Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina by the way of Liberia, West Africa, Reuben Vincent states his claim as a storyteller with guidance from some of Hip-Hop’s elder statesmen, 9th Wonder and Young Guru.
Through their coaching, Vincent embodies the phrase: Tomorrow belongs to those who prepare for it today.
His “today” started at 13 years of age with his first encounter with producer 9th Wonder, who was impressed by Vincent’s dedication even in his youth.
Almost a decade later, 9th Wonder has witnessed the 22 year-old’s growth, which stems from his insatiable persona.
“I know what my purpose is, how I want to attack it and I’m fully immersing myself in it,” says the “February 13th” rapper.
That growth leads us to Love is War where Vincent’s flexes his lyrical prowess as a warm-up into his thoughts and experiences throughout his life thus far. The album title derives from a myriad of life experiences including battle with self, marital differences between his Liberian-born parents and Liberia’s Civil War that affected and displaced majority of the country’s population.
“At times we are not given to right tools to love properly,” says the “Bottle “That builds internal wars. We have to go to war with ourselves to figure out how we want to progress. It’s You vs. You.”
His album cover, where he gazes into his reflection, shows a man with a lot of questions for both himself and the world. By the projects conclusion with an outro entitled “Point of View”, Reuben Vincent is decisive about the objective of his journey.
He raps:
You could be up or stuck
The choice is fallen on you
Til God is calling' on me
My only call is the truth
“When I look in the mirror, I see a warrior who’s ok with the good and bad that comes with life,” Vincent says. “I also realize things I was searching for were right here in front of me the entire time.”
Love Is War features cameos from Rapsody, TDE’s Reason, Ant Clemons and more. Reuben Vincent is set to make his Dreamville Festival debut on April 2.
