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Straight out of Crown Heights, Brooklyn, Ruste Juxx is hoping his debut LP will crack the pavement with his resilient rhymes and diligent style. Having toiled in the underground for years, Juxx is banking on Indestructible as the zenith of his hard work and the genesis of his career as an authoritative, powerful solo artist.

With Sean Price on board as executive producer, Ruste Juxx has constructed a debut that is vigorous if not a bit patchy, smooth if not a bit basic, and taut if not somewhat plain.

Some might know Ruste Juxx from Sean Price’s pair of solo records, Monkey Barz and Jesus Price Supastar. As an MC, however, Juxx didn’t have much of a following until he released the indie single “Vic Flair”. With a lot of support from NYC’s Hot 97, he started to become an underground favorite.

While this release on Duck Down Records won’t do much to elevate him above the underground, there’s something about his knockabout style that suggests he might just like to tussle for the scraps he has. Ruste Juxx is nothing if not relentless and it shows in his determined rhyming style. He takes risks, but sometimes tumbles headfirst into clichés and bland jousting. It’s a shame, as his flow sparkles with potential.

The Black Milk-produced “Wipe Off Ya Smile” kicks things off well with some help from Blaze. The head-bopping beat is solid and Ruste Juxx shows his stuff with his purposeful, cadenced flow. And “Grave Digga” is a standout cut, with Juxx spitting “that venom” through the most lyrically-strong track on the album.

Ruste Juxx is at his best when he’s digging up the grime and grit from the streets. When he meanders, however, he loses most of his force. “Get Up” sounds lame with kid MC LiL Vic filling things out with his six-year-old sounding voice. And the ode to marijuana, “Machine Gun Skunk,” feels odd and out of place with Jahdan half-assing some reggae vocals. “Pimpin Ya Wife” is the requisite womanizer effort that never really gets off the ground.

Then there’s “Let Me In”, which is a bewildering track to say the least. At times it feels like a Nelly-influenced radio track, but there’s something absorbing about Juxx’s attempt here and for some reason the cut doesn’t fall flat. It’s a good crossover effort that works despite feeling out of place on an underground rap record.

And “Love Is Worth Waiting For” should fail in every way, but somehow Juxx makes the lyrics work and spins a sweet tale that is both relevant and enduring.

Featuring production from PF Cuttin, Masse Salazar, Dan The Man, M-Nasty, and Blastah Beatz, Indestructible is a solid enough debut solo record from Ruste Juxx. With plenty of potential and a lot to offer the hip-hop game, Ruste Juxx’s Indestructible may not find the artist living up to the titular claim, but it is firm enough for his first at-bat.