She makes it look as if her career was effortlessly put together, but Rubi Rose is all about her hustle. The 22-year-old rapper has been buzzing in the music scene and she's made sure that her name stays on the tips of everyone's tongue. There have been overwhelming additions to the growing list of women in rap in the new generation of artists including Saweetie, Asian Doll, Rico Nasty, Doja Cat, Bia, Armani Caesar, Chika, Mulatto, Flo Milli, Megan Thee Stallion, and many others, and Rubi Rose has shown that partnering her talents with a social media takeover can prove to be quite lucrative.
The Lexington, Kentucky native has been judged heavily by onlookers who mistake her for just a pretty face. Earlier this year, the rapper earned her bachelor's degree from Georgia State University, proving that she can balance a career while pursuing her education. Yet, there are naysayers who have taken aim at Rubi Rose, especially on social media. Often, her personal life takes center stage over her talents, but she's remained resolute in staying the course and, as Beyoncé said, letting her best revenge be her paper.
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"My real personality...I post who I am online and it’s just like the gangsta sexy girl just talking sh*t, but like, I obviously have depth to me," Rubi Rose told us. "I know what goes on social media of course is yourself, but I have depth to me too."
It was her 2019 hit "Big Mouth" that shifted the trajectory of Rose's rap career, and soon, her fans were singing along to every lyric. Rose returned with a stream of singles including "Hit Yo Dance" featuring Yella Beezy and NLE Choppa, and "Pretty MF." Within the last few months, Rubi has delivered "He in His Feelings," "Pogo" with K Camp, and "POV" alongside Wiz Khalifa. It's a far cry from her video vixen stint in Migos's "Bad and Boujee" music video years ago, and she's celebrating every moment of her success. That includes her recent appearance in Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's music video for their No. 1 single "WAP."
Rubi's fans—which consists of 2+ million followers on Instagram alone— have been pressuring the rapper for information about her forthcoming album, but she's held her cards close to the chest. When we spoke with her, she confirmed that a project was on the horizon, but didn't seem to want to give up much about what listeners can anticipate.
"You can expect to hear from me soon," she told us exclusively. When? "Hopefully before the end of the year. It’s just a matter of picking songs." There are rumors that she's been in the studio with Juicy J, so fans can't wait to hear what she may have cooked up with the Grammy and Oscar winner. Rubi's low-toned, direct, and distinctive sound sets her apart from other artists on the scene, but we wanted to know what she believes differentiates her from other women dominating the rap game in today's culture.
"I’m real and I’m raw," said Rose. "Everything about me is real. From my personality to my body. I’m a real b*tch." It's believed that it's her realness that attracts her fans, and that magnetism has become a money-making empire. In just 24 hours she amassed $100K on OnlyFans, and while critics attempted to demean her cashflow, Rubi Rose remained unconcerned with the opinions of others.
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"I think that everybody should do whatever the hell they wanna do and the people that are talking sh*t about it aren’t paying your bills," the HitCo artist said matter-of-factly. It's a sentiment that women in the industry often develop, alongside a thick skin and the ability to carefully navigate the industry, so as to not be taken advantage of. Rose admitted that "of course, there are some difficulties" with being a woman in rap, but she emphasized that everyone, no matter what their background, will run into obstacles because of who they are.
Even so, Rubi Rose did reflect on what she would tell her old self just starting out in the industry. "To just like, be myself. Have confidence," she said, adding that she would advise the Rubi of the past to increase her self-assurance and to believe in herself more. For now, she'll remain connected to the world via social media where she'll continue to share her celebratory and intimate moments with fans, including her recent posts where she showed off her newly purchased penthouse while giving a twerk-filled tour of the layout.