If I could live in anyone’s brain for 24 hours I would probably pick RXK Nephew. Maybe Abraham Lincoln or someone more historical, but probably Neph. Rap’s punchline superstar has the sort of mind that any elite storyteller must possess, and if RXK wasn’t making hysterical rap songs he’d probably be writing novels or collaborating with Charlie Kaufman.
Whenever I need to get updated on what’s happening in the world, I don’t turn on CNN or open Twitter (never X). I listen to RXK Nephew. Dude is a walking commentator on all things relevant, and more importantly, stupid shit that doesn’t matter. He goes high, he goes low, he goes right for the gut. On his new project Till I'm Dead 2, he goes after TikTok and bitches that don’t fuck with him (his words, not mine), talks about dancing in Bank of America and giving cocaine to white girls. In essence, it’s a quintessential RXK Nephew release while also serving as his most cohesive album to date. The emcee was clearly in the right headspace, despite what you may have heard.
We take a deeper look at some of the sounds that informed the album with a playlist curated by the Rochester native. Check it out below.
Max B, “Cake & Eat It Too”
One of my favorites, ’cause he talking about how his girlfriend telling him he can’t have his cake and eat it too. He chose the streets, and that’s what we all did. I relate to that. I lost a lot of people because I chose this life. It’s impossible to have your cake and eat it too.
Gucci Mane, “Long Money”
This song means a lot to me. Gucci one of my favorite artists. He’s talking about where he came from: “Gucci Mane got long money, bitch, that's all I got to say / Gucci Mane got long money, that's what them bitches say / I ain't even gotta talk, my money conversate.” He was talking that shit, made me cry. Neph got long money, that’s what all the bitches sing! I don’t even gotta talk no more, my money conversate. Who can’t relate to that shit?
Gucci Mane, “Point of My Life”
Gucci Mane is singing! About the point in his life where he’s having sex with a bitch’s mind. He talking about fucking her mind. He was at a point in his life where he just wanted to pick a bitch’s brain. I can relate to that now. They all got pussy and giving it up, but who got the brains? I’m at this point of my life where I need a smart bitch, no dumb hoes.
Lil B, “Who I Want”
Come on, man. The title is self-explanatory. The man just came on the song and said, “I fuck who I want. These bitches love money.” Before he started rapping, he just came in like, “I don’t even gotta know the bitch, I’m cashing bitches out off the strength.” My girlfriend hates this song. If she pisses me off, I turn this one the fuck up! I played this shit for my birthday, and it’s my brother’s birthday today, so I’m about to play it all day. That shit gets us turnt up. That’s how I’m feeling right now.
Max B, “Dom P”
First of all, he’s singing about expensive, exotic alcohol. And he’s singing about the rocks on his arm. These are hood legend activities. It can't be made up. We been ratchet before Sexy Redd. Max B is a top tier city boy, you heard? That’s how we coming. “Why you always fucking with my head / ’Cause I’m something like a pimp / Bitch tell me where the fuck is my bread.” How you sing some shit like that? He put his whole heart into that. He blacked out on this.
Tony Yayo feat. 50 Cent, “So Seductive”
C’mon, man. Fresher than Yayo in the “So Seductive” video. You see how groovy he was? Yayo is that n****, he was in his prime. That’s one of my favorites—all of these shits is what Uncle Neph listens to.
Rx Papi & Gud, “N.L.M.B.”
That’s another title that’s self-explanatory. You listen to that, in any kind of mood, that shit is gonna put you in a certain mood. If your day going sad, if an opp piss you off, somebody make you mad…you could have the dirtiest outfit on in the world, but it’s gonna make you feel fresh! Walk out the Lanvin store, spent about $1,250. I feel like BossMan Dlow when I listen to that song. BossMan Dlow need to bump that shit, ’cause he gon’ go back to the Lanvin store and spend another $1,250!
Johnnie Taylor, “Last Two Dollars”
My grandma put me onto this song. It’s an old-school one from back in the day, singing about his last $2. He had $2, and he didn’t wanna lose them. One for the jukebox and one for the bus pass, he spent his last $2 on music. How!? I love it. I would’ve done it, too. If I had two last dollars to my name and I gotta spend it to hear music, that’s what I’m doing. Nowadays everybody wants to act rich. Ain't nobody gonna brag about having $2. That’s the type of shit I be on, though. When I came in the game, I wasn't rapping about fast cars and bricks, I was rapping about shit I could afford. Ford Focuses, lil’-ass dime bags, compact rental cars, you know what I’m saying? So I get a lot of motivation from them old school fools. They was really singing and rapping about the struggle. I never grew up listening to rich rappers—I like the struggling rappers that I could relate to. I can’t relate to none of that shit, ’cause I don’t got it. I rap about F-150s and Audis and shit.
SZA, “The Weekend”
I heard this song when I was in jail, and I knew my bitch was cheating on me. I already knew what’s up and I’m like, damn, but I love the song still. The truth hurts. But then I was cheating on my bitch, too. SZA’s really doing her thing, like, “Just have me on the weekend, you don’t have to have me all week.” She made the music for all the side bitches. She made the side bitches accept being the side bitch. She’s like “Girl, just bother that man on the weekend.” That’s at the time though, you know what I’m saying? But she was definitely singing about being a side bitch and I love it. Big shouts out to all the side bitches, ’cause they be acting right. They know how to act. Oh, you bumping SZA? You in the game. ’Cause you know you only gotta see them on the weekend, you don’t gotta buy no meals during the week. For the weekend? That’s lit.
Lil Boosie, “Let Me Ease Your Mind”
That’s how you ease a hood bitch’s mind. You can’t really hit the uppity butches with it. You gotta get a ratchet ass, Sexy Redd–type bitch, put that on, you in the game. Put your seat back, get some Hen Dog, you gon’ have a good night. He was singing, too—I like the R&B shit. Even though he wasn’t a singer, he was singing. He was on his Bruno Mars shit. He talking about bringing her into his world and showing her a different lifestyle, letting her family know she’s good like a boss. You ain’t gotta worry. Ease your mind. Stop stressing. Stop going to the strip club and fighting over the ones on the floor. Ease your mind.
Mary J. Blige, “Share My World”
That title is self-explanatory, too, man. She saying she’ll be there even when you don’t need her? Aunty was singing her heart out. That’s aunty right here, you know Neph fuck with aunty! That’s the type of love I be needing in my life.
Mary J. Blige, “My Life”
“If you looked at my life and see what I’ve seen.“ That’s all I gotta say. Put yourself in my shoes. This is a lot of aunty music—you know how certain people are momma’s boys and grandma’s boys? I’m an aunty boy, this all aunty music. I’m a young Unc, I’m Nephew. Unc always told me, “You do the right thing, you’ll be blessed to turn into an Unc.”
