Parle Mag
  • Home
  • Entertainment
  • Diddy Trial
  • Lifestyle
  • Interviews
  • Contact Us
  • Team Parlé
  • Podcast
  • Advertising
Facebook 0 Likes
Twitter 0 Followers
Instagram 0 Followers
Pinterest 0 Followers
LinkedIn 0
Reddit 0 Subscribers
TikTok 0
0
0
0
0
0
Parle Mag
Subscribe
Parle Mag
  • Home
  • Entertainment
    • Books
    • Celebrity
    • Movies
    • Music
    • Sports
    • Television News
  • Diddy Trial
  • Lifestyle
    • Beauty
    • Business
    • Fashion
    • Food
    • Health
    • Op-Ed
    • Politics
    • Relationships
    • Travel
  • Interviews
Featured Categories
black countries
About Parlé
4 Posts
View Posts
Taye Diggs reads a book in an episode of private practice.
About Parle Magazine
4 Posts
View Posts
About the Editor
3 Posts
View Posts
Ad Test
1 Posts
View Posts
Posts
  • K-Ci Hailey Interview parle mag 1
    [INTERVIEW] K-Ci Hailey Reflects on 30-Plus Years of Success, Being Part of Music Royalty
    • October 1, 2025
  • Black Voice Actors You Didn’t Know Voiced Your Favorite Characters 2
    Black Voice Actors You Didn’t Know Voiced Your Favorite Characters
    • October 1, 2025
  • Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement 3
    Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement
    • September 29, 2025
  • K-Ci Hailey Interview parle mag

    [INTERVIEW] K-Ci Hailey Reflects on 30-Plus Years of Success, Being Part of Music Royalty

    • October 1, 2025
    View Post
  • Black Voice Actors You Didn’t Know Voiced Your Favorite Characters

    Black Voice Actors You Didn’t Know Voiced Your Favorite Characters

    • October 1, 2025
    View Post
  • Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement

    Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement

    • September 29, 2025
    View Post
  • Entertainment News
  • Lifestyle
  • Op-Ed

An In-depth Examination of the Song “Renee” by Early 90s Rap Group, Lost Boyz

  • February 2, 2017
  • Andy Reid
Lost Boyz
Total
0
Shares
0
0
0

Ghetto Love, 90s Sentimental Rap & Renee – Revisiting The Elements of the Perfect Lost Boyz Song

“A ghetto love is the law that we live by, day by day I wonder why my shorty had to die.” Those were the words expressed by young, New York based rapper, Mr. Cheeks.  These particular words could be found in 1995, on a 16-track album entitled Legal Drug Money by a rap group named Lost Boyz.  On track 6 of the album, Mr. Cheeks is able to present a very unique perspective of Black relationships, in which he labels as “ghetto love” in a song entitled “Renee”.

 

Mr. Cheeks was able to formulate a musical story that brought together a young Black male living in the poverty stricken/crime infested streets of New York and a Black woman maneuvering through the corporate world and law school.   In the first verse of the song, Mr. Cheeks introduces Renee as a “honey” that is beautiful and rare to be seen walking around the parts of his neighborhood.  He introduces himself and proceeds to order two hot dogs and two sodas from the nearest vendor for both himself and Renee as he tells her he is interested.  The song instantly takes an ironic turn when Renee accepts his offer of a hot dog lunch and allows him in on her dreams of becoming a lawyer.  From conversations dealing with the tough streets of New York to his infatuation with “Philly” blunts, Mr. Cheeks is able to bring Renee into his world and Renee does the same for him.

Advertisement

 

The statement “opposites attract” is truer than ever in this 90s Black love rap song constructed through the lens of Mr. Cheeks and his Lost Boyz.  On one hand Mr. Cheeks represents the society-created stereotype of Black males being thugs chilling on the “stoop”, while Renee is supposed to be this career-driven Black woman that is too busy for a Black man.  Both Mr. Cheeks and Renee are able to debunk these stereotypes and come together by providing each other with knowledge and a love that neither has seemed to have experienced before.

 

Advertisement

The mentioning of sex, laughter, life goals, and the constant use of marijuana throughout the song seems to bring the pair closer and helps the listener better understand this concept of “ghetto love”.  Mr. Cheeks is able to add more drama to the song towards the end when he explains that Renee was shot during a drive-by shooting.  What started off as a regular day in the “hood” according to Mr. Cheeks leads to the love of his life being killed in a manner that was often depicted in Black 90s music and movies as it relates to the infamous “drive-by”.

 

After learning of Renee’s death, Mr. Cheeks states “I’m pouring beer out for my shorty who isn’t here, I’m from the ghetto so listen, this is how I shed my tears”.  This particular statement is able to offer insight into how Black males perceive themselves and how they are supposed to deal with death.  Although throughout the song, Mr. Cheeks expresses his love for Renee, in her death he is not able to shed a tear because of the constraints placed on him by the idea of Black male “toughness” and his image as a gangster rapper being questioned.

Advertisement

 

Songs such as Renee offered on the Lost Boyz album, plays a role in the concept of 90s sentimental rap music.  The idea of needing love, but being afraid of it is a theme seen throughout sentimental rap music of the time.  Expressing love by remaining “tough” speaks to a number of issues associated with the Black community from the 90s, but also still on display throughout the community today.

