Ronald C. Lee Jr. - Working His Way to The Top
Our favorite tracks:
Eye Realized (OGV1)
Long Live Rallo (OGV2)
Tre (feat. TRE) (Tre Unmastered)
Reasons to listen:
Honest and raw lyricism
Rapping, singing, and poetry ability
Intense and upbeat yet not aggressive sound
Check RCLee out on all platforms here
Growing up in Englewood (south side of Chicago), Ronald C. Lee Jr, or RCLee for short, faced a lot of hardship. Surrounded by violence, he eventually found himself participating in it and served over six years in prison. While serving time, he began to realize how the cycle of gang violence and crime would continue to ruin hundreds of innocent lives. Wanting to do something about it, he’s worked nonstop since his release to build a better community. Not only does he organize and speak at events, he uses his music to spread his message and to try to help the hood better itself from within. In late 2019 and 2020 he dropped three projects, each one with unique aspects but the same core ideals of self improvement, acknowledgements of internal struggle, and working to make it off the streets.
Open Gym Vol: 1
A short 7 track, 16 minute project, it is filled with personal and emotional stories about growing up in the streets and making it out of the cycle of violence, losing and having to cut off friends and family, and his own personal experiences with the Black Lives Matter movement. It also give us our first, and maybe best, example of RCLee’s singing on ‘Eye Realized’, as well as two phenomenal pieces of spoken word poetry (‘Stay Tru’ and ‘What Makes Me Dangerous’). These spoken word tracks have some of the most straightforward lyrics, directly addressing the macho-tough culture promoted by gang life, and showing his idea of a real man is one who can make a better life for his people. “A gangster to me means you: provide, protect, love, nurture, build, educate…” he delivers on ‘Stay Tru’, and this message is central to his identity. If someone in his position - locked up for over six years with a troubled childhood in a city known for struggles exactly like his - can work to become a better person and a provider for those around him, then any real man can.
Open Gym Vol: 2.
With similar themes as OGV1 but higher production quality, this 8 track project is RCLee at his best. If you want a place to start with his music, start here - it opens with ‘Long Live Rallo’, which describes exactly the situations he went through and how he realized that he lacked the self respect and self love he needed to truly be fulfilled and successful. The tracks here are catchier and better written than his previous project, and the production is smooth but fairly standard. There are two more spoken word sections here, ‘Chicago Raised Me’ and ‘Lack of Knowledge’, which touch on the PTSD and trauma the hood delivers to everyone it touches, especially the children. Once again, RCLee shows how you can make a successful and complete life through hard work and dedication, and staying away from the violence that takes so many young men and women away from us. Not only are the tracks here deep and meaningful, each and every one is catchy and memorable, and he goes hard on each verse.
Tre Unmastered:
RCLee’s newest project is a three track, nine minute EP dedicated to his son ‘Tre’. It opens with ‘Tre (feat. TRE)’, which is one of his best songs to this day. He speaks directly to his son in the last verse, giving him the important advice “don’t ever let nobody tell you what you can’t do, when they throw that dirt on your name you gotta stay true.” Though he is talking to his son, these words ring true as solid advice to any young man or woman - this shows the power RCLee has. Through his music he can become almost a father figure to the kids who don’t have guidance, who might otherwise fall into the same trap that he did as a kid. He can help them stay straight and work to live a good life, no matter where they starting out. If he could do it, they can do - and Ronald C. Lee Jr is there to help them make it happen. Changing lives while bringing catchy and intense music, RCLee is an artist you need to have on your watchlist. I guarantee you’ll see his name more and more as he continues to help his community while also dropping bangers - perfectly walking the line between poet and artist. If you want energetic and hype tracks to listen to, or deep and insightful poetry, RCLee can provide.
