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music
Rubi Rose On Signing To HitCo, “Big Mouth,” DMs & More!

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Photographed by DeAngelo Lowrance. ![Photographed by DeAngelo Lowrance.](https://assets-global.website-files.com/62ee0bbe0c783a903ecc0ddb/6472bb897f65aff26cad1ac3_0-39.jpeg) Photographed by [DeAngelo Lowrance](https://www.instagram.com/deangelophotos/?hl=en). [Rubi Rose](https://www.instagram.com/therubirose/?hl=en)’s “[Big Mouth”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DgDlmPaDxLA) might be the bad bitch anthem of the year. She spits, “Bad bitches, bitches be like ’where the fuck your waistline?’ / Body like a pornstar, he fuck me like he fresh out.” Boasting 804K followers on Instagram and counting, the 22-year-old is declaring her place in the female rap game, period. Hailing from Kentucky originally but moving to Atlanta with her mom and sisters her junior year of high school, Rubi is greatly influenced by the A. Not only is she a baddie, but her love for music, her unwavering confidence, charismatic personality, and ability to create bangers speak for itself. Fast forward to 2019, she’s landed in the arms of L.A Reid and his new HitCo imprint.  You may also recognize her as one of the main girls in [Migos’ “Bad and Boujee” music video](http://youtube.com/watch?v=S-sJp1FfG7Q), but Rubi is far more than just a video vixen — she’s a badass MC and overall entertainer. Born to Eritrean parents and even having lived in Geneva, Switzerland, Rubi is currently wrapping up her senior year at Georgia State balancing school, a social life, and a bubbling rap career. Most recently, she unleashed an explosive banger titled ["Hit Yo Dance"](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8TpcpAOpKbg) featuring labelmate Yella Beezy and NLE Choppa, which has been taking over radio airwaves all over the country. The song’s official music video hailed over 1.5 million views on YouTube alone within just weeks of its release. Rubi’s here to twerk and turn up with her fans, and she does it so eloquently.  In the end, she just hopes to “empower girls to be themselves, be natural, and stick to what they want to do.“ Now, audiences can expect a forthcoming single with DaniLeigh called “Worst Day,” which is fire already by default. Flaunt Mag caught up with the bilingual recording artist to discuss her signing to HitCo, the making of “Hit Yo Dance” and “Big Mouth,” current goals, and more! **What are you studying in school?** Political Science. Honestly, I was going to go to law school but Georgia State doesn’t have pre-law so Political Science was the major to go into to prepare for law school. I’m a senior, I’m about to be done!  **How are you balancing both this and a rap career?** It’s a lot, but I schedule my classes on Mondays and Wednesdays only. I work everything around that and I just stay on it. I have an assistant... I have help. My mom’s African as hell, so I have to finish. \[chuckles\] **Speaking of, talk about being a daughter to Eritrean parents.**  She’s just very strict. Loving but like all foreigners — not even African. You know how they are. But it’s good, it built us to be great strong women. I’m super independent. My mom taught me a lot of things as a woman, I appreciate her.  **What did she think of the music?** Before, she didn’t really like it. She wasn’t fucking with it, of course she wanted me to focus on school. But after I signed with HitCo, she understands what’s going on. She always calls me when she hears me on the radio.  **Which song, “Hit Yo Dance” or “Big Mouth”?** “Hit Yo Dance.” “Big Mouth” is on the radio too still, but “Hit Yo Dance” is the one in rotation. **How are your sisters liking this?** I have two sisters, an older and a younger. They like it. My little sister loves it because she’s young and people at her high school know me. My older sister’s indifferent, she’s in law school and lives in a completely different world.  **Being from the A, how does that play into your life and career?** In every way possible. Every feature, producer, artist... Atlanta’s just the vibe. It has everything! It’s so different than LA. **Who are some Atlanta legends that you look up to?