Real Rell Writes of the Lessons from Streets of New Orleans on Answer the Call : sxswpop

Hip-hop serves as a guide to life, helping people understand and communicate the difficulties that shape it. Because hip-hop is a genre – a collection of stories – its serves as a way for people to learn from one another, connecting stories across time and place.

On Answer the Call, Real Rell writes of the struggles present on the streets of New Orleans, challenging listeners to affect social change.

He writes of the difficult past he has overcome in the city and writes to change the city. He says, “The mixtape is a journey. It’s my journey. I really love to sample the music that’s going on and write to describe my struggles coming from here.”

For Real Rell, rapping is the act of making his dreams public. His songs speak of his dreams for himself, but also speak of his dreams for a world to live in. His lyrics delve into the themes of survival, place, and the self, rapping about the experience of becoming an adult in a difficult place.

On the track “Answer the Call,” Real Rell speaks of the endurance necessary to move oneself forward: ‘Everyday a constant struggle, gotta crumble before you walk. Now I’m taking baby steps. Feeling like I’ve barely slept.’ The song carries a positive, 90’s-oriented production, using its conscious lyrics to manifest a better future.

On “Plantation”, Real Rell speaks of hardship in New Orleans, writing about the racial inequities present in the city. His lyrics “Let me tell you that hell is something that we created” speaks of how people perpetuate problems into the future. They do so by being uncritical, reproducing racist systems as they passively move through everyday life.

On “Power”, Real Rell speaks of the power people have in their own lives, while simultaneously speaking of the misuse of power by the powerful. He writes of how ineffective leadership creates problems for everyone, escalating murders and other forms of violence in the city. He also speaks of how people are tied to social problems, and how the city forces innocent people to navigate the problems of others.

Throughout the mixtape, Real Rell also comments on the current state of hip-hop, writing about how the conditions of the music industry make it difficult to tell genuine stories from hard places.

Overall, Real Rell challenges listeners to Answer the Call and affect change in the places they live in. He says, “I love what I do because I love writing, rapping, and getting the people to vibe with me. It’s a beautiful thing.”

Real Rell’s previous single “Graduated” also speaks to the experience of growing up in New Orleans and surviving Hurricane Katrina. He says, “I had come so far from where I was. Graduating back then put me into the real world, and I wanted to let people know what that felt like.”

Be sure to stay connected with Real Rell on all platforms for new music, videos, and social posts.