SXSW Picks 2 Click 2007

Photo By Todd V. Wolfson

Ryno

Unbeknownst to many out-of-state fans of Texas rap, the candy-painted shine of Houston's most recent surge onto the national scene obscures the true, modest nature of Lone Star hip-hop. With traditions dating back to the Geto Boys and DJ Screw, it shouldn't be a shock to discover that Austin fans generally prefer the pensiveness of a Z-Ro or Trae to the flamboyance of Mike Jones or Paul Wall.

"I want to show people the other side of the game," declares Ryno, a local rapper well-schooled in the ways of the masters. "All of this flashy, bragging about money talk is one thing. But when I was growing up, listening to rappers like K-Rino would actually teach me practical life lessons. My dad wasn't around, so some of the helpful things I picked up from listening to rap I might not have gotten elsewhere."

Ryno's 2006 debut, They Call Me 'No, exudes both the cerebral calculation and thorough range of yesteryear's Texas rap classics. Grafting the frantic flair of Mr. Scarface Is Back to the gliding swagger of UGK's Ridin' Dirty, Ryno splits the difference between hard-knock street soldier and sensitive family man.

"One album in particular that I would listen to every single day was K.B. and Lil' Flea Of Street Military," Ryno recollects. "Hearing those two distinct personalities trading verses might as well have been a religion for me."

Revealing the dualities of his own creative soul caught in a societal shit storm, Ryno segues seamlessly between the brazen confidence of "Kornablock Hustla" and the reflective sheepishness of "What Am I to Do." While both songs tackle the touchy subject of drug trafficking from completely different angles, an authoritative tone pervades Ryno's sonic exploration of real-life predicaments.

"I want people to feel like they're walking right next to me, going through the same things that I'm going through. I want to show people that you can indeed come from next to nothing and still make it to wherever it is you want to go."

Along with fellow East Austin artists Gerald G, Black Mike, and VIP, Ryno portrays his neighborhood travails as the vehicle he drives in forming a powerful artistic statement. "My whole life is in East Austin. All of my family lives here. It's where I'm from, who I am, and just within what I've gone through navigating this crazy environment, I've got all sorts of things to say about it. And you can be sure that since these are issues that I'm actually living through, that when I rap about them they'll be delivered with genuine feelings behind them."

As versatile a wordsmith as he is a man with a heartfelt message, Ryno's debut solo album also reminds us that, first and foremost, Texas rap should be considered as a source of considerable lyrical skill. As those in the spotlight tend to dumb down their verses for mass consumption, there's always a more complex Texas rapper lurking in their shadows as a counterpoint to the dilution process.

SXSW showcase: Saturday, March 17, 11:10pm @ Zero Degrees