There's two comments on the OG video that stand out to me. 1. This is no longer music. This is no longer a song. It is a soul exploding into art. 2. You don't need to be the next Jimi Hendrix, You're the first Ren.

Ren can play guitar very well, any harsh or dissonant notes are intentional. His guitar playing in "Jenny/Screech/Violet's Tale" is even better, all of these songs are performed live. This kid is amazing!!!

“Some people know me as the voice that they here when they loosen the noose on the rope.” One of the best lines I’ve ever heard in song.

I'm a 64 year old female, and i am driving my husband nuts, i have watched Ren at least 25 times for the past 2 days since hearing him for the first time, i'm in awe, this is art, genius! Jenny and the screech is really good too, i hope he gets better soon...

Ren was bitten by a tick and contracted Lymes disease they missed it and treated him for mental illness for 7rs! when it was oicked up he had stem cell treatment and got half his health back still getting treatment today. This song Sick Boi and Chalk outlines all relate to his experiences. He grew up busking on the streets of Brighton in England had a label but htey dropped him when he was ill so he does all his own production with friends. I love the Hunger losing it and What you want rapp hip hop and singing with other artist I love his work you should ckeck out some of his stuff. Love your reaction.

This was recorded in one take live, albeit the 4th attempt. Sort of puts into perspective the talent this young man has.

Ren is a Poet, a Singer, a Rapper, a Musician, a Composer, a Songwriter, an Actor.....an ARTIST. Not only was this taped live (Ren, Sam (the Videographer), his guitar and 3 cameras) but "Dark" Ren and "Light" Ren not only sang differently but had different melodies. "Dark" Ren had a percussive melody and "Light" Ren had a soothing melody. So not only was he changing his voice between the two characters, but also his guitar playing. Ren cut his teeth busking on the streets in Brighton, England. Not only does he have "Solo" videos, he also played with a Band, "The Big Push". Where Ren really shines is his LIVE performances. Keep going down the Rabbit Hole. If you only listen to ONE more Ren Song.....do "the Tale of Jenny and Screech" (FULL). It's a 3-act masterpiece. It will answer the question if Ren can REALLY play guitar.

Anyone who can’t handle this song and finds it too intense and switching too much, imagine living in that mind on a daily basis and still creating something beautiful

As someone who has struggled basically my entire life with depression and ADHD (undiagnosed until I failed out of college), so much of this song rings true. While it's couched in the language of music, there's a universal truth to what he's saying. Most of us at some point in our life will experience that voice of doubt, self loathing, pessimism, whatever you want to call it. Those of us who struggle with mental health know that voice very well. Ultimately though his message here is that of recognition, acceptance, and self compassion. We don't need to defeat that voice, banish it never to be heard from again. We don't need to fight a battle we cannot ever truly win. Doing so only makes life harder. When we instead accept that voice is as much a part of us as the part that wants to banish it, paradoxically, it ceases to have the same kind of influence it once had. We can choose to look past it. Acknowledge it, and move on. And on the days it does get the better of us, we can give in without admitting defeat. Some days just truly suck, and there's nothing wrong with allowing yourself to fail once in a while. As long as we get back up after and keep trying again, then we've never truly lost.

Ren has been ill for over a decade. He had undiagnosed Lyme disease and the doctors pretty much told him, that his pain and issues were mental health issues. They gave him pills which of course didn't help. A doctor finally figured it out a few years back i think and he has been getting proper treatment ever since

This song was my first introduction to Ren. And I jumped into his rabbit hole. The diversity of his music career is amazing.

His ability to play like that while singing so intense but then quickly switching to intense guitar & back to smooth. it's so cool.

Ren is a storyteller. He classifies his music as “Bardcore”. For a storytelling journey, check out his trilogy. They are best played back to back, in correct order. For your convenience, has all 3 in one video called “The Tale of Jenny & Screech (full)”.

Another fun Ren fact. A lot of his music videos are performed and recorded live and filmed in one single take. The tales of Jenny, Screech and Violet really showcase it well.

