Premiere: Stream Reese's "Jump Off a Building" EP f/ Kari Faux, Rich Homie Quan, and More

Five new fire tracks.

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Complex Original

Image via Complex Original

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Atlanta rapper Reese is a man of many talents. Besides the fact that he is heavily connected within the city's music scene, the 27-year-old artist even gets love from the notoriously hard-to-please skateboarding crowd. Today, he finally drops his EP titled Jump Off A Building. The 808 Mafia-produced project acts as a reintroduction to Reese, as he takes a different direction in rap style that strips away the trap sound he was previously known for. The five-track EP also has appearances from Rich Homie Quan, OG Maco, Kari Faux and more.

You can stream it in full below, and read our short Q&A with him, as well:

From the looks of your Instagram, and a couple of your videos, you are a pretty talented skateboarder. How long have you been skating? 

I've been skateboarding for 17 years on and off due to injuries and just life in general. 

Did skateboarding directly influence the topics in your music?

Yes some of it... that and just everyday life and situations. I try to keep it as "real as possible" with the music. I try to mention skating in a not so corny way that doesn't make me look burnt out.

You promoted Jump Off A Building with a new short film called “Traphouse.” Is that going to delve deeper into your two lives as a skater and a rapper?

Most definitely. It's centered around me and just the youth culture in Atlanta. The trap, the skaters, the music scene, the hipsters, the strip club, all that. A lot of people trying to exploit Atlanta and make it look all mainstream and glossy. I'm gonna show that real shit, ya feel me?

There have been a lot of rappers who get flack for choosing to skate (like Lil Wayne). How important is it for people to see you as not only an authentic skater but a rapper as well?

I mean for me, I want people to focus on the music more than anything. But skating is my lifestyle so its like fuck it why not show them where I came from. Skateboarding inspired a lot of fashion, high and low, and I'm really into fashion as well, so sauce me! 

There’s a very eclectic movement coming out of Atlanta’s music scene, one that you have been involved with deeply. How would you describe the evolution of the underground scene there?

The new music scene is pretty dope man but its been around, niggas just wasn't paying attention to us. We were like the outcasts and shit. We use to go to functions and parties and perform all the wild ass songs and get to fighting and fucking peoples venues up,so for us to be able to move through the city and get more respect for our music and movement is a beautiful thing. 

You have been connected with, Two-9, and more recently Wiz Khalifa’s Taylor Gang. Have you ever talked about signing with Wiz?

Yeah man, Wiz is the big homie. More than that actually, he is family. He has my back with this shit more than some of the people who have been around since day one. We are just building and making music as of right now, that's what it is all about for me. Feeding off of each others positive energy and making something shake. I'm trying to build the Reese brand before I partner up with anyone.

What have you learned from traveling with Wiz?

A lot of things, but the most important lesson that stuck out to me is don't focus on the material things, focus on the experience and enjoy life. When you do that the blessings will just fall in your lap.

It's been a while since you dropped a new project. What has changed about your sound from your last mixtape to Jump Off A Building? 

Everything! Just sauce on everything. Y'all will see what's up this year. A lot of people have been trying to run off with my sound and my persona. I'm bout to take my shit back. Its only one Reese. You can't fake this lifestyle. 

You've been mixing the trap sound with a more luxury style as far as fashion. Is that the lifestyle that you think people have been taking from you?

Off top, I see people just taking all the lingo and everything. That's what happens when you're an influencer, you know?


Can we expect this to be your new sound for your next project as well?

Yes and no. I evolve every time like Cell from Dragon Ball Z. I try to push my boundaries in music, without straying from my roots.

808 Mafia is working on this whole mixtape. What did they bring to the table that having a mixtape with different producers couldn’t?

808 Mafia are some of my favorite producers ever so it was only right I did the project with them. We always just kicking shit or in the studio together and TM88 knows my sound so we feed off of that.

You have developed quite the chemistry with Rich Homie Quan, and you two have worked together a few times in the past year. He’s always mentioning getting injured on while skateboarding, has he gotten better?

Quan is my nigga for life. The first time he ever stepped foot on a skateboard last summer he bombed a big ass hill and didn't fall. Then we was out skating later and this nigga was trying to learn how to kickflip while on Facetime with a bitch and busted his ass. He dislocated his shoulder right before his performance on one of the tour stops. He went to the hospital, they got him fixed up and he came back 10 min before his set and rocked that shit. It was so fye!

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