Grimey Shit / Take Life
View on Discogs
Album Summary
Rev. Shines, the independent hip-hop artist with a pen sharper than a straight razor and a delivery colder than a Chicago winter, dropped 'Grimey Shit / Take Life' in 2018 through self-directed, independent channels — the kind of release that don't need a major label co-sign to carry weight. This six-track vinyl-formatted project, laid out across two sides with dirty, clean, and instrumental versions of each title track, bears all the marks of a DIY operation: raw production, unfiltered lyricism, and the kind of street-level authenticity that can't be manufactured in some polished studio on a corporate dime. The dual-title presentation — 'Grimey Shit' on the A-side and 'Take Life' on the B-side — gives the project a deliberate two-act structure, with each side offering its own sonic and thematic identity while together forming a cohesive statement of purpose from an artist committed to doing things entirely on his own terms.
Reception
- As a fully independent release, 'Grimey Shit / Take Life' did not appear on mainstream music industry chart platforms, circulating instead through underground hip-hop networks and community-driven channels where Rev. Shines had cultivated his audience.
- The project found its footing among listeners drawn to raw, unpolished lyricism and gritty underground production, the kind of audience that knows the difference between real and rehearsed.
- Critical engagement with the release came through independent music blogs and grassroots platforms rather than major publications, consistent with the underground release model that defined much of the late-2010s independent rap landscape.
Significance
- 'Grimey Shit / Take Life' stands as a genuine artifact of the late-2010s underground hip-hop movement, a period when independent artists were proving that authenticity and street narrative carried more cultural currency than commercial gloss ever could.
- The deliberate A-side/B-side structure — each title track presented in dirty, clean, and instrumental form — reflects a thoughtful, vinyl-minded approach to sequencing that honors the traditions of hip-hop's physical format roots while serving the practical needs of independent distribution.
- As a wholly self-released work, the project represents Rev. Shines exercising full creative and commercial autonomy, a stance that carries real significance within the independent rap tradition and the broader DIY ethos that kept underground hip-hop's soul intact through the streaming era.
Tracklist
-
A1 Grimey Shit (Dirty) —
-
A2 Grimey Shhh (Clean) —
-
A3 Grimey Shit (Inst) —
-
B1 Take Life (Dirty) —
-
B2 Take Life (Clean) —
-
B3 Take Life (Inst) —
Artist Details
Rev. Shines is a Hip-Hop and Rap artist who emerged from the 2010s music scene, blending spiritual themes with raw street narratives to carve out a sound that feels like a Sunday sermon dropped over a late-night beat. His music carries the weight of a man who has walked through fire and come out the other side with something profound to say, fusing faith and authenticity in a way that sets him apart from the crowd. Like the great soul preachers of a bygone era filtered through a modern mic, Rev. Shines brings a conviction to his craft that makes every track feel like a testimony.