So I’ll be 65 in a few months and grew up on rock/metal. I’ve seen in concert virtually all the legendary bands (Zeppelin, Purple, Sabbath, Floyd, the Stones, Queen, The Who, etc etc), so this type of music has never been on my radar. I came across this song about 3weeks ago, and while I was skeptical at first, I became drawn in and found it compelling. Ren brings you right into the room. Since then, I’ve seen about a dozen of Ren’s songs, and while they are very diverse in style and genre, they have all been very good. When he’s not doing his hip hop rap styles, he is typically like a modern day minstrel. He’s a busker out of Brighton. I suggest you check out his song “Chalk Outlines” as well as his trilogy (“Jenny’s Tale”, Screech’s Tale” & “Violet’s Tale”) in that order and one right after the other. But also check out his busking where he and his mate Sam do a fusion of Black Sabbath’s “War Pigs” and “Paranoid” or James Brown’s “It’s a Man’s, Man’s, Man’s World”

On the first Uuh Uuh I could literally see your eyes mirror you searching your brain for how to process or categorize what you just heard 😂 we all did that

Another thing that is astounding, is that the performance including audio was recorded live in one take. He mentioned somewhere that this was the fourth take. Super talented!

After watching it and being blown away by it when he released it, I found I couldn’t return to it. It was a lot to process. Watching it again now after some distance, I’m still completely blown away by it. It’s one of the most incredible pieces of art I’ve come across.

49yr old male here brother amd yes, this is definitely a song everyone NEEDS to hear. Not my genre but you can't deny talent and this dude oozes it. Great upload and I'm a happy new subscriber. Keep up the great work

From what I understand, around the same time he got signed to a major label, he was diagnosed with Lyme disease... which obviously derailed the music career for quite awhile. So glad you reacted to this amazing song! ❤️

I'm glad you liked it and followed up on my suggestion to listen to it Geebz.

A one man show is actually spot on. Ren is a Busker in Brighton Beach. If you want to see an amazing performance by him check out “The Tale Of Jenny And Screech (full)”. A master class in storytelling.

Ren has been dealt some serious bad cards in his time, but he didn't let it break him, instead he pours it into his art, first time I heard him he grabbed my attention and I took a dive into his channel, there isn't a track of his that didn't touch me in some way. His storytelling is rare in music and reminds me of Arlo Guthrie, his rythm and timing, on hunger, particularly make me think of great drummers, he crosses genres like crossing a road and he always has something worth hearing to say. Even if you never post anything of his again, listen to his catalogue, it's a time investment but it's truly brilliant

Yesss. Please do The Tale of Jenny & Screech (full).. you won’t regret it. I promise.

I'm soo happy to see you finally check this masterpiece out, thank you Geebz!! This song has really had an impact on me and it's amazing to see soo many people connecting with it. I really hope you do "Jenny/Screech/Violet's Tale", I heard that song for the first time yesterday and I was even more blown away. This kid is the most creative artist I've ever heard, he needs to be promoted EVERYWHERE!! Great video Geebz, Awwriiight!!!! 🤘🤘🤙🤙

You need to check out more of his stuff. He is truly an awesome talent and worth diving into. He is a very diverse songwriter who writes, produces his own music and videos. Peace.

Been refreshing your page all week waiting for this. Can't wait to see what you think!

5.5Million views in 2 months says a lot. Ren is a brilliant performer and this was one you won't find soon again.

You just scratched the surface and opened your eyes to the genius Ren. A Brit Busker beyond his time.

I had never heard of Ren before. This performance was much more than just music, it was an expression of the human experience. Very interesting, had me hooked right from the beginning, and left me thinking long after it was over. It's rare that a 4 minute performance can make you contemplate life, and change your perspective on it.

