Hi Ren is a Religious Experience. When I first started this blog – I didn’t know what I was doing out here. I did some architecture stuff. Podcast discussions. I also occasionally did interviews with artists. Design stuff. Typography? Product ideas. Singer interviews. Technical wizardry crap. Book author interviews, and more author interviews. (I mean, some of these throw away interviews are pretty hype.) Point being – I wasn’t sure what the heck I was doing out here. And eventually I started targeting movie stuff almost exclusively. But I am still passionate about a lot more than just cinema stuff.
Which brings us to today’s post. I’ve been pretty certain as to my favorite musical artists of all time. David Gahn and Depeche Mode has always held a very close place in my heart. And there just is no way that anyone could ever topple them… I mean, have you heard 80,000 raving lunatic fans sing along to the song Stripped at Wembley Stadium? Yeah, it’ll be hard to top an experience like that. So I’ve just sort of leaving DM at the pinnacle, and have just been assuming that it was impossible to topple them from that slot. Oh, also, you’ll also need to know this other little caveat, that my favorite song of all time though is Creep by Radiohead. Got that? DM fav group. Creep/Radiohead fav song.
Okay, put a pin in those thoughts for a second.
So there is a British musical artist(?), rapper, musical phenom(?), Poet(?), Spoken Word Genius(?), SOMETHING… anyway, who performs under the name Ren (which also happens to be his name – cough). Have you heard of him? No. You almost certainly have not. He literally T-boned me out of nowhere. Just a random video on the Youtubes. Just a star-crossed collision. And just like that, the guy has rearranged the grey matter in my head, my DNA, and the alignment of my soul. Hyperbole this is not. Just statements of physical fact.
Okay … so now, I’m going to place this music video in front of you. And you are going to need to think long and hard about where your soul is before you hit play. Because basically, by hitting play, expect to get hit by a wrecking ball. Think, am I in the mood for a semi moving at 200 miles an hour? Does this sound like a great time to me?? OK… so hit play now… you pansy.
First off. I might be going insane.
Secondly, not only is this my new favorite song of all time – but Ren has just napalmed Depeche Mode off the top of my favorite band of all time too. When I watch him tell stories (and that’s what he is, a story teller) epiphanies happen in my brain. Insights so revelatory as to make me wonder what I’m doing with my life – when people like Ren exist. Ren is such prophet, a soothsayer, with such a unique vision about life I’d drink his cool-aid happily. Ren? Want me to rob a bank? I’m in. Jump from a cliff? I’m in. Talk to me prophet. Tell me.
Hi Ren doesn’t convince you (I mean, you have no soul… but alright.) then what about Sick Boi, Su!cide, Chalk Outlines or Money Game… 1, 2, & 3? I’ve been so fascinated by his thinking, and his ideas, and his music, that I’ve taken to… (check that, I’m addicted to) watching people discover these songs for the first time. Oh, I don’t know – like, therapists, psychologists, random influencers, more shrinks, pastors, etc., etc.
Look, just listen to this guys stuff. You’ll see what I mean.
Edited by: CY
