Narc. Magazine Online
Reliably informed
Steve Spithray listens to a personal and moving record that is ultimately redemptive from Newcastle based rapper Reali-T
Interval Records
Released: 28.11.25
Landing somewhere between Dave’s hyper aware social discourse and Mike Skinner’s personally pessimistic take on UK Garage, Newcastle rapper Reali-T’s tribute to his late mother Remi (his first on the new Universal/EMI North offshoot, and home to Finn Forster and Loren Heat, Interval Records), Roll Credits, is a deeply personal record, moving at times and not wholly redemptive, but still one that listeners can take a great deal of positivity away from.
Working through the five stages of grief in song, Roll Credits is loosely split into three three-track acts separated by two narrative interludes – TWIMC (Page 1 & 2). It’s an album that is ambitious stylistically, conceptually and lyrically, for sure. Take the religious lyricism of centrepiece God Forbid where, still reeling from the death of his mother, our protagonist does battle with a (metaphorical one presumes) Satan; or the heavily distorted guitar riff in Seeing Red – unexpected but effective – that showcases an artist not afraid to take chances musically and undaunted by the major label interest.
But it’s the rhymes and flows that most impress here and means Roll Credits is an album to return to time and again despite the deeply personal themes that permeate the record. Opener, Intro-spective, is straight out of the traps with a heavily veiled diss track about rapping in the accent you speak in, while Back In The Booth highlights the rapper’s talent for rhyming anything that comes his way in a relaxed and occasionally sardonic way, for fans of Eminen, Q-Tip and, of course, Dave.
It is in act three, though, where Roll Credits really impresses, with our protagonist in more upbeat mood, the lyrical arc is redemptive if not fully redeemed meaning Excited, with a lot more chilled dancehall/acoustic vibe, signals a rebirth of sorts for our protagonist, at least mentally, while a new relationship (or a new old relationship perhaps) on Plenty In The Tank serves to provide foundation for the future.
Finally, closer Prolapse Flow, fades in and out before finally fading out as life ultimately goes on. Reali-T may have had a difficult time of late but that kid is going to be alright…