I can't sleep either! 🤦‍♀️ Ren is an AMAZING artist! You should REALLY fall DEEP in this hole! BEST storyteller I've heard in YEARS! Sick Boi follows this and THEN you can see what everyone else thinks! 🤷‍♀️😏 His WHOLE CATALOG is RIDICULOUS (in a good way!) 😁✌️❤️🔥🎶 LOVE THE SHIRT by tha way!🙃😉

I love this reaction. The use of the word EXORCISE is so profound and I have watched 100’s of reactions to this art piece. Keep watching. His catalog is deep!!

It is theater. He has several one take performances like this.

Another great reaction and analysis. “Hi Ren" is the song that put Ren on everyone's radar since December; it went viral and has garnered more than 5 million views since its debut, but he has been creating great music for more than ten years. Ren’s music videos are generally recorded live, often in a single take, although not necessarily the first take, and from various camera angles. His release, "Sick Boi," is almost another chapter to "Hi Ren." Many of his songs resonate with people because he addresses struggles that many others face every day. Ren plays multiple instruments (acoustic, electric, and bass guitar, piano, drums), has impressive vocals, is an excellent storyteller, and is quite the philosopher and poet. He is considered by many a modern bard. His trilogy "The Tale of Jenny/Screech/Violet" is haunting and has an unforeseen conclusion. It needs to be watched in the order given, as this is the flow of the storyline. It is another example of Ren’s genius and a master’s class in storytelling. It has been likened to a Shakespearean tragedy. Ren’s collaborations with Chinchilla (“Chalk Outlines,” “How to Be Me”) are beautiful and showcase his singing voice while addressing mental health. His live music videos are especially impressive. Ren's personal reflections are threaded through many of his songs; "Insomnia," "Depression," “Diazepam," “Penitence,” “Dear God,” “Heretic,” “Dominos,” his "Freckled Angels" album, just to name a few, all deserve a listen. His song "Money Game" (Part I & II) is another recommendation, although it is less of a personal song than it is an indictment of greed and the resulting injustices in this world. Ren’s Hip Hop/Rap style songs are all worth checking out if you enjoy this genre; they are pretty amazing. Check out “The Hunger,” “Genesis,” “What You Want,” “Losing it (FISHER rap retake),” “Right here, right now (Fatboy Slim one shot retake),” "Life is Funny," “Love Music (Parts 1, 2, and 3),” “Crucify Your Culture,” “Power,” and his latest release, “Bittersweet symphony (The Verve retake).” As I recently discovered, Ren also recorded a cover of “Can't Help Falling In Love (Elvis Cover),” that is simply beautiful. Then there are his performances with Sam Tompkins (“Blind Eyed,” “Earned it /Mans World / Falling,” “Walking on the moon/No Diggity”), Eden Nash (“Humble,” “Ocean”), Bibi (“Crutch,” “Ahiahiaoha”), Molly McKinna (“Penitence”), his former bandmate, Romain Axisa (“French Song”), which are all great. Ren's performances as a member of the band "The Big Push" (which unfortunately broke up), their busking (street performances), concerts, and their live recordings, are awesome and well worth checking out. Ren's covers of "I Shot the Sheriff," "Wade in the Water," "An Englishman in New York," “War Pigs,” the songs "Oh My Woman," “Swan Song,” “Sweet Little Lady," "It's Alright," "Watch Out," “Dignity,” and so many others are equally impressive. Ren recently released his single, “Sick Boi.” In anticipation of his stay in Canada for more treatments, Ren prepared some music ahead of time to be released over the next six months that he expects to be gone. As mentioned above, his latest release, “Bittersweet Symphony (The Verve retake),” is another masterful work.

Also check out his other newer song "Sick Boi" no guitar in that one a crazy video of how his mind is/was, there are others mostly rap with foul language. There are a couple more up beat songs, covers he does that he shines, for me he does. Englishman in New York and Bongo Bong are a fun listen. It is when he was with his band mates The Big Push. He is a fantastic musician. He is in Canada now getting treatment for illness. He had lymes disease and wasn't diagnosed properly. You need to find out more about him. I can relate to his music as I suffer with chronic illness also.

This is a really fun an honest song. He let himself go with this one and produced a moving piece.

