New York based artist Ro Ransom has been in the underground scene for years, and coming off the major success of his most recent project Momentum, Ransom already has shown his ability to make incredibly thrilling, atmospheric tracks. With features from acts like Jazz Cartier, and becoming an opener for Dua Lipa‘s tour, Ransom has showcased his knowledge of the scene and his ability to connect with artists outside of the traditional expectations for a hip hop artist. Starting as a kid, Ransom’s steady stream of music has propelled him to the forefront of the underground, as he prepares to burst out onto the forefront of hip hop. His dramatic and visually thrilling video for “Wraith” was dropped just weeks ago, yet has garnered thousands of views. Underground Underdogs sat down with Ro Ransom to discuss how his past led him to become the artist that he is, and what listeners can expect from him in the future.
Photo by Orlando Gil
Underground Underdogs: Hey man, how are you doing?
Ro Ransom: I’m good, I’m good, can’t complain at all. How are you?
I’m good too man, starting off could you give a basic introduction of yourself?
My name is Ro Ransom, AKA the Mystery Boy, AKA most bitches in the rap game, yeah I’m from Harlem.
How did the name Mystery Boy come about?
You know, I didn’t even give myself that name really, people just call me mysterious because I keep to myself a lot. I’m not the guy whos letting everybody know what he’s doing at all times, and you never really know what I’m gonna do next musically. People gave me that name, I didn’t give it to myself.
We noted that you have projects dating as far back as 2014, when did you start rapping, and when did you decide that this was what you wanted to do?
Oh further than that, I got projects dating further back, the first Ro Ransom mixtape was 2012. I’ve been doing this. I’ve been rapping since I was 10 years old. I always knew it was what I wanted to do, and it was just a matter of getting better, evolving, learning, changing my sound, being inspired by different things, and that’s how we got here.
Who would you say are your biggest musical inspirations and influences?
Justin Timberlake, number one for sure. Aaliyah, Missy Elliot, Lil Wayne, Jeff Hardy for sure. I’d say those are my influences.
How did you successfully combine hip hop with the more singing vocal based genres?
Well, I’m a rapper by trade, that’s what I do but I just had an eclectic palette of what I was grown up to, what I was brought up to, and what interested me. Nelly Furtado interested me equally as much as Eminem. You know, I grew up in the hood so hip hop was inescapable, and what you’re seeing now is just me putting my own take on it, putting my own twist on it with my influences.
How would you describe your current style?
I would describe it as dark, moody, sexy, electric, vicious, all of those things. I want my music to sound like what sex feels like.
Speaking of your music, could you want to talk about your new song “Wraith”?
So basically, “Wraith” is a lot of things, It’s a song about ambition. I was in a dark place in my life, I was on drugs, and I was in a lot pain and it took was for me to spend the day listening to Destiny’s Child and remember who I was, remembering what my ambitions were and where I wanna go. The next thing I knew I had “Wraith.” It’s a song saying fuck whatever I just went through, lets see what follows next.
What is your creative process, such as specific production choices?
First of all, I just look for some shit thats hard. I’m looking for notes and music that inspire me, and as soon as I hear that I immediately start pulling emotions and sometimes it’s a very instant process for me, like “Wraith.” I probably wrote that whole melody in 30, 15 minutes. It was already in my heart what I wanted to say, it was just a matter of sketching it out. As soon as I hear something that I like, I usually freestyle whatever my raw, most immediate thoughts are, and then I’ll just take it home to figure out later and put the words to it.
As you move through your career you have collaborated with many of the same artists such as Kensei Abbot, how does that occur and why him?
I grew up with him, we were very close. On top of that, he is one of my favorite rappers period. I think he’s one of the hardest period, whether I knew him or I didn’t. I really only collaborate with people that I really fuck with, like Jazz Cartier, who’s on my last record. I can’t really do songs with people that I don’t like, so it really takes for me to be a superfan of you and for us to get along. That’s really how my collaborations come together.
Photo by Orlando Gil
What does the album Momentum represent in your career and overall discography to you?
Essentially it was the first time that I was very much trying to write the best songs that I could possibly write. It was really just about connecting with the listener on a level of ear candy, just making something that you wanna listen to over and over again. That’s how songs like “Doppelganger” came out, songs like “Prettiest,” songs like “See Me Fall,” I just really wanted to tap into my sexy side, my story telling side, and just put together songs that were emotional and would make you want to listen over and over.
How did you end up opening for Dua Lipa on her tour?
We were with the same booking agency. She was putting a tour together and was shown some options, and she chose me. Legendary, there is only one Dua Lipa, she’s an icon. I was super blessed to go on tour with her, thats the homie, she’s an amazing person, one of the hardest working artists I’ve ever met and it was one of the greatest moments in my life.
What do you have planned for the future?
“Wraith” is off my new project that I have coming out. It’s an EP. I’m finalizing it now, working on the last mixes, trying to get it sound crispy. Its part of a much larger story that I’m going to tell over the course of a couple projects. So for sure stay tuned for that, I’m on my ‘from the streets’ shit, I’m just getting started.
Are there any collaborations you can tell us about?
As of right now the only person I’ve been working with is Kensei. I don’t really fuck with many people like that. There’s not many people that I like enough to put on my songs, but I’m sure that you’ll see me popping out back work with some of my other friends so stay tuned for that.
Lastly, is there anything else that you want readers to know about you?
I want them to know that all the rappers that they like are lying about who they really are, so instead of listening to the same old shit they need to come fuck with the real. Me and Kensei, 2018, 2019, forever. Real shit.
Ro Ransom just released visuals for “Floetry” ft. Kensei Abbot today. Watch it here: