Rubi Rose aims to be unforgettable. With a striking voice that pushed her first hit, "Big Mouth," to over 15 million Spotify streams after its release two years ago, she's well on her way. Her sonorous timbre combined with sexually liberated lyrics, plus her prior popularity as a social media influencer and video vixen have brought more fanfare, too. Like many new-gen artists, being multifaceted in different areas is more common than not, but don't judge this book by its cover. She's looking for longevity in hip-hop. The Lexington, Ky. native can rap with a distinct flair, earning her a deal with Hitco Entertainment in 2019. Now, she's a 2021 XXL Freshman with goals of leaving a lasting legacy, all of which she shares in her version of XXL's ABCs.
Right from the start, Rubi brings it all back to humble beginnings. "Atlanta for A," says the 23-year-old rapper, who comes from a Mormon family. "I moved out here to do high school and college and I started my music career here, so." She's got her first mixtape, For the Streets, and collaborations with the likes of Future and PartyNextDoor on "Whole Lotta Liquor," among others, to show for it.
C.R.E.A.M. is her motto when it comes to C, ginormous for all things extravagant and over the top with G, and bubble gum ice cream is one of her favorite treats as the letter I pops up.
Love is the first word that comes to Rubi's mind for L. "I love love," she admits. "I'm a Libra. I love seeing people in relationships. I want myself in a relationship." Rubi, who was born to an East African mother and multiracial father—he was adopted and believed to be Japanese and White—certainly spreads the love throughout her ABCs to a variety of different women in her life. Karjah, her stylist, for K; Scarlette, her sister, for S and Zighereda, her grandmother, for Z. The rising artist also throws in her own name, which doubles as her government name and rap moniker, for R.
She's focused on "takin' over" as an XXL Freshman for T and has a fearless spirit in her goal to be an unforgettable name for U: "You will never forget my music, this face and my legacy that I'm going to be leaving."
With X, Rubi names one of the foremost leaders of the civil rights movement. "X is for Malcom X," she expresses. "Power to the people."
Get to know Rubi Rose as she reveals much of her personality in XXL's ABCs below.