By Benjamin Millerman
Who would’ve thought that the next big rapper would be one from Kansas? That’s exactly where you will find your next favorite “weirdo” rapper, REDRIVERS. His latest album, REDRACER, has recently gained some buzz, and for good reason. Spanning only 13 minutes, each song is a quick burst of energetic and catchy verses on impressive beats.
Though a project of this length may seem out of the ordinary, he had good reason for this choice. In our conversation about this project, REDRIVERS explained that he wanted to create something of a “sampler” for the audience to enjoy. With just seven tracks, none of which are longer than two and a half minutes, he was able to showcase his potential and his versatility in a quick and effective fashion.
This strategy worked. The album has been very well received and has garnered the most attention out of any of his projects yet, putting him on my radar as an up-and-coming artist to take seriously.
The public support was not the reaction REDRIVERS expected. The massive boom of listeners didn’t come from his usual methods of Instagram reels and posts on X (formerly Twitter). Numbers tend to fluctuate from these sites, but the real traction picked up on the site albumoftheyear.com, where REDRIVERS’ friend Jayys posted about the album. Many users have rated it positively, giving REDRIVERS compliments and feedback to work on. The community has embraced REDRIVERS and can’t wait for whatever is next.
But before we look to the future, the past must be accounted for. REDRIVERS started making music as an escape in high school. By putting more efforts into his urge to create art, REDRIVERS has gotten himself into a much better place than where he would’ve been had he left his idea as just a dream.
Since then he’s been having fun with his projects. REDRIVERS himself points to this notion of fun as to why he can still create good music, stating, “The music portion hasn’t started feeling like a job yet – which I’m thankful for, because I feel like when that starts to happen, it kills your art”. To be able to make something in his bedroom that is enjoyed by many new listeners is any artist’s dream, and REDRIVERS is currently living in it. Hopefully, for all of you, that joy in making music remains and his love of creating doesn’t die off.
As REDRIVERS continues to grow, he hopes to perform live more and collaborate with more of his inspirations. He has performed live before but he describes how that show was not ideal, making him realize that performing in the bedroom is different from on stage. This experience helped him create a new goal to make music that is more performable and enjoyable in a live setting. REDRIVERS also finds inspiration from the “weirdos” of rap, like Denzel Curry, Tyler the Creator, and JPEGMAFIA. This inspiration is visible in his music, slowly establishing himself as a figure in the scene.
Additionally, REDRIVERS is not just a solo artist – he’s also a member of Sug National. Alongside a collective of writers, graphic designers, and musicians, Sug National is definitely a group to look out for in the future, as they hold many talented artists including the likes of SAINT JAMESON, Michael Aimes, and more.
If I had to look into the future, I predict that REDRIVERS is going to keep climbing. He is looking to drop a longer album later in the year to show the new fans he is really capable of being one of the greatest new rappers. The Sug National collective is also looking to put a record out, so this is certainly not a laid-back year for REDRIVERS. From his humble bedroom, REDRIVERS makes music so you can make new memories. He is going to continue to put out music – stemming from a love for music, not a desire for money and fame – and continuing to get better with every track. REDRIVERS’s motto is as follows: “Create without fear and don’t be afraid to look dumb.” As he continues to make art for us to enjoy and look out for, join him in taking that leap, and see how far it takes you.