RVMIRXZ (Interview)

Last month Indie Buzz introduced you to RVMIRXZ (pronounced Ramirez), an up and coming emcee out of San Francisco. In less than two years, the 20-year-old spitter has released five mixtapes and persues photography in addition to music. I had a chance to speak to RVMIRXZ about repping the Bay Area with southern influences, being a Latino hip-hop artist, anime, and more.

DF: Who do you think influenced your style?

R: Well I got a lot of southern influences. UGK, Outkast, DJ Screw, KeKe. Then people from my side in the 90s like Andre Nickatina. A lot of old school rappers influenced my shit.

DF: You’re about 20. People are coming up on a lot of southern rap no matter where they’re from. Why do you think that is?

R: For the most part it’s because of what’s popping off with ASAP and Raider Klan. It’s mostly of a trend. It really takes off from the people who grew up with that music.

DF: Recently in hip-hop there’s been this whole cloud rap movement. How do you feel about it and do you identify with it?

R: I don’t think it really holds with it. With Cloud rap is more ambient. There are a lot of synths and echoes in the back and it’s more ambient. And with southern rap there’s more 808s because it’s more banging. Do I identify with cloud rap? Some of it, not all of it, like I said I do have the diversity so I can’t put my music in one single category

DF: Who do you consider your peer artists?

R: I think artists that stand with me in the same genre. It has to be Def Max, $uicide Boy$ for some of it. Mr. Cisco, Flash Giordani.

DF: (interrupting) you know we’ve interviewed him before right? Out of Baltimore?

R: Oh yeah that’s the homie! Another person that I stand with in the same genre has to be Baker Phonk.

DF: You’re part of a click called demi gods. Who else is involved in that?

R: Well we changed the name because we were going through some legal shit.

DF (laughs): You probably were! Because there’s another squad called Demi-Gods wasn’t there?

R: They actually fucked with Army of The Pharaohs.

DF: Yeah with Jedi Mind Tricks. But you didn’t think word would get back?

R: Yeah exactly I didn’t think it would spread enough to the point that they would come knocking on my messages. Our new name is Glory of Destruction of Society. There are actually 20 people in it! I really can’t name all of them

DF: So that’s the squad?

R: Yeah those are the people I ride with.

DF: Do you guys consider yourself a collective

R: We are. This year we’re more focused on putting out shit in the circle.

DF: How do you feel about getting this big, getting more attention, and developing a following?

R: It’s cool. I fuck with all my people and everyone who supports my music. It’s a blessing to get this many plays and this many views. But as far as attention, I’m not much of an attention seeker. But it’s a blessing so I can’t ask for more.

DF: Do you feel like anime and hip-hop have a relationship with one another?

R: They don’t. It’s started to after Afro Samurai. And I know Wu-Tang Clan fucked with anime. But I don’t feel like Anime has a relationship but Japan is more into electronica. But they do hip-hop too.

DF: I mean you said Wu-Tang did it [through] Kung-Fu movies, and Robb Bank$ with what he talks about. You’re a fan right.

R: Oh yeah! I’ve fucked with it since I was a kid.

D: How do you feel like being one of only a few Latino American rappers in the game?

R: It’s a lot on my shoulders but I’m happy with it. Because my people can do a lot of stuff. We’re not limited. My vision was to actually put a lot of Latino people on to show we can do it as far as making it in the music industry. It’s not hard. You gotta throw that creativity out.

D: There’s other guys like Kap-G, Aston Matthews, and Bodega Bamz, do you identify with them at all?

R: I’m not really too familiar with their music except Aston Matthews. A lot of people compare me with him. At the end of the day we’re both Latin and both artists.

D: Have you ever talked to him before?

R: I have not. But I do follow him on Instagram.

D: Does being from The Bay influence you?

R: Actually being from the bay influenced me a lot. I grew up in the hyphy era. 2004 Tell me when to go. Mac Dre influenced me a lot. The bay area showed me how to not give a fuck. Go balls to the walls with creativity and shit like that. Not worry about

DF: Since 2004, the bay hasn’t been so active since then. What do you think it’s going to take to get back on the map?

R: The whole thing about the bay is it’s known for one style of music. It’s not showing its qualities like it used to. No disrespect for Iamsu. He’s a great man; I went to school with him. The bay area’s getting looked at for nothing but club music and ass clapping music

DF: I agree for the bay Iamsu is at the forefront of that. When you wanna take it back to what we call backpack hip hop, Iamsu is known for taking it back. But he is kind of more known for popping bottles.

R: Definitely. I’m not gonna knock his diversity. He has a lot of traits. But I mean showcases his club music, and not really his experimental rap. He’s getting looked at as a club music rapper because he’s putting out so much club music.

DF: Who do you wanna work with?

I would wanna work with PARTYNEXTDOOR, ASAP Rocky, DJ Smokey, I’d work with Outkast. Ken Rebel’s pretty raw!

R: Who is your all-time favorite rapper/producer?

Andre Nickatina.

DF: Yes! I remember when I was 16 I could rap every word to Killa Whale.

R: That’s my shit. Situation Critical, The Raven, that whole fuckin album! Tears of a Clown was bangin’!

DF: How about for producers

R: Man that’s a really hard question. I’ve worked with 3 producers. Genshin, Grey Ski Mask I actually just dropped a tape with him. And verse jones.

DF: What should people know about you?

R: Well I’m from San Francisco California, I do photography as well. I’m really not into music for the fame. I’m really just trying to put people on. If there’s any way to transfer their views to my views, I’m down. I’m genuine as fuck and I will [always] fuckin love horror movies and anime.

DF: About your photography, are you in school for that now?

R: I’m actually not. I’m actually self-taught. It’s actually a good hobby. It’s taken a toll over me; I’ve taken a lot more pictures then made music, so it’s been pretty hectic balancing both.

Download all projects from RVMIRXZ here: http://rvmirxz.bandcamp.com/