 

Advertisement

“Renee” and other songs like it were able tackle love, poverty, sex, drugs, and depression in a very unique way as it related to 90s sentimental rap.  “Renee” by Lost Boyz  is much more than a nice tune.  Instead, think of it as poetry, love, and pain, all expressed over a beat that includes a sample from Janet Jackson’s 1986 song, “Funny How Time Flies (When You’re Having Fun)”.

 

Watch The Music Video For Lost Boyz “Renee” Below:

Advertisement

 


Readers Also Liked:

Advertisement

Young M.AOn A Mission To Tell Her Story – The Rise of Young M.A

An Hourlong Series Based On The Life Of Nas Is Coming To BET

[INTERVIEW] Babs Bunny Has Come A Long Way Since Da Band With Queen Of The Ring & New Music

Advertisement

Total
0
Shares
Share 0
Tweet 0
Pin it 0
Related Topics
  • Legal Drug Money
  • Lost Boyz
  • Lost Boyz Renee
  • Mr. Cheeks
  • Renee
Andy Reid

Andy J. Reid is a published scholar who has a background in History and African-American Studies. Originally from the small town of Sanford, North Carolina, Andy realized his talents as a writer when he was a freshman in college at Elizabeth City State University (ECSU). Since then he has gone on to obtain many distinguished awards and present at national conferences around the United States. When his is not researching and writing, he is providing services to the community through his independent writing/tutoring/mobile notary business.

Previous Article
Beyonce in Ivy Park Collection
  • Entertainment News
  • Lifestyle

Beyoncé Launches New 2017 Spring/Summer Ivy Park Collection

  • February 2, 2017
  • Ashley Blackwell
View Post
Next Article
Sammie
  • Interviews

In Staying Authentic, Sammie Has Quietly Created A New Standard For R&B

  • February 2, 2017
  • Kevin Benoit
View Post
You May Also Like
Black Voice Actors You Didn’t Know Voiced Your Favorite Characters
View Post
  • Celebrity
  • Entertainment News
  • Film
  • Home Page

Black Voice Actors You Didn’t Know Voiced Your Favorite Characters

  • Obiorah Precious
  • October 1, 2025
Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement
View Post
  • Celebrity
  • Entertainment News
  • Home Page
  • Lifestyle
  • Shows

Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement

  • Obiorah Precious
  • September 29, 2025
Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed
View Post
  • Entertainment News
  • Home Page
  • Movies
  • Shows

Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed

  • Obiorah Precious
  • September 29, 2025
d4vd connection to Los Angeles investigation
View Post
  • Celebrity
  • Entertainment News

Everything To Know About The D4vd Connection To The Los Angeles Murder Investigation

  • Obiorah Precious
  • September 24, 2025
The Ultimate Online Dating Safety Tips and Advice for Beginners
View Post
  • Lifestyle
  • Relationships

The Ultimate Online Dating Safety Tips and Advice for Beginners

  • Obiorah Precious
  • September 24, 2025
The Most Liked Celebrity Couples in the US on Instagram
View Post
  • Celebrity
  • Entertainment News
  • Home Page
  • Lifestyle
  • Relationships

The Most Liked Celebrity Couples in the US on Instagram

  • Obiorah Precious
  • September 23, 2025
Adipotide
View Post
  • Health
  • Lifestyle

Research Horizons of Adipotide (FTPP) Peptide in Metabolic and Oncological Domains

  • Team Parle
  • September 22, 2025
woman holding gold playing cards
View Post
  • Lifestyle
  • Op-Ed

Mystery Bounty Explained for Culture Readers

  • Team Parle
  • September 22, 2025

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recent Posts
  • Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed
    Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed
    • September 29, 2025
  • d4vd connection to Los Angeles investigation
    Everything To Know About The D4vd Connection To The Los Angeles Murder Investigation
    • September 24, 2025
  • The Ultimate Online Dating Safety Tips and Advice for Beginners
    The Ultimate Online Dating Safety Tips and Advice for Beginners
    • September 24, 2025
Categories
Entertainment News
5770 Posts
View Posts
Interviews
868 Posts
View Posts
Lifestyle
2767 Posts
View Posts
Featured Posts
  • K-Ci Hailey Interview parle mag 1
    [INTERVIEW] K-Ci Hailey Reflects on 30-Plus Years of Success, Being Part of Music Royalty
    • October 1, 2025
  • Black Voice Actors You Didn’t Know Voiced Your Favorite Characters 2
    Black Voice Actors You Didn’t Know Voiced Your Favorite Characters
    • October 1, 2025
  • Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement 3
    Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement
    • September 29, 2025
  • Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed 4
    Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed
    • September 29, 2025
  • d4vd connection to Los Angeles investigation 5
    Everything To Know About The D4vd Connection To The Los Angeles Murder Investigation
    • September 24, 2025

RSS Parle Mag

  • [INTERVIEW] K-Ci Hailey Reflects on 30-Plus Years of Success, Being Part of Music Royalty
  • Black Voice Actors You Didn’t Know Voiced Your Favorite Characters
  • Social Media Reacts to Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl Halftime Show Announcement
  • Beauty in Black Season 2 Part 2 Release Date on Netflix Revealed
  • Everything To Know About The D4vd Connection To The Los Angeles Murder Investigation
Parle Mag
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Team Parlé
  • Podcast
  • Advertising
  • Parle Endeavors
  • Parle New York
  • Privacy Policy
parlemag.com - The Voice of The Culture

Input your search keywords and press Enter.