Every since April I search KZfaq daily for reactions to it . Your reaction to it is one of the best I've seen. You show genuine interest and respect for Ren's creation. I turned 60 this year and this video is one of the most profound things I've ever seen. Thanks for reaction it enriched my day ✌💞

He has a lot of great songs, some of which have amassed millions of views on youtube. Yet this song in particular has blown up faster than any other. What is especially astounding, is that just as this one blew up, he had to put his musical career on a hold, as he has taken an offer to move to Canada to get extensive medical treatment for his Lyme disease. The doctors tell him it will take at least 6 months, where he has to go to the hospital for IV 5 days a week, in addition to a strict diet and a copious amount of pills. If you want to react to another song of his, I would highly suggest Money Game Part 2, as it has a very spine chilling message about the state of the world. It's from that song this song's reference "She sells seashells on the sea shore" comes from.

One thing I noticed about the guitar playing was when "good Ren" is playing at the beginning he is looking at the fret board as if unconfident where his fingers will land and when "evil Ren" is playing it's eyes shut and doesn't need to look.

This dude saved both my life and my creativity with this song. I was all but spent til I heard this song, now I'm ready for war

Shout out for all the Aries out there

I've been on a three day binge of this song and reaction videos to it, and from the first watch I tried to explain it to others as a Van Gogh painting in music form, and happy to see you explain it in a similar way in your video title. Ren calls his style "Bardcore" which I think is brilliant and fitting. This amazing piece of art from Ren has fundamentally changed me and how Im dealing with my own darkness. Loved your review and reaction to it. Subbed!

the fact he recorded this in 1 take live, and yes he is a true artist (his skills are incredible if you listen to other songs of his), is insane.

"One man theater." I think that's it right there.

Hello from New England.. With did I just listen to..?..Ok I've been seeing this song all over YT but I've been sleeping on it bc I'm more into metal but this is smoking.. This is very human and everyone can relate to it on some level...This guy has some serious talent and he's going on my Spotify..Thx Geebz for turning me on to this...🤘✌️

I'm in the same place you are Geebz but I still love this kid! It's what makes him great; so many can either relate to him or feel empathy to him and people like him. He's not playlist for me but he's still a creative genius.😊

Wow! You were the first reactor I started to follow years ago! I requested a muse song and you gracefully responded and did the reaction. I really enjoyed being a part of your tool journey as well. Musically we have been taken down different paths so as I started diving into rap, the less I saw your videos. It is such a delight to witness how music intertwines and brings people together. Happy you did this, and to see you're doing so well. Thank you!

Yay I was hoping you'd fall into the Ren rabbit hole! I'm sure someone will jump into the comments with Ren's back story but there are so many gems to check out next. I only discovered Ren a few weeks ago through this song and I'm obsessed. He's got amazing range, rap, ballards, storytelling.. amazing multi genre talent. Short story is he was misdiagnosed but is currently being treated in Canada for Lyme disease. I hope you see what else he's done... sick boi, chalk outlines (live), the tale of Jenny and screech (full, watched in order), and genesis or the hunger to check out his crazy rap skills.

Dang that's some heavy beat poetry talent right there. At first I was getting Eminem 'stan' vibes tbh, then it somehow went darker / more profound. You nailed it though, this is a theatrical performance 100%

So glad you finally reacted to this. Now please check out chalk outlines with Chinchilla. Another masterpiece!

This was definitely his breakthrough moment. His career skyrocketed from here. He released an album in October that hit #1 in the UK. He is an all around amazing artist, like no one else.

this song is metal AF. regardless of its genre

Raw pain. Raw vulnerability. Raw honesty. Raw courage. Yes, THIS is what living with Psychosis is like on the inside. It's also an incredible work of art and, yes, theatre. The erratic, discordant and aggressive 'attack' on the guitar, as well as dramatic shifts vocally, are highly intentional. As is the whole production, from lighting to camera work. Aside from his undoubted and multiple talents, I think Ren has achieved, with one song, what 50+ years of 'community education to destigmatize mental health issues' has utterly failed to do. We're engaged, identify, empathise and CARE. This deserves MULTIPLE Awards.