** Mine are probably more recent. I love Young Thug, Future, Gunna, Ludacris, Andre 3000. I like them. **At what point did you realize this music thing was for real?** After I dropped “Big Mouth” and the reaction I got. How do I put this… \[pause\] I lacked confidence in my music. In general being a girl, I was insecure with it. Especially because any cute girl trying to do music, n\*ggas automatically talk shit about so I was super insecure. But after I got such a positive feedback — A&R’s and music execs being interested in me, that made me take it seriously.  **“Big Mouth” is a bad bitch anthem and you’re so sweet. How do you turn it on in the studio?**  Like you said, you have to turn it on! You know how Beyonce has Sasha Fierce? You just have to tune into being that bad bitch, confident girl that other girls are going to want to try to be like. **What was that studio session like?** Girl, it was _many_ studio sessions. I’m new at doing music so it takes me a while to record a song. I say I’m a perfectionist, but it’s never perfect.  **That’s dope, you normally hear the opposite where people make songs in less than 10 minutes.**  I know, I don’t understand how people do that! Literally don’t understand. It took 4 or 5 sessions. Then one day, they were like “it has to be this one, just put it ou!” I hated it, but everyone loved it.  **Who is they?** At the time… I don’t even know who they was. I don’t even want to give him the word ‘manager’, it was this young n\*gga from my school. He was just guiding me and trying to get me to put music out — but fuck that n\*gga, I did this shit my damn self.  **Did you think “Big Mouth” would be what it was?** Honestly, fuck no. I’m just so surprised and thankful. I was so scared. Even now, I still get scared to put up snippets of my music because it hurts my feelings if people don’t like it. Like what are you passionate about? **Music, interviewing artists and getting to know them.** Do you feel some type of way when people say they don’t like what you do?  **1,000.** Yeah so it makes you nervous and makes me not want to put out stuff. But you just have to push past it.  **I would’ve never guessed that from “Big Mouth.”** I would hope so, I don’t want people to think I’m insecure. **Best memory from the video shoot?**  We had to shoot it twice, but the second time my favorite thing was being in the car with my homegirls. We had this fire red Chevrolet (I think it was a Chevy). My homegirls were in the back dancing. We were vibing, it was fun. **How many guys got at you after “Big Mouth?” How are your DMs looking?** Girllllllll, super thick. All blue checks. But fuck those n\*ggas, focused on me. They wasn’t into me when I was regular, so fuck ‘em honestly. They definitely are groupies now. **Is Rubi dating?** Rubi is not. She’s too focused.  [**Hitmaka told me**](https://www.revolt.tv/2019/11/13/20963327/hitmaka-music-interview) **ya’ll were in the studio for “Hit Yo Dance” and Yella brought up the idea of repeating that line “bitch hit yo dance.”**  I was there that day. It was literally right after I got signed, we stayed out here and there was a session with Hitmaka and Beezy. Beezy did the hook, then I took it home back to Atlanta and wrote a verse for it. Because Beezy was just repeating it, but it was hard! He made that song hard, then Choppa came along and got on it. Killed it. **Did you know Choppa beforehand?** No, we didn’t know each other. But after doing the song and music video, we’re cool as fuck. He’s cool as fuck.  ![](https://scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com/v/t51.2885-15/sh0.08/e35/s640x640/70134824_530576224421622_135265704043853455_n.jpg?_nc_ht=scontent-iad3-1.cdninstagram.com&_nc_cat=106&oh=2cd7cc8eb9ef6dd4c755ae94f8d4659d&oe=5DEACB8B) I'm dropping a song tomorrow ...HIT YO DANCE 💃 Ft @choppppppa & @yellabeezy214 ... s/o @hitmaka & @ogxparker 😜 **That IG video where Choppa had his girl dancing on him was hilarious.** Want to know something? I was the one who told him to go get her because listen, he was very stiff and awkward with me. I got up and danced too, he’s like “I don’t want to get in trouble.” I’m like “if I can’t dance, I need some bitch to dance! Go get your girlfriend.” Then he went and got her.  **What was your reaction to hearing “Hit Yo Dance” on the radio?