It was just the other day that I was discussing the current state of the hip-hop scene with one of my friends. Some of the usual statements were made of course, like ‘ it feels over-saturated with boring beats’ ‘so many artists come off as trying to manufacture fame through bullshit videos of rented cars and excess hype’ but the thing that troubled us the most was the sheer amount of hip-hop artists simply not saying anything real at all (Yes, I am going to fire a serious shot at all those mumble rappers saying nothing at all)…and then enters Detroit’s own ruffiØ to the conversation, and we shifted the outlook from who is failing the evolution of the scene, to artists like ruffiØ that are truly blazing a new path within the current scene.
What ruffiØ does best is being unapologetically real. No flashy cars, no fake mansions, no punches held back. This is a rare artist, much like the legendary Tom Macdonald and NF, that is not afraid to dig deep and bring forth those inner demons to light for all of us to see. One might think this is an easy trick to pull off, but in a world obsessed with creating a perfect self-image, things like bipolar disorder, depression, and anxiety are quite often suppressed in favor of a fake smile, which is quite often far more sellable to the media, and far more often accepted by the masses. Should I be talking about ruffiØ’s new album by this point in the article? Maybe, but I also don’t like following the rules because they are supposed to fit a certain way and to properly show appreciation for what ruffiØ has brought to the table with his debut album ‘Speramus Meliora (We hope for better things)’ which officially drops August 15th, 2020, I am going to write this review however I want to, because he says things the way that he wants to.
Opening with a Wu-Tang style beat on ‘CØRPSE’, it feels one part hip-hop and another part metal. The screams layered in the back sound tormented, and the lyrics cut like a knife. As far as opening tracks go, this one leaves no room for misunderstanding the pain that this artist lives with, but also just as clear is ruffiØ’s dominant desire to overcome it all. If you enjoy this song, then I am sure you will enjoy the rest of the album.
Moving further into the album we come across what is ruffiØ’s most popular track so far ‘Mayday.’ This is a song that truly embraces the changes that MGK went through in isolation. It feels as much punk as it does hip-hop and it is absolutely catchy-as fuck. Warning on watching the music video though, it is not for the squeamish, it is aggressively raw. You have been warned.
WATCH THE MUSIC VIDEO FOR ‘MAYDAY’ HERE
About six songs in, and I genuinely feel emotional for this artist, he really sounds like he deserves a break or two, and his middle finger to the sky attitude is strangely inspirational; perhaps I also have a few middle fingers to offer still? Nah, I’m kidding, it’s not even a question, without a doubt I still do.
I could talk in detail about every track on this great album and why you should take a listen, but you don’t need me in your head with my opinions about it all. That being said, the song ‘Falling’ is so fucking good. It has this industrial feel, this pop/metal chorus, LP style vocals, and a real sense of fragility to the entire piece. In essence, it is a perfect example of what the album is at its core, it is controlled chaos that fuels itself from both dark emotions and the light to be found in the hopeful ones.
It is hard to simply tell fans of hip-hop to take a listen because I feel that there is a lot here that can cross multiple genres. What ruffiØ has created with Speramus Meliora is a great new entry into the scene and I really hope that you take the time to listen, no matter what style of music you enjoy, and who knows? You may find something here that you really connect with. This album is a great juxtaposition of sound and emotions, and one of the best new hip-hop albums of 2020 in my opinion.
As of this article, ruffiØ has just released his latest music video for ‘Paralysis’.