R2R Moe Goes Rags To Riches In Nyc

A lot of music evokes a lot of feelings, depending on the genre. You could have your lovely rock, with androgynous guitars evoking angst and rage, indie showcasing some love and soft undertones, or rap, the aggressive, egotistical rhythm, breeding across fashion, culture, emotion, passion, etc. With all of these genres, comes subgenres, the indie rocks, the classic rocks, the alternative indie and pop rock of sorts, to the boom bap, to the modern routes rap has talent on, from the underground hip hop scene, to the trap scene, to alternative emo rap or even EDM rap. Music comes in all shapes and sizes, evoking different audiences, intentions, purposes, and experiences. Music is universal. Something we all feel. 

What do we usually feel: happiness, sadness, anger, disappointment, love, hate, romance, intimacy? Do we feel these things often? And if so, how often do we experience these things, and how can these feelings be amplified? Can music expand to these tastes of feelings? With one artist that comes to mind, to unlock this, we must take a look at emerging talent in the upcoming rap scene, R2R Moe, and his coming up in the sexy drill movement emerging in the roots of New York City.

Particularly Harlem, a place of rough upbringing, grinding to find your way, find your purpose, wanting to come out of your current position to something bigger, bigger ambitions. That is the goal a lot of the time with people living in such conditions, and upcoming rapper acts alike. So what if we combine the difficulties of navigating relationships, social dynamics, and understanding oneself, with smooth undertones, and belonging and comfort with another.

Mixed with the pride and confidence of a successful rapper with attained money and luxurious jewelry, success, ambition, comes R2R Moe, and his new project, mentioned above, ROAD 2 RICHES VOL 1, released on May 16, 2025. A lot of these discussions mentioned above are talked about in his project, which has left a lasting impression on many who listen to his music.

A lot of people can feel his sense of ambition, which matches with the audience who can be in similar positions, wanting to be in better circumstances, and look to his music as an outlet. This could also be for people who struggle with fulfillment in romance, struggling between ties of knowing if someone worth your life to give for, or if lust is the primary driver for a intimate moment, or if love is the raving passion to show up for one another, despite such frustrations with the cons of one another and the dichotomy of such with love for one’s attributes, inspiring one another. These aspects are what make R2R Moe’s music something bigger than the album, an experience, a story to tell, to read and deeply experience in its dynamics, something to tune into.

Tied with the topics is the unique use of beatmaking and production. Not the typical drum patterns of aggression and shocking bass of the typical NYC drill wave in reminiscence of the late 2010s and early 2020s, but amass the mid 2020s is sexy drill’s use of euphoric bass spreaded along the beat in various waves, sound design incorporated of violins and classical music, and hi hats and snares in unique places, and vocals from Moe’s RNB inspired vocals, aiding in the romantic intimate vibe with such vocals. A lot of these aspects bring in an experience for the audience of the sexy drill fanbase, primarily African American and Hispanic decent and people residing in low income and middle income neighborhoods in Brooklyn and Upper Manhattan and Bronx, people in stages of finding themselves, understanding themselves and coming to one’s identity and purpose and wanting better. 

With such feelings, an audience to be collective with feelings, and a music icon representing such and his newly released project,  R2R Moe followed the excitement of a new release and before mentioned aspects, with a live performance in Market Hotel on May 30th, hosted and represented by Move Forward Music, representing live acts and upcoming talent, which they have banked with Moe’s upcoming potential and rise in popularity.

With the event, you felt such energy of passion and beauty within the audience, people singing along to every word of what seems like the whole album, every fan waving their hands in swimming motions of the atmospheric bass coming out the speakers, the smiles anamoring from faces, and the excitement from a crowded stage, everyone jumping around, showcasing a sense of pride, a sense of happiness that they are not where they used to be, knowing that themselves and Moe’s team and the belonging artists and producers and A&R’s, are along for something greater, potential to be unmasked. A feeling that they have made it in some way. 

Even to surprise, when the music cut off, and it was left the audience to go ahead and sing the song, with no warning, acapella only, the crowd sang every word, and Moe being speechless at such and still deciding to sing and feel the energy of the audience and fanbase he has capitalized on with the newly emerging sound of sexy drill and his overall experiences, everyone to sing along, in a hot boxed room of marijauna underfumes, hennessy and wine bottles, a small venue, and sweaty stage, yet, the love and passion and feeling of pride and community and intimacy, was present within his performance. 

With coming out to the show to capture photos and the dynamic range of everything going on, when coming together with a design the night after the show, and presenting work to the management, these are the words to describe the experience, and the state of the contribution Moe has presented with his work thus far and his plans next.