Review of Wes Blanco’s “Real Quick”

Earlier this year, I sat down with the wordsmith from the Southwest side of Houston, Wes Blanco. Towards the end of the interview I asked Wes what he had planned for us in 2016. With a sly smile he shrugged off the question, imploring myself and the whole city to sit back and watch Blanco’s plans come to fruition. 

The release of the seven track EP Real Quick is a sign that the Grease God is within striking distance of his goals. The opening track on Real Quick, “Mula Fiend,” is hands down my favorite Blanco track. The Ronney Villain produced track has Blanco serving up some of his sharpest wordplay to date. The chorus of “I like to lean yeah/I don’t sip no green yeah/ My b**** a fiend yeah/ Money what I need yeah/ Mula Fiend yeah,” draws you in before Wes delivers some of his best verses yet. The booming bass that backs Blanco’s rhymes make this song all the more energetic, and makes Blanco himself seem like this larger than life, money hungry traplord.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JpOxwL9_qlc

“Do It To Ya,” featuring King Trap follows up, the Smoke Cannon produced joint feels like one of those boastful homie raps. Wes and Trap deliver in a way that demands respect from their listeners. Both make it evident that they like to have fun, but if anyone wants to step to them, they won’t stand for it. Respect is reciprocal to them, if you give it, you get it. If you don’t give them respect, they’ll make you, but they really “don’t wanna do it ya.”

https://soundcloud.com/wesbeblanco/do-it-to-ya-ft-king-trap-prod-by-smoke-cannon-x-young-texas

“Let Her Go,” the second of three Ronney Villain produced tracks present on Real Quick finds Blanco navigating foreign territory. In the beginning of the song, it sounds like your typical sentimental hip hop track, but around the minute mark Blanco explodes into a rapid fire delivery that leaves the listener yearning for more. Luckily, you get more of that style later in the track. This track doesn’t initially stick out, but after a few listens, it starts to grow on you.

https://soundcloud.com/wesbeblanco/let-her-go-wes-master

The highly anticipated “So Strong,” featuring Curren$y and Skooly is everything you could want and more, especially if you’re partial to Curren$y. The smoked out production provided by Benjamin Trill is the perfect environment for Blanco, Curren$y and Skooly to coexist. Skooly brings an ear worm of a hook into the fray, Blanco delivers in a big way and Curren$y exhibits his typical mile high verbage.

https://soundcloud.com/wesbeblanco/so-strong-ft-curreny-skooly

“Survive” possesses everything I like about Wes Blanco, he doesn’t rely on the production under him to help him steer his verse, instead he relies on the thoughts inside of his mind, and just lays them out in the form of stream of consciousness. Telling us about his past regrets and what motivates him, all of the things he talks about on this track open a door into Wes Blanco’s life. He’s not holding back and you don’t want him to, he’s being honest with himself, and even more importantly with his listeners.

https://soundcloud.com/wesbeblanco/survive-prod-by-baker-yung-x-fredonem

“Experimental Drugs” reminds me of a more polished Lil Yatchy track in terms of production. Blanco’s delivery on this song keeps the listener’s head constantly bouncing. The song is full of colorful wordplay about Houston, drugs, and girls. This is one of the more fun songs that Blanco has released, I could see myself driving along the Sea Wall in Galveston bumping this.

https://soundcloud.com/wesbeblanco/experimental-drugs-prod-by-andre-footz

“IDK,” featuring Billy Racxx is a great closing track, although the hook feels a little out of place, it just doesn’t coalesce with Ronney Villain’s beat in the way I would have hoped. Blanco’s verses on this track definitely make you forget about the hook, they immediately grip the listener and don’t let up until the last syllable is stressed.

https://soundcloud.com/wesbeblanco/idk-ft-billy-racxx-prod-by-ronney-villain

This seven track EP goes by, well Real Quick, sorry for the pun, but the fact remains. By the time I’ve really found my groove as a listener, the EP is over, that isn’t necessarily bad, it just means I felt like I needed more, but then again this is an EP, so no use in crying over spilt milk. With that said, all seven of these tracks could be standalone singles, especially “Mula Fiend,” “So Strong,” and “Let Her Go.” Every new release from Blanco shows him coming into his own as an artist, which is easier said than done in a city like Houston, where the hip hop community is still grasping onto the golden age of H-Town while denying the new generation a route to re imagining the city’s rap identity. If Real Quick says anything about Wes Blanco, it’s this: Take Notice.

Follow Wes Blanco on Twitter and Instagram: @wesxblanco