The women-in-rap pie continues to thicken, and Renni Rucci is another star to take a confident bite. The influx of femcees has debunked the age-old myth that only one woman can dominate at a time. Renni Rucci has been shaking up the Hip Hop landscape since 2017. She has continued to evolve overtime, thanks to her hard-shelled attitude and unapologetic lyrics. She has also recently gained significant traction, after being announced as one of the returning stars on Love & Hip-Hop Atlanta.
Meet Renni Rucci
Renni Rucci was born Courtney Rene on October 2, 1991, in Hopkins, South Carolina. In her interview with XXL, she stated that growing up, she had a knack for music outside of rap. As she got older, artists like Eve became an early influence on her, thanks to her mother. “She was really the first female rapper I really paid attention to,” she said. “Eve was talking really rough. I'm not saying nobody before her did that; I'm just saying that was really the first time I paid attention to it.” As she evolved musically, Lil Wayne, Lil Kim, and André 3000 piqued her interest.
Renni Rucci is also a mother, a full-time job she continues to take pride in. A featured rapper on HotNewHipHop’s Rise & Grind series, she insisted that “being a good mom” is her biggest accomplishment. “I don’t think [having a career as a rapper] is any different from a mom that works a nine-to-five or anything. Maybe, just being away a little bit more,” she said. “We all have to do whatever we need to get done and take care of ‘em. I just chose to do something that requires a little bit more of my time.”
Finding Her Spotlight
Renni Rucci started achieving minor buzz thanks to her freestyling on other artists’ records. These included: Cardi B’s “Bodak Yellow,” and Moneybagg Yo's "Trending," which reached the attention of QC's executive Pierre Thomas. In January 2018, she dropped her most notable freestyle on Lil Baby's track, “Freestyle,” which made her a viral sensation. For many of her fans, it was this freestyle that first got Rucci on their playlists. By April, she inked a deal with Quality Control subsidiary, Wolf Pack Global Music. Five years later, the original freestyle video has amassed over 10 million views on YouTube.
By 2019, Renni Rucci released her first major project, Big Renni Mixtape. The mixtape was a smash hit for her, garnering both critical acclaim and moderate commercial success. On songs like "F**k Em Up Sis," "Elevators," and "Act Funny," you get her bold boss vibes and her nonconformity. Renni released her sophomore project, QuickTape in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic. She also has a couple of feature credits, but her most notable feature is one with Kevin Gates. The song, “Hands On Yah Knees” went viral, and sparked conversations amongst fans who speculated that the two were in a relationship at the time.
Regardless of her rise to fame, Renni Rucci isn't just about freestyling. In fact, she’s been actively weaving her life into her music, pouring her experiences and emotions into every track. She's got a knack for spitting facts that hit you where it counts, covering themes like money and love. She unapologetically embraces her identity and sexuality.
Read More: “Love & Hip Hop: ATL” Season 10 Drops 5-Min Trailer With Renni Rucci, Yung Baby Tate, Guapdad 4000
Beyond Music
Renni Rucci made her grand entrance on television appearing on the tenth season of the reality TV show, Love & Hip-Hop: Atlanta. For the star, it's not all glitz and glamor. She opens up and gets vulnerable, revealing her struggles, demons, and her battles with mental health - a courageous decision taken to shine a light on important issues that people often ignore.
The South Carolina native has released two songs in 2023 so far, and her talent is not in question. She may prioritize her family, but she has displayed a readiness to put her foot on the gas and keep dropping bangers.
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