Ren is best known as a busker in Brighton, who has had some small success as an independent musician. This is definitely his breakout piece. 4 million views in a month. There's so much that most of us, especially creatives, can relate to with that inner voice talking back to us. To see something more in the storytelling vein: Jenny and Screech's Tale (and Violet's Tale). For something that shows his singing voice a bit more: Chalk Outlines For something that shows his guitar and vocal skills: Ren & Sam Tompkins - Earned it /Mans World / Falling As to his illness: He has Lyme disease, which was misdiagnosed for years, so progressed to severe damage including chronic pain and psychosis.

Everything he does is intentional. Every note, every pause, every chord, every word, and every performace choice is 100% creative decision. How dare you call his genius into question. 😉

He was misdiagnosed for close to 10 years. He has Lyme disease and is currently in treatment in Canada. He's been through so much at such a young age. His tale of Jenny and Screech (The full trilogy) is some great story telling.

I am SO glad you acted on my recommendation for Hi Ren by Ren! I knew you would find this track fascinating. Love the channel and thanks for making this video!!

You're spot on it's theater. Everything from the performance to the set to the shots to the music and the performance. I haven't been up on rap for a long time. Metals my jam but I've been really digging going through Ren's catalog of work. He's really all over the map with his music. Many influences that he's taken from and amalgamated into his own. This song relates. And the ending speech sums it all up. We struggle, some people coast through life with a minimum amount of that struggle and some people get lost in that struggle, but we all struggle because life is hard. It was hard before we reached our "civilized" lifestyles and it's hard now reconciling our biological rate of evolution with our hyper societal evolution. Thx for giving it a listen. Sleep well my dude.

"whimsical chaos" sound like an 8th lvl evocation spell

I'm honestly soo glad to see this on here. Ren is a gift. His music falls into soo many different categories. He can rap, he sings, he plays fantastic guitar, his acting in these videos is top notch also. He calls what he creates Bardcore, and it's 100% an accurate representation. His trilogy Jenny/Screech/Violet's tale is an absolutely wild, dark, but genius story. His videos are one take generally too, done live, adding another entire level of mastery of his craft.

I understand you would have to be dealing with health and mental issues to really appreciate this. Being diagnosed with Primary Progressive MS at 61, I can relate to this in a much deeper way. The pendulum for me swings hour to hour with my physical limitations. I'm sure he goes through the same thing with Lyme. Both diseases also lead to mental issues dealing with these limitations I cant imagine having to suffer with Lyme disease at such a young age. Autoimmune problems rob you of so much of your life and with invisible illnesses such as Lyme and MS you can look normal so its hard for to people understand the struggle. He is a huge inspiration. I have taught myself guitar to help deal with the my physical struggles and I really enjoy it. Creativity is a great way to deal with these issues and highly recommend it. Also being a Industrial designer have a been working on products to assist handicap people with their mobility issues which brings a new positive relevance to my life. Everything happens for a reason and Ren has proven that to us with this beautiful artistic piece.

I'm in my imd forties and it stirred emotions,, thankyou.

You should check out his The Tale of Jenny and Screech (Full)…

The guitar style he played is definitely for theatric purposes. He's a classicly trained guitarist.

the guitar would sound sharp and angular when left Ren was talking... and more soft and clean when right Ren speaks

was waiting for this video!

He was signed to Sony at 151/2 when he became ill with Lyme. He wasn’t fired but they let his contract expire. He can sing all genres. He’s very personable and genuine in his interviews.

Woohoo!! Here we go!! Check out Change, Digital bath, RX queen, Feiticeira, Be quite and drive, You’ve seen the butcher, Diamond eyes, Minerva and Radiant city to start LOL!!

Love this... Jenny and Screech next please!?!? Make sure it's the Full version! It's all 3 stories in order! Master Level Guitar and Storytelling!!!

