A few weeks ago we had Musa Reems on Mild Sauce Live to premiere his single “HML” and chop it up about the project it featured on, Gamma Quietus. From the moment the subject of the album’s release came up in conversation, the mood swing in the young rapper was immediately obvious. He leaned in, a smile crossing his face as he quickly explained the inspiration. He talked faster. His hands moved more freely. For anyone who’s been in the vicinity of someone who’s creating something they believe in, the mannerisms made total sense. This week, the rest of the world finally got to experience what Musa’s had in the bag and the result does his explanations justice in the form of his latest full-length, Gamma Quietus.
A result of the Young Chicago Authors world, Reems has been carefully honing his craft for some time. Earlier this summer we got Lately I’ve Been Sol Searching 2 which served as a sort of mapping of what was to come. The latest is a departure in a way, feeling more sewed together, thought out. It’s a Chicago hip-hop album through and through, and builds on the position we’d known Reems in. On Mild Sauce Live, he spoke often of the evolution of a craft, choosing the right tools and telling the right stories. This product is a welcome mix of each.
One listen will underline the fact that Reems is a student of the craft, a scholar of the wordplay. Whereas many his age today that comprise the mainstream often lean into templated rap schemes, Reems comes calculated at every angle. It’s obvious he knows where to go with each, trying on different flows to match the necessary vibe. Writing it sounds simple, to pull it off is something that even many on the biggest stages still struggle with.
Musa Reems has been moving around the city often as of late, as much a campaign for the new music as it is a continuance of what we’ve come to know. Gamma Quietus however shows there’s much more to come. Check the project out at the top of the post and our conversations peppered throughout.