I Get Cash
There’s no denying Rubi Rose has attractiveness, however she’s targeted on bringing consideration again to her rhymes with new music and a forthcoming undertaking. She’s additionally securing the bag in additional methods than one.
Interview: Kyle Eustice
Editor’s Word: This story seems within the Summer season 2024 subject of XXL Journal, on stands now.
Rubi Rose yelling “Objection!” in courtroom isn’t too far-fetched contemplating the 26-year-old rapper was on observe to be a lawyer. Learning political science at Georgia State College in
2015 wasn’t sufficient to maintain her completely happy, although. She was quickly impressed to make use of her present of gab to pursue a rap profession as a substitute. The Lexington, Ky. native’s Mormon dad and mom struggled initially to simply accept their daughter’s choice, however she efficiently carved her personal path to rap fame.
After starring as a video vixen in Migos’ 2016 video “Dangerous & Boujee,” Rubi discovered solo success together with her 2019 single “Massive Mouth,” which has been streamed greater than 23 million occasions on Spotify.
The identical yr, she signed a cope with L.A. Reid’s Hitco Leisure and later appeared in Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s video for “WAP” in 2020. A yr later, Rubi launched her first undertaking, For The Streets. Since then, Rose dropped some loosies, was named a 2021 XXL Freshman, and inked a cope with Interscope Data through Mogul Imaginative and prescient in 2023.
Regardless of her achievements, Rubi Rose admits she’s not as far alongside as she might be—at the very least relating to her music. She’s made copious quantities of money as a social media influencer and OnlyFans mannequin, however the rhymer is assured that it’s about to vary. Intent on turning her focus again to rapping, she’s harnessing her resonant, unconventional voice to propel her to the subsequent stage.
One among Rubi’s latest singles and accompanying movies, “Need to Die,” does simply that. She places her sexual prowess on show and makes a definitive assertion about males who cheat on their companions, one thing she skilled first-hand. Whereas she’s at the moment within the studio engaged on a brand new undertaking, she’s additionally plotting the launch of her personal push-up bra.
Talking to XXL after a wild June evening out in Miami, Rubi speaks on a wide range of subjects, together with her music, the viral relationship with comic Druski and the controversial spaghetti with ketchup meal she made for him, the challenges she faces within the trade, and what she actually thinks about her OnlyFans and fame.
XXL: How are you feeling about your music profession proper now? Do you want the place it’s headed?
Rubi Rose: Sure, I like the place it’s going and extra so headed. I’ve been actually inconsistent with my music, however I simply acquired some new inspiration in my life, so I’m taking it severe.
What’s behind the inspiration?
I don’t know. In all probability my age.
You’re 26?
Yeah, I’m 26—simply getting extra mature and pushing 30. I’m not making an attempt to be rapping after I’m old-type sh*t.
Do you’re feeling like you have got extra to show? Do you’re feeling like you should enhance on something?
There’s positively lots to work on. The most important factor is simply being extra constant. I don’t actually essentially really feel like I’ve extra to show. I wish to put out good music and be constant to myself.
Your new track “Need to Die” has a really sturdy message that males who cheat need to die. Is it primarily based on a real story or did you form of pull from what your mother and pa went by when you had been rising up?
Yeah, however extra so like, I’ve been cheated on, and my mates have been cheated on, and it’s only a frequent factor. However that sh*t is simply so traumatizing, so I simply considered it sooner or later. I used to be like, Yeah, I believe they need to die.
You tweeted about it first, after which it went viral. Why do you assume you bought such a powerful response?
It’s a subject that everyone can relate to, like, all people be going by it and, you realize, it invokes emotion, and lots of people have sh*t to speak about it. Yeah, for certain.
You talked about in an interview that your dad cheated in your mother. Was it exhausting to forgive him?
Probably not, as a result of I used to be youthful and it wasn’t completed to me, so it was simpler to forgive. I used to be younger, so I didn’t even know what was occurring totally, however yeah.
Are they nonetheless married?
No, they don’t seem to be married.
Are you at the moment working in your debut album?
Not an album, however positively a undertaking.
Have you learnt what will probably be known as or whenever you plan on releasing it?
No. Do you have got any concepts of what I ought to name it?
Possibly one thing about deserving to die.
It’s a little scary, however highly effective.
Positively. Do you have got like a sure idea or a imaginative and prescient for this undertaking?
In truth, no.
You’re nonetheless figuring it out?
Taking it day-to-day.
Is there one track you have got within the stash that you just haven’t launched but that you just really feel all people wants to listen to, however you’re saving for the correct time?
For certain. It’s a track known as “Parlay.” It’s simply me speaking my sh*t. It was only a track I made after profitable $1 million off the Tremendous Bowl, off one in every of my parlays that hit.
What do you do with that form of cash?
You purchase a home.
You make investments?
Precisely.
Most individuals of their 20s are in all probability throwing up in a bar someplace.
I nonetheless be doing that, too.
You’re signed to Interscope Data by Mogul Imaginative and prescient. Interscope is a legendary label that has many nice rappers signed to it, together with Dr. Dre, Kendrick Lamar and J. Cole. What are you making an attempt to do in your profession to make nice rap music to suit that pantheon?
Simply making an attempt to do my factor. It’s all I can do.
What would you say your factor is?
Simply making relatable music for women and a few boys, too, however simply making relatable music that my b**ches can relate to.
What has been probably the most difficult side of breaking into the music trade and most rewarding?
Difficult? In all probability feedback, just like the negativity. After which probably the most rewarding is assembly folks and them being so completely happy and excited, or telling you the way a lot your music helped them. That’s only a good feeling for certain.
