Song: RJMrLA – “Rat Race”

The L.A. Rapper Shows Off His Rhyming Prowess on a Laid-Back Riders’ Anthem

6.21.2019

Critical Praise:

“RJ has built a huge regional following in the West Coast, perfecting his hard uncompromising Cali street sound on this year’s OMMIO 3.“ – HotNewHipHop

“RJ looks like the next one up in the wild, wild West. Pay attention.” – XXL

“The Los Angeles rapper first captured his city with a slew of local hits—the biggest being his 2015 single “Get Rich”—that proved his mettle without a major label or blog cosigns. Now, with steady assists from his 400 Summers label heads YG and DJ Mustard he uses MrLA to expand his sound, replacing some of the street-acclaimed grittiness of his O.M.M.I.O. mixtapes with radio-ready selections.” – Pitchfork

The Song:

Long appreciated in his hometown for his flashy flow and tight songwriting, RJMrLA is about to make national waves. Locking in over a sumptuous bassline and airy electric keys, RJ knows you have to spend money to make money on “Rat Race,” his new single. His latest dispatch from L.A.’s endless summer, “Rat Race” is a breezy banger, its bright and vibey melody anchored by a snapping, thumping rhythm section. On the track, RJ works his higher register, adapting a sing-song flow for the bookend hook and explaining his need to dress well and live up to his image of fame. Premiered by HotNewHipHop, “Rat Race” is the latest single from On God, RJMrLA’s upcoming debut album, following the personal and revealing “Apartment,” premiered by Complex earlier in June.

His debut album after several successful mixtapes, including 2017’s Pitchfork-praised The Ghetto, a collaboration with Mustard, On God is a mature effort from RJ, keeping the hard-hitting flow and propulsive L.A. instrumentals of his old style and foregoing party anthems for heavier thematic content. Featuring production from DJ Swish, who has produced hits for YG and Post Malone, and appearances from Schoolboy Q, Young Thug, Snoop Dogg, Mozzy, Rich the Kid, Ty Dolla $ign, The Game, and OT Genasis, On God releases this summer via EMPIRE.

Buy/Stream “Rat Race”: https://empire.lnk.to/RatRace

Check out the HotNewHipHop premiere: https://www.hotnewhiphop.com/rjmrla-goes-back-to-the-classics-on-rat-race-new-song.1983451.html

Please contact Michelle or Erin for more info.

The Background:

Firmly rooted in the Los Angeles community, RJMrLA is intimately familiar with the hustle. Born and raised in South Central, RJ’s father was a businessman with ties to the Westside Pirus and his grandfather a bootlegger, exposing a young RJ to the grind early on. At the age of nine, RJ began channeling his surroundings into raps after his mother put him on to Snoop Dogg. Moving to Atlanta post-high school, RJ became deeply embedded in the city’s trap culture. Upon his return to Los Angeles in 2013, RJ caught the attention of DJ Mustard, receiving an invitation to join his 10 Summers crew. RJ appeared on several tracks on DJ Mustard’s 10 Summers mixtape series and launched his solo career with the OMMIO (On My Mama I’m On) mixtape series, garnering critical acclaim from the FADER, LA Weekly, XXL, and more. Collaborating with the likes of The Game, Nipsey Hussle, Jeezy, and Ty Dolla $ign, RJ has painted name across the rap game. With his 2017 projects MrLA and The Ghetto, his full-length collaboration with DJ Mustard, RJ is making moves to place himself in the ranks of LA’s finest.