Rens, Jaïr, and Ome Uncle (RJO) are a creative force built on courage and collaboration. Their musical world has few limits: they'll make it happen, or they've already done it.
Jaïr: Rens, Jaïr, and Ome Uncle are a melting pot, filled with courage and creativity. Musically, there are very few blind spots between the three of us.
- Rens is a fanatic rap and hip-hop connoisseur. I've known him since we were 15, and even back then, it was clear he was deeply influenced by these genres.
- David (Ome Uncle) grew up in Brabant with a more Dutch/western musical background, so think of artists like "De Dijk" and similar sounds.
- As for me (Jaïr), my upbringing was more rooted in Motown, jazz, salsa, R&B, and disco. My mom always had something groovy playing at home, and as a kid, you can't help but soak it all in.
Rens
Ome Uncle
Jaïr
Sadly, musicality alone doesn't fill a stadium. To make it in this game, you need to be smart. Business is key and fortunately, Rens is the name when it comes to that. Known as the crowd-unifying frontman on stage, he's also our team's businessman. At its core, every member of RJO wears at least two hats. Jaïr, who might seem like the energetic rapper and singer on stage, is actually the one who produces and records all of our repertoire, and has been doing so since day one. David (Ome Uncle), who started as our DJ, slowly rose to the occasion and became so much more than that. He now performs vocals on stage and even secured multiple main hooks on our new album.
I'll refer to us as the "soil": add light, energy, and , and watch something beautiful grow.
Ome Uncle: A core aspect of what we do is about breaking the conventional mold and creating an atmosphere that's as unique as music itself. We love bringing together visionaries & dreamers. For this journey we wanted the different perspectives of the people we love. One big collaboration.
Just to give you a little bit of an overview I will quickly introduce them to you: Goos (Manager), Mara (Stylist), Rosa (MUA & Production), Ole (Videographer), Zenja (Production), Cedric (Visual Artist), Birdguy (Music Artist) and Laura (Photographer)
Photocredits: Laura van der Spek
Listen to Rens, Jaïr & Ome Uncle
Why teamwork is so important and so much fun
Goos: What truly sets this collaboration apart is the mutual trust and freedom we grant each other.
Mara: Working as a stylist, it would be impossible for me not to work together. An outfit is about expressing who you are, so naturally I have to know what the person I'm dressing is about and what their likes and dislikes are.
Rosa: There is something about working with your friends that sparks me up. For this trip we wanted to capture the freedom and the fun which happens so organic and easy when you're with a group of friends.
Goos: I am incredibly proud and honored to be part of this beautiful process, and I eagerly look forward to everything that lies ahead.
Rosa: Every one of us has their own specialty and we all bring out the best in each other.
This is a video
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Pictures
Cedric: Entering the big room of De Melkweg, there is a big refrigerator with beers, water and El Tony's. Rows of chairs are placed on the dancefloor. This in and of itself feels quite unique, because all memories associated with this venue that I can recollect are of sweat gushing down my face, dancing. Everybody found a seat and the chatter slowly faded as Rens welcomed the audience.
The music starts, and I can't leave out how well the mastered album sounded over such a big speaker system. The smiling faces of Rens, Jaïr and Ome Uncle all harmonically bob to the beat. Taking turns in anticipation of their favorite bars and rhythmic sections. The dynamic gestures of their hands and arms dissecting the bars as they leave their lips. The audience now swayed in metronome, making stank faces while nodding in approval.
The music on the album is a very exciting and deep draw of fresh air for the listeners. It shows the evolution of their mindstate and vision in a way that feels authentically elaborate and kind. There is a sensation of the similarity of experiences to your own and the quality of the atmosphere of their musical ingenuity. It's a world yet to be discovered by the many. But that grants us, the listeners of now, the virgin veil of the experience of knowing it now.
Birdguy: The album for me was and still is a breath of fresh air. Immaculate vibes, cool and bouncy beats and voices that bring you into their world. Working along with the guys has given me a lot of new inspiration and ideas for my own creative process.
Cedric: As cherry on top I'd like to share a last image of everybody chanting the lyrics of an unreleased tune that was made as a joke. Called "kletsnat", on an instrumental of "Mask Off" by Future. The unprecedented comic yet iconic lyric translates roughly to: superwet. A tune of this caliber instantaneously ignites an eruption of rebellion and cheer. It's like we all love a good reason to chant certain symbols of indecency.
Photocredits: Cedric Veldhuis
Behind the Scenes: Luistersessie 'Vlammenzee' @Melkweg Max
Pre-Release of the songs 'De Art' and the biggest show in the Melkweg
Cedric Veldhuis: 'De Art' is one of the songs on the album that really showcased the rap qualities of RJO. What resonated most with me, (and why this visual is one of our favorites) was that, while working on the concept of the tour visuals, a subnarrative started to illuminate. My main focus as an artist is observation and documentation. But with this project I was working with all the visual data collected over a multitude of years and moments. When selecting all the images I wanted to incorporate, I saw the legacy of RJO through the three main perspectives of the visual artists, who have dedicated their keen eye to the preservation of this legacy! I'm talking about Ole, Laura and myself. And what amazed me was the sheer quality and quantity of the footage! Living alongside such characters and their luminous energy... put one in the front seat of the theater of the absurd. And so to me this song 'De Art' is the sum total of perspectives, characters and energy. It's a path, paved by the curious and persistent. It tells the tale of dedication and unmatched effort
Rens: On March 21st (marking the start of spring) we're set to play our biggest live show yet at Melkweg MAX! We're beyond excited and incredibly grateful for the trust the Melkweg team has placed in us. We're more than ready to deliver an unforgettable night. This show is extra special as it marks both the release of our album Vlammenzee and our 200th performance. We can't wait to celebrate with all of you!
Tickets
A Lookbook of the 'Vlammenzee' Tour
Laura: If I shoot a show I want you to hear the music whilst looking at the photos, to almost feel that strobing chaos. RJO's open approach to creativity and collaboration really paves the way for me to create exactly in the way I like to: a bit messy, but very honest and with a lot of character.
I love how everyone's personal flair kind of seeps through the imagery of the tour. Having said this; capturing this tour surpasses just documenting the shows, it's a part of a larger whole: the RJO experience. This thing we are constantly building on together.