My favorite line in this song is, "I stood in the flames that cremated my brains and I didn't once flinch or shake, so cower at the man I've become...". Such a strong and powerful way to relate strength. I also feel the most overlooked part of this is, "there are no real winners or losers in psychological warfare, but there are victims and there are students". Namely the students part. One can be a victim and let it control them or one can be a student and study it, learn from it, and control it. This and O Virgin Pure by Nektarios of Aegina are the 2 most beautiful songs I've ever heard.

Always enjoy hearing your thoughts.

So glad you did this, I really feel his message here needs to be shared it has helped me immensely... He has many styles and is more modern bard than anything, a storyteller that can find creative ways to make people feel things... Thank you for supporting a truly special artist who is overdue recognition and who is providing an excellent example to the rest of us how to turn something dark and painful into something beautiful and powerful

I enjoyed your reaction very much; first time seeing you. I discovered Ren a couple of weeks ago, and have been binging everything he's done and all the reaction videos to to him. As a musician myself, like you said, a lot of this really touches you as you battle the voice inside you that says your music isn't good enough. You might want to check out the trilogy of Jenny and Screech (and Violet) Full version for some true Shakespearean tragedy and what Ren describes as "bardcore." You will be equally, if not more, blown away. Good job!

Thank you for reacting to this! Please take some time to visit Rens profile and read through his community tab to get a good view of Rens story and the troubles he's had to face and overcome to get to this point in his life.

Thx Geebz and the peoole who recommended this! That was awesome and it helps.

I really appreciate this one and appreciate you as well

Thank you Sir!

Yes!!!!!! This is phenomenal! Love Ren! Very talented to say the least.

Love your take on this.

It is an incredible piece of art.

Yes please do more of his music he really is brilliant

Great reaction.

Loved your breakdown and would love to see you react to more Ren!

What a lot of Renniac don't know, Ren is also Singer and Guitar player of the band The Big Push. They are definitely worth checking out as well. Kind of a bit in between Reagge, Rock and Rap in their cover style. Their vocal harmonies are amazing.

Right on target with your analysis

Great reaction!!! It’s obvious you are keenly observant and appreciate a variety of talent. I think what makes this video resonate with so many people is his courage to be vulnerable. His courage to let others see thoughts most of us try to hide.

This was a great reaction, thank you! I'd love to hear you react to more of Ren's work. He's an exceptional artist, musician and storyteller who pours his soul into his music. And yes, he's gone through a lot in life, and he's collected a lot of wisdom on the way.

Thank you for a great and insightful review. I have listened to quite a few reactions to this artistic rendition of his life into a "song", and you did a wonderful job of analyzing Ren Hi Ren. I never listen to this kind of music but this one moves me

It was recorded live in one take using the acoustics of the room. He removes the mic at the end. Pure Genius

I've been watching the reactions to this video all over KZfaq, nice to see Geebz reacting to it

He has lymes disease. I have 6 autoimmune diseases and faught two primary cancers one terminal. Went into remission and now it's back almost two years later. I totally related to this song the first time I heard it. Ever since I've been playing it non stop at my immunotherapy.

Ren is a divine gift to this world & worthy of a new sub for key of geebz ❤️

He can play classical guitar, blues, rhythm, bass, piano, and who knows what else. The guy is something special

just started the video. love seeing you face light up at the interesting pieces

12:25 Bwahahaha! These are ABSOLUTELY the hits we're looking for! Loved this reaction and breakdown. What a comprehensive response! You touched on the artistry, songwriting, message, philosophy, personal connection. Really, really great response. Thank you.

Great artist and nice shirt bro :) !

Great reaction 👍

Great reaction. AWESOME t-shirt...

Loved seeing your reaction! It's interesting seeing someone who doesn't know anything about his mental and physical issues react. I had never thought about his musical break thru and finding his own sound being apart of this! Great insights and much love from TX!

Geebz, it was once again a distinct pleasure to watch your honest reaction to Ren. Thank you for allowing us to experience your take on music, even genre crossing and as Ren has so eloquently shown here, "Art in another form that is still recognizable as ascendant". Have a great day! 🌻