution of an overarching concept and shows immense potential as he hones his craft further.
“Murder” is currently available on all music-streaming platforms. Click the link to download now: https://www.gate.fm/eF3UDbd5
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**This article is a collaborative effort between Miz Media and Noisy Portfolio Agency. The views and opinions expressed by Miz Media are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of Noisy Portfolio Agency.**
Written By: Michael Miserendino