Rhythmatic Eternal King Supreme (feat. Styles P, Termanology, Freeway & Lil Fame)

A Boston MC who debuted around the millennium, Reks released his first album Along Came the Chosen in 2001, winning accolades from pretty much all of the hip-hop press, but never really catching on with the masses. Undeterred, he continued his grind, touring with assorted rap royalty, putting out a few more street projects (Reckless and Happy Holidays), and the solid if slept-on sophomore piece Grey Hairs in 2008. With Rhythmatic Eternal Kings Supreme, he comes stronger than ever, enlisting super-producers like DJ Premier ("25th Hour"), Hi-Tek ("The Wonder Years" and "U Know"), Pete Rock ("Thin Line"), and Alchemist ("Why Cry"), in addition to his longtime homie, fellow Baystate resident Statik Selektah, who contributes five tracks. Lyrically, he focuses on his ups and downs in the music biz, the state of hip-hop, and a troubled upbringing. Between the deep wordplay and quality, loop-driven beats, there's little chance of this album blowing up on the radio, but for real fans of smart rhymes and strong production, this is one of the strongest releases of 2011.