** Girl, it’s still so crazy to me. I’ll get out of school, turn on the fucking radio and it’s me! It’s so weird. I’m thankful, but it’s so crazy.  **People at school, do they know?** Yeah, to an extent. Because all of my classes are senior level so it’s older people, they don’t really give a fuck. But young freshman if they see me on campus, they always take pictures. It makes me feel good except I be looking crazy at school. It’s cool, it’s a great feeling. **I mean, both songs went viral on Triller!** It’s a great feeling. I love seeing people dance to my voice, especially girls. I love that. **Talk about your recording process. Do you write things down?** Yeah, I don’t freestyle. I’m more of a write it down kind of person. Deadass even how we’re talking now, I don’t know what’s wrong with my brain but sometimes I forget and so I have to write everything down. It’s really weird. Maybe it’s the weed... I don’t know!  **3 things you need in the studio?** Marijuanas. Simply Lemonade, regular or raspberry. It has to be Simply, I do not drink Minute Maid. A third thing… mmm, good energy. There has to be people I like in the studio or else I can’t record.  **Do you have any go-to producers?**  OG Parker, this white boy named Benjamin Lasnier. He lives in Germany, he’s hard as fuck. Those are my two main go-to’s, and Hitmaka of course! Obviously. ![](https://assets-global.website-files.com/62ee0bbe0c783a903ecc0ddb/6472bb897f65aff26cad1ac0_image-asset.jpeg) **Do you and OG tap in in Atlanta?** For sure and I’m friends with his girlfriend, she goes to Georgia State. Atlanta is so small, everybody knows everybody low key. **How important is social media for your career?** Super. Unfortunately without it... social media controls everything. A lot of people wouldn’t have been able to see me or hear me without it, so I’m super grateful for Instagram. **Who’s your favorite person to follow?** Billie EIlish. I love her, she’s amazing. She’s a good girl, she’s talented. She’s interesting and just her own person, and I love that. **Why did you decide to sign to HitCo?** It was for a lot of reasons. One, L.A. Reid. He didn’t find me, it was somebody else who brought me to Chris Turner who’s an A&R here (who brought me to him). Pretty much, L.A. Reid. My friend explained it to me: all the labels and A&Rs were reaching out to me, but all of them are big labels that already have established artists. HitCo is new and fresh, so there’s room to grow here.  **How many labels were calling your line?** Literally, I swear to God. Somebody from every label was hitting me up. And then the money. \[laughs\] But no, fuck the money! It’s the people and what we do. This is my best friend \[points to Lynn who works at HitCo\]. I call her every day. It’s a thing that we talk every day. It’s real relationships, you can’t get that elsewhere. Relationships are big. **What’s your vibe with Yella Breezy?** He’s cool as hell. He’s super chill, he’s funny as fuck and country. He’s from Texas. His sound is so different, I really fuck with it. Something else I fuck with him too because not a lot of n\*ggas do this, he had me come to a session and there was a producer playing beats for him. He kept thinking of ideas to give to me and wanting to help me! I fuck with him for believing in me.  **Talk about the new single coming out with DaniLeigh!** Honestly, I never actually linked with her in the studio. But I fuck with her! Hitmaka gave me that, the shit is so hard. Annnd Hype Williams wants to direct our video. It’s called “Worst Day,” it’s about to be crazy. **What’s your secret to staying snatched? Do you work out?** I’ve literally gone 4 times in the last month. I haven’t been in years but I started back recently and I swear to God, I noticed a difference in my butt. \[chuckles\] My butt looks bigger so I’m definitely going to continue. **Who are you bumping at the gym?** Definitely DaBaby, definitely Ole Stallion, and a little Missy Elliott. **You and DaBaby would make a banger!** Aw, I thought you were gonna say we’d make a cute couple. \[chuckles\] Shiiiit. **What are some goals for yourself at this point in your career?** I want to chart. I want something to go Gold or Platinum. I want to win awards, I want to start doing sold out shows. I have a lot of goals! Get endorsement deals, everything. There’s so much.