Video: Rexx Life Raj – “Not My Friend”

The Berkeley Rapper Stunts in an Aesthetically Pleasing Apartment in the Effects-Laden Video for the Father Figure 2: Flourish Highlight

1.11.2018

Critical Praise:

“[Rexx Life Raj] is for anyone who likes breathing and/or good music” – Noisey

“Rexx Life Raj is one of the most impressive young MC’s in the industry right now.” – XXL

“But while many of these artists channel a revivalism — Cash Money energy for Nef, g-funk for Kamaiyah — Rexx Life Raj is content to push forward confidently into the unknown.” – Mass Appeal

“Rexx Life Raj (yeah, it’s a mouthful) is the up-and-coming Bay Area artist to know.” – SF Weekly

“Trivial daily details get painted with a generous eye and addressed in smooth tones on songs that feel like falling into a pile of pillows. Raj is perceptive, empathetic, and open about his feelings; he’s also quick to tackle the tropes of contemporary rap with a winking eye.” – Noisey

The Video:

Crafting indelible memories with a deep sense of lyrical introspection, Rexx Life Raj is one of the most promising rising artists on the West Coast. In “Not My Friend,” Raj takes a deep look at the trappings of fame, observing the changing behaviors of those he thought he knew well and bemoaning the loneliness at the top of the world. Crooning a mournful hook in-between doubletime rap verses, the song perfectly fits the mood of the instrumental created by Cisco Cortez, Mr. Carmack, Ian McKee, Wax Roof & Mikos Da Gawd, a cadre of the Bay Area’s most innovative minds. In the video, premiered by Nest HQ, Raj sits alone in a symmetrical, stylish apartment as various figures materialize, including dancing models and ordinary dudes, who dance atop the apartment’s u-shaped couch and shallow reflecting pool. “Not My Friend” is a highlight from Father Figure 2: Flourish, Rexx’s recent critically acclaimed album.

A deeply soulful singer and a talented rhymer, Rexx Life Raj cuts a unique figure in the world of hip-hop, combining probing lyricism with a supernatural sense of melody, all laid over innovative electronic soundscapes. Since the release of Father Figure in June 2016, Raj generated more than 20 million streams on all platforms and gained a devoted following on Instagram for his next-level captions. In the past year, he earned glowing press coverage from Billboard, Pigeons & Planes, Pitchfork, Noisey, and XXL, and earned the cover spot on Spotify’s Mellow Bars playlist with his single “Handheld GPS,” which earned over 4 million streams on the service. Rexx Life Raj has collaborated with the likes of G-Eazy, Mozzy, Nef The Pharaoh (who frequently calls Raj his favorite rapper), Murs, ymtk,, Goapele, and many others, earning over 1 million plays on his Russ-collaboration “Waiting For You,” which sits prominently on Spotify’s Bedroom Jams playlist. More recently, Rexx Life Raj earned co-signs from big names that carry weight, such as Scott Storch and Pharrell Williams, who joined Raj on stage at ComplexCon. His recent single “Where I Belong,” a highlight from Father Figure 2: Flourish, is included on Spotify’s Most Necessary playlist and was the subject of a recent Genius explainer. With Father Figure 2: Flourish, distributed by EMPIRE, Rexx Life Raj hopes to realize his commercial ambitions while further establishing his reputation as one of the most original hip-hop artists around.

Watch “Not My Friend”: https://youtu.be/xsIvsMtRn1I

Check out the Nest HQ premiere: http://nesthq.com/rexx-life-raj-not-my-friend-video

Listen to Father Figure 2: Flourish: https://soundcloud.com/rexxliferaj/sets/father-figure-2-flourish// https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/rexx-life-raj/id887653264

Father Figure 2: Flourish tracklist:

2Free [prod. Mikos Da Gawd]
Where I Belong [prod. JULiA LEWiS]
Level Up [prod. Kyle Betty, Drew Banga & DTB]
Lowkey Lovesong (feat. Iman Europe) [prod. JULiA LEWiS]
Paradise [prod. Ian McKee]
Never Had Shit/ Feels [prod. Mike Gao / Kyle Betty]
Fiji [prod. Kyle Betty]
More Than Enough [Prod. Kyle Betty, Drew Banga & Wax Roof]
Neighborhood Dopeman [prod. Kyle Betty]
Forever Lit (feat. G-Eazy) [prod. JULiA LEWiS & Mikos Da Gawd]
The Otherside [prod. Jon Brooks]
More Love [prod. Ian McKee]
Not My friend [prod. Cisco Cortez, Mr. Carmack, Ian McKee, Wax Roof & Mikos Da Gawd]
Ventilation pt. 3 [prod. ian mcKee & kev choice]
Burn Baby Burn (feat. Russ) [prod. Cisco Cortez & Evan Ma]

Please contact Michelle or Isabel for more info.

The Background:

Rexx Life Raj:

From the land of the Hyphy where slaps are king and going dumb is encouraged, Berkeley, California’s Rexx Life Raj stands out by making music for the brain and the heart that’s still pleasant to the ears. Raised by a God-fearing mother and Black Panther father in the mecca of progressive politics, Raj’s music uniquely illustrates his awareness of being a young, black male while also maintaining a sense of humor and joie de vivre.

EMPIRE Background:

EMPIRE was founded in 2010 as an artist-friendly, progressive digital distribution company. After early success, and identifying future icons such as Kendrick Lamar, Sage The Gemini, and Rich Homie Quan, EMPIRE was quickly regarded as a tastemaker in the industry and throughout the past five years evolved into a full-fledged record label, distributor and publisher for independent musicians. With the company and roster growing at a breakneck pace, EMPIRE has effectively disrupted a stale business model by bringing its energy, expertise, and acumen to its artists and labels. Given its reputation, EMPIRE works with today’s hottest talent from superstars such as T.I. and red-hot newcomers such as Anderson .Paak. While remaining 100% independent, EMPIRE has also partnered with Atlantic Records for a joint venture, home to breakout star D.R.A.M. and joined forces with Republic Records for the release of Sage The Gemini’s Remember Me album.