Home Is Not A Place

When did you first fall in love with hip-hop? 

It’s not as prevalent a question among today’s generation as it once was. Lost in shallow messages, cacophonous hi-hats, and overloaded 808s, a certain tribe of true hip-hop enthusiasts are still chasing the feeling that drew them to the culture’s sonic pillar in the first place. For the moment, at least, they can take a break from looking: that essence is at the beating heart of Reuben Vincent and 9th Wonder’s new collaborative album, WELCOME HOME.

Teeming with soulful beats and Vincent’s smooth flow, WELCOME HOME approaches nostalgia the right way, without falling into the cliché of outdated "hippity-hop" — it feels like a breath of fresh air after a long few years of the genre being dominated by the mainstream. From visuals nodding to the cultural staple Brown Sugar, to skits guiding the story, the album is a true, modern homage to hip-hop. Even the reference to A Tribe Called Quest on “DAY BY DAY” — on which Jonny Kaine introduces the Third World crew — further underscores their intention to create a conceptual album grounded in heritage and inter-generational respect.

If Vincent had nodded to his hip-hop connoisseurship with work in the past, this project fully cements him as an honest student of the game. An artist who’s never shied away from showcasing his influences, he delineates them through his stylistic choices and depth, reflecting his Southern and African roots. WELCOME HOME is yet another progression from his Roc Nation EP, Love is War (often misrepresented as his debut album), his storytelling now more rounded, his perspective more astute – the sound of an artist with plans to stay a while.

The album opens with 9th Wonder flipping Juicy’s “Sugar Free,” and the line from Vincent, “I’m on this flight, I got some baggage from the city with me,” setting the scene for a literal and metaphorical return home. “Though I thought my wings would spread once I flee my home/ Just to come back stoned through the week off strong,” Vincent raps, a polysemous bar reflecting on the arc of his path. It sits perfectly atop an expertly layered instrumental from 9th, whose beat switch into the second verse shifts the focus from internal reflection to outward observation — a recurring theme throughout the project. The intro closes with a flight attendant welcoming him to Charlotte, landing listeners right where our story begins.

From there, the record unfolds like a movie chronicling Vincent’s pursuit of his dreams, making it impossible to skip around. He opens up about his trials of self-discovery and navigating the nuances of the industry since signing to Jamla Records in 2016. The skit that follows the Ab-Soul-assisted “GOD’S CHILDREN”  serves as the inciting incident, setting up the tension between authenticity and ambition that drives the album’s first two singles, “GOTTA GET IT” and “QUEEN CITY.” On the latter, Vincent raps about balancing his hunger for success with staying true to himself, while facing voices of doubt that accompany having big aspirations in a city like Charlotte — a place where ceilings are often self-imposed or placed upon others, because possibilities aren’t always visible firsthand. It’s a continuation of the themes initially explored in “GOTTA GET IT,” on which the rapper flexes witty bars over a flip of Al B. Sure’s “Nite and Day: “They saying if it ain’t trap, I’ll never win.” 

Having come to terms with his place within his community, Vincent cracks open a window into his inner world. On “ISSA DEE," you can almost see him in that four-corner room reflecting on the cost of chasing success and the self-doubt that comes with falling short. The track marks the first time the album explores his experiences with women, highlighting the difficulty of balancing relationships, and insecurity. As he turns his focus to new tropes of love and reverence for Black women, the production noticeably slows down, making space for the “Reuther Vandross” persona to emerge. The ode to hip-hop gradually shifts into neo-soul territory, inspired by the likes of Erykah Badu on “SO I PRAY,” Jill Scott on “SWEET & GOOD,” down to Vincent’s spin on Common's “I Used to Love H.E.R.” on “DRE & SIDNEY” (a record 9th is no stranger to). Grounded in the broader continuum of Black music, Vincent and 9th lean more into a R&B space, driven by women, a stark contrast to the current trend of the braggadocio and glorification of toxicity. 

Together, Vincent and 9th curated a thoughtful roster of fellow travelers to assist along the former’s coming-of-age journey. Labelmate SWEATA shines on “DRE & SIDNEY” and “JUST 4 YOU,” his tone floating effortlessly over 9th Wonder’s warm production and accentuating the Jamla dynamic. Marco Plus’s standout verse on the story’s closing chapter, “I’M GOOD,” amplifies the track’s emotional weight, reflecting the challenge of masking pain with pride. Overall, the guest list is stacked — Raphael Saadiq, Raheem DeVaughn, Ab-Soul, Wale, Heather Victoria, Jourden Cox, Kelly Moonstone, and more. Still, the chemistry of its core duo could’ve stood tall alone, proven on no-accompaniment tracks like “GET UP (GET DOWN).”

Reuben Vincent’s ability to craft a song, structured and rich, stands out in today’s crowded rap landscape. Paired with 9th’s guidance and production, he’s evidently found his footing and made himself at home. Nearly twelve years after first crossing paths, the NC natives deliver an album that brings the feel-good energy back to hip-hop. WELCOME HOME is palatable and purposeful — music that doesn’t aim to exclude, but demands to be shared. And a reminder that nothing hits like a perfect verse over a 9th Wonder beat.

Chanel B is a creative from Charlotte, NC, with a passion for music, culture, and the community that connects them. She’s always finding new ways to capture the movement and stories around her.