I’m slightly disappointed in myself because I take a good amount of pride knowing a pretty solid amount about the West Coast music scene, and somehow, I let Rucci fall through my fingers. I’ve definitely heard his name before, but I’ve never taken the time to tune in which is unfortunate because he’s definitely making waves in the scene, making a case as to why he needs to be taken more seriously. He has been through a lot in his life and instead of getting down or depressed, he uses music to have fun, pay tribute to those who have been given jail sentences or have departed this Earth too soon, and just show that he’s definitely a force to be reckoned with not only in the studio but in the streets as well.
His latest single, which is called “Check Me Out” and features fellow California talent Haiti Babii, is the first single off of his newly announced upcoming mixtape which is the first follow-up to his debut album Tako’s Son. The beat uses heavy, powerful horns or synths of some kind combined with light, elevated piano keys and absolutely thunderous drums to create a foundation that couldn’t possibly get any more West Coast. As he begins to rap, he takes his time at the beginning of each bar before speeding his words up to stick with the rhythm of the song, adding even more bounce to the already wavy track. There is a very slight aggressive quality behind his words that pairs with a more playful, spirited sound that I didn’t know would work so well together, but I was completely proven wrong.
As the beat slightly cuts out later on his verse, he takes this moment to share some braggadocios bars about his success and the moves he’s made in the industry which is understandable because he’s clearly been grinding and working hard to get to where he’s currently at. For the hook, he basically just repeats the title of the song over and over, but his ad-libs provide some incredible energy that really makes this portion of the track stand out more than ever. When Haiti Babii comes in for the second verse, he delivers even more aggressive bars than his counterpart, making his lyrics come off as if they’re threats rather than just lines in a song. The way he switches up his cadences a few times to mesh with the beat is extremely appealing, in my opinion, and after just this one verse he proves that he’s also an artist I need to keep on my radar as well.
The fun doesn’t stop there, either, considering Rucci brought his whole team out for a super entertaining music video. As it opens up, eerie sounds play as the squad that surrounds him is shown, some of them waving around knives, others playing dominos, and additional characters are decked out in chains and leather garments. The setting they call home is in the middle of a dusty salvage yard where there is almost a living room set up in the middle of this junkyard, with a couch where Rucci posts up for certain shots and gets his hair braided. He moves around in his red bulletproof vest as he dances and recites his lines while the rest of his crew vibes out along with him.
Almost halfway through, time passes in the blink of an eye and it’s dark outside. During this portion, things seem to go from a party atmosphere to a time where business gets handled considering Rucci begins to wave around a gun and gives some sort of pep talk to the group about whatever plans are about to ensue. This is also about the time where Haiti comes in to spit his verse, and he comes out of nowhere with a baseball bat wrapped in barbed wire and a chain that hangs around his neck. There are almost no effects in this visual whatsoever except for certain shots being shown in slow motion, but the setting is extremely appealing and the crew of people surrounding Rucci and Haiti are characters in and of themselves.
I can’t wait to dive further into the wild world of music that Rucci has created over the past few years because I know he’s got so much more to offer that I just simply haven’t discovered yet myself. His debut album Taki’s Son was apparently a celebration of family and the lessons he’s learned from various figures in his life, so the storyline runs much deeper than the surface without a doubt. I’m not entirely sure when this follow-up mixtape is set to release or what its title is quite yet, but I can only assume that information is going to come out of the woodwork as we begin to encroach on its release, hopefully, sooner rather than later. I loved this first single because not only is the song undoubtedly a hit, but the music video looks like it could have been an outtake from the Mad Max movies, so it was a nice change of pace from most Rap videos that have been released in recent history. It’s clear that Rucci has a story to tell and he does so in such an appealing way that you need to tune in. See for yourself on his newest single “Check Me Out” and be on the lookout for more updates regarding his upcoming mixtape.
Link: https://youtu.be/SNU6Yra4YhQ