Ronni Raxx’s Bitch Get In, the debut full-length from the highly talented MC and “first lady” of Nashville hip-hop collective Six One Trïbe, is an absolute banger from top to bottom. It’s a full-throated introduction to an exceptional wordsmith who has mastered a wide array of the storytelling techniques rap has to offer and made them her own. We’re talking the skill to turn on a dime from lilting soulful and streetwise balladry to dropping bars of steel — the sorts of things that queens like Erykah Badu and Lauren Hill are revered for.
I’m enjoying the hell out of this record, but it’s bittersweet. Raxx, born Veronicka Maclin, died in May, just a few weeks after the album dropped in March. The Trïbe is putting the finishing touches on its third annual 615 Day event, which has grown into six days of happenings called 615 Week beginning June 15 — read much more about that in our feature story. While a specific tribute to Raxx during the week hasn’t been announced, the crew has made it clear that it’s very important to keep her spirit with them.
Production on releases from the collective just keeps getting better, and the contemporary-but-soul-schooled beats on Bitch are catnip for me. The Trïbe’s support is fully evident, with features from de facto leader Gee Slab, N. Justice and more; still, sometimes I feel like I want the features to be a little shorter to give Raxx more runway. To that point, there’s a run around the middle of the album, starting with “Always Know You,” where she really gets to showcase everything she’s got.
While it’s tremendously sad that the album will likely be the last we hear from her, barring unreleased material that comes out later, it's a powerful way to remember her. Keep an eye on the Trïbe’s Instagram page and the 615 Week website for updates on those events, and salute Raxx’s memory by running up the numbers on Bitch Get In on your favorite streaming service.
