The early 2000s fascinates R. Flex, from the hip-hop dominated charts to the idyllic harmonies of pop groups. Everything about the 2000s inspired their latest EP, Flex With Benefits.

Artists like Craig David and Daniel Bedingfield really spoke to them during their preteen years, while Janet Jackson and Mariah Carey’s advocacy for the LGBT community meant something more than words. Creating this EP not only showcases their love for the late 90s/early 00s, but reminds them of just how much their music is influenced by that time.

“The world was going to end in a blaze of technological meltdowns and yet pop/R&B music was so electronic,” they said. “While I wasn’t hyperfocused on remaking Y2K music, it’s wild that in 2020 we had a similar worry of a world meltdown. It makes sense that I became nostalgic for a time before the Pandemmy. I just can’t put my finger on why it was the music of Janet Jackson, Craig David, Daniel Bedingfield, Mariah Carey, N*Sync, Blackstreet, Dream and Destiny’s Child that called back to me. Perhaps it’s because I was just focused on making songs that made me feel good. Perhaps it’s because I felt haunted by the world meltdown of the 2000s.”

The final tracklisting - “Too Late”, “4U”, “Know Where”, “La La Land”, “DNA” and “Inhale” - all follow a theme of innocence. Following their debut EP, In & Out, they wanted to share songs that brought a more celebratory, liberating feeling.

“I wanted to queer the narrative of life after assault and show there can be reclamation of one’s self and it can be fun,” they said. “Aside from ‘Inhale’, which finds me in a different incapacitating position, the other songs strike a cheerful tone that I hope cheers up my fans.”

One of the tracks, “Too Late”, was originally meant for DESIIRE, who sent R. Flex a beat and asked them to write the verses. The first verse was written in half an hour; the second verse a few weeks later. When DESIIRE decided to go in a different direction on his album, he gave the song to R. Flex and they ended up collaborating on the final version along with Tafari Anthony.

What surprised R. Flex most about this EP was the significant growth they noticed in their vocal abilities. Each song challenged them in a different way, and required developments to their vocal range that they hadn’t tried before.

The inspirations of the 2000s led R. Flex to a musical space that let him embrace everything he loved growing up. These songs represent an authenticity that he hadn’t fully embraced before, and hopes that listeners find a way to embrace it within themselves.

“I hope listeners take away the message to be authentically you,” they said. “If you’re queer, be that. If you’re nonbinary, embrace that. Gender constructs deny a lot of BIPOC of their own gender constructions and we are so much more than the binaries. We always have been. So, listen to the voice within, trust it and follow it. It is your freedom. I hope fat folks feel sexy listening to my music. I hope they feel confident. I hope they live within every inch of their sexy confidence.”