Album Review: Rimzee Raises the Bar on New Project ‘Cold Feet’

Since dropping ‘The Upper Clapton Dream’, Rimzee has been a voice of reality, credibility, and honesty within UK Rap. Alongside the likes of Potter Payper, Tiny Boost, Youngs Teflon, and others, ‘Real Rap’ feels as if it is one of the most relevant sub-genres within our scene. After an enforced hiatus in the midst of his career, the East London rapper has been firing on all cylinders since his release from prison. His latest offering, ‘Cold Feet’, sees Rimzee at his pinnacle lyrically, putting himself at the forefront of the ‘Real Rap’ movement. 

The rapper shows what he is all about on ‘Intro’, the opening track to the tape. Rimzee is one of the best in this country at scene-setting and storytelling, laying out his perspective on the track and conveying his emotions perfectly. The lyric, ‘M’s on my mind and I weren’t talking about millions’, is demonstrative of the stress and upheaval in the rapper’s life. Elsewhere on the tracklist, his performances on ‘Unruly’, and ‘Morals & Principles’ stand out as some of his best. The man from Clapton has an outstanding ability to resonate with his audience through his hard-hitting lyricism, and ‘Cold Feet’ proves to be no exception to that.

The production that Rimzee uses throughout the project demonstrates his versatility and variety as an artist. It would be easy for the rapper to fall into his comfort zone, but he is able to use different instrumental styles to push himself and move into different lanes. The listener can go from a spacey, vocal-sample led beat on ‘Soul To Da Streets’, to a guitar driven sound on ‘Headline’. We also see Rimzee delve into more melodic sounds when accompanied by featured artists, as you can hear on ‘Irreplaceable’, with Zion and Amun, or Tables Turn, with UK legend Emelie Sandé.

Across the project, Rimzee utilises features well to bring vibrancy to the lengthy tracklist. Early on in the tape, K-Trap continues to prove he has the midas touch on ‘Back 2 Back’, accompanied by a performance from LB. The features prove that Rimzee can go up against anyone on the UK scene and hold his own, if not outbar them in some cases. On ‘Thinking Out Loud’, Young Adz helps to bring a different dimension, while a surprise appearance from Maverick Sabre on ‘Dear Southwold Road’, an ode to the street that Rimzee grew up on, provides a highlight on an already excellent release. Possibly the best moment on the tape however comes from ‘Juggin’, with Giggs and Tiggs Da Author. Both rappers elevate each other and complement each other well, while the hook from Tiggs, who never seems to miss, feels anthemic. The three artists come together to create a track that is greater than the sum of its parts. 

With ‘Cold Feet’, Rimzee has proven why his name still holds weight in the UK Rap scene, even after his mid-career hiatus. It would be difficult for many artists to maintain their relevance within the culture after such a long time away, but Rimzee has proven time and time again that he is one of the hardest in the ‘Real Rap’ genre. The project is in-depth, varied, and the production gives the artist the platform to do what he does best. It is refreshing to hear new music that feels more than surface level in terms of subject matter and lyricism, and Rimzee has put himself in a great position to make up for lost time and become a leader in the scene for many years to come.

Star Rating 4/5