You grew up with the web and you know the way straightforward it’s to bully folks on-line. How do you fight the negativity?
Simply flip off my cellphone and cease studying that sh*t. As a result of it actually, such as you mentioned, is simply on the web. No person says sh*t like that in actual life.
Not solely are you from Kentucky, however you additionally grew up in a Mormon family. Do you take into account your self a Mormon immediately and is there something that you just observe from that faith?
No, I’m not Mormon anymore, however I consider in God, so there’s that. I simply pray and do my finest.
What do your dad and mom consider your chosen profession path? You initially had plans to go to legislation faculty.
I dropped out throughout my senior yr of school. Georgia State.
Did you wish to be a lawyer initially?
Yeah. I used to be going for political science, however now all people got here to phrases with it as a result of I discovered success, however at first, it was positively questionable.
They had been in all probability asking, “What’s my daughter doing?”
Actually.
Did you must have some robust conversations?
Probably not, as a result of ever since I used to be younger, I simply did what I wished to do. So, regardless I used to be gonna do it.
Your movies have hundreds of thousands of views on YouTube. While you began seeing that form of success, what did that really feel like for you?
It was cool, however actually, lots of my friends have had success, so I used to be by no means gassed by it. I simply wished extra as a result of I noticed them get profitable and well-known, however to have it really occur, I don’t know.
What do you consider fame?
It’s f**king superior. I’m simply kidding. It’s cool, although. There’s professionals and cons to all the things.
What would you say are the cons?
Individuals in your enterprise, folks attempt to use you, sh*t like that. And clearly, the professionals is certainly having cash, not having to do stuff I don’t wish to do, with the ability to maintain myself and my household. And you realize, dwelling out my desires, doing exhibits, getting my make-up and hair completed.
What are among the different objectives you have got set for your self?
I wish to go No. 1, music-wise. I wish to go No. 1 and simply be constant for a very good two years and see what comes out of it.
You had been an XXL Freshman three years in the past in 2021. Do you’re feeling you need to be additional alongside in your rap profession now?
Yeah, I must be. If I used to be targeted and constant, I might have been, however you realize, sh*t in life turns into a distraction, and my priorities had been f**ked up.
What had been a few of these distractions?
Simply life issues.
You’ve gone viral with rumors about relationship web persona Druski. What did you want about relationship him that’s completely different from different rappers that you just’ve dated? [Editor’s note: Rubi Rose says she’s single since this interview was published in XXL magazine, on newsstands now.]
I don’t wish to speak about him, however he’s a very good man, and I like him to items.
You received’t even speak about your spaghetti with ketchup meal?
He advised me to place that in there. I might by no means put no ketchup in spaghetti. Typically we be trolling. We used it simply to be silly.
Do you assume you’ll need to take cooking lessons like individuals are making an attempt to say?
I’m positively not against it.
What are among the different plans you have got for the remainder of the yr that followers could be excited to know? Are there any new ventures coming, companies exterior of your music you’re engaged on?
Yeah, I’ve a push-up bra that’s about to come back out. It’s gonna change lots of ladies’s lives.
What’s it known as?
The model is known as Peyton. I haven’t considered a reputation for the precise push-up bra, however I went viral for it as a result of I naturally have dimension A—small boobs—however at any time when I wore it and took an image, all people was accusing me of getting a boob job. I used to be like three cup sizes larger and it simply lifts them up like no different, so I’m actually excited.
They defy gravity.
Actually.
You put up stacks of cash and a cash counter on Instagram. Do you assume it’s inspiring to your fan base or might it presumably alienate a few of them?
I might hope to encourage, however I actually be taking sh*t to love, I made the caption, “Yo b**ch acquired morals, I acquired hundreds of thousands.” And I put the track of Sukihana and OJ da Juiceman, and the track is, “I’m promoting coochie, I’m promoting coochie.”
But it surely was like a troll put up as a result of clearly, I don’t promote coochie. And I put a loopy caption as a result of I knew folks would have one thing to say, however I hope to encourage. It’s to not make anyone really feel unhealthy.
How necessary is it to you to get together with all the women in rap proper now, and the way do you keep away from the drama?
It’s necessary to get together with all people, rapper or not. However actually, I simply attempt to thoughts my enterprise.
How do you’re feeling about becoming a member of OnlyFans 4 years later?
I really feel prefer it was top-of-the-line selections I’ve made in my life.
What are the negatives?
In all probability similar to stigma of what folks assume, however what folks assume don’t do nothing for me. I’ve made eight figures and life is sweet, and I haven’t confirmed no p**sy.
Who’s Rubi Rose on the finish of the day?
I don’t know. It’s like saying who’s the true you. I might clarify myself for hours, however I don’t know. If you realize, you realize. In the event you don’t…
There’s a public persona, after which there’s the particular person at residence. What’s the distinction?
I’m in all probability simply extra reserved and never so on the market, much less like, popping my sh*t and fewer taking niggas’ cash and all that.
Learn Rubi’s interview within the Freshman subject, on newsstands now. Along with interviews with the 2024 Freshman Class and producer Southside, there are additionally conversations with Sexyy Purple, Mustard, Ski Masks The Stoop God, Rubi Rose, Ken Carson, Ghostface Killah, Lola Brooke and extra, plus, a glance again at what the 2023 XXL Freshman Class has been doing. Additionally, there are tales on the continuing scamming and fraud plaguing hip-hop and the way podcasters and streamers are enjoying a serious function in rap beef. The problem is on sale right here, together with some unique Freshman merch.
See the 2024 XXL Freshman Class Artists and Producer
