A first-generation American, he credits his uncle for introducing him to his musical foundations as a kid, like the Bee Gees, giving him a taste of a style of music different from what he was accustomed to. As he got older, his brothers and cousins also shared music with him, sparking Ramirez's interest in hip-hop.
However, instead of just being a passive listener, Ramirez also decided to create music, learning primarily through trial and error.
"I have to listen to the instruments that I'm working with. That sways my writing process and how I attack a song," he tells New Times. "I just pick out the beat that I will use and try to figure out what sounds best. From then, I just start writing my music, expanding it, and then adding little touches here and there."
Though he started making music as a teenager, he didn't take it seriously until he was 22.
"I was just seeing the traffic that the music was bringing in, you know? I was just like anybody else that wants to make music. It was more like a dream at first," he explains. "But then once you start seeing the notoriety and [that] the people actually like it, that's something that [causes] you to take it seriously and see what you could do with it."
Early in his career, thanks to social media, he met New Orleans hip-hop duo $uicideboy$, comprised of cousins Ruby da Cherry and $crim.
"I tweeted one day that I was looking for a certain sample for a beat, and, oddly enough, Ruby hit me up on Twitter saying, 'Yo, we have this beat, and we're interested in sending it to you.'" Ramirez says. "Then he hit me with the ultimatum like, 'Alright, cool. We'll send it to you, but we got to get on [the song] as well.'"
Ramirez is about to go on the road with $uicideboy$ as part of the Grey Day 2023 Tour, with Ghostemane, City Morgue, and Sematary completing the lineup. The tour kicks on Friday, August 25, in Birmingham, Alabama, eventually making its way down to the FLA Live Arena in Sunrise on Wednesday, August 30.
"It's going to be a crazy one because we're doing arenas this time around," Ramirez points out. "These are way more massive numbers than what I'm used to doing — I'm used to doing around 2,000 to 2,500. This time around, we're going to be doing 15,000 plus, so, you know, it's a little it's a little nerve-wracking, but it's cool. What artist doesn't want to do that type of stuff?"
Despite the opportunity to play for a larger audience, Ramirez enjoys the intimate setting of smaller venues and the vibe that comes with them.
"It's the one thing I'm fighting with because I'm a real intimate person. I like to connect with the crowd and see faces," he explains. "Once you start getting past 4,000, 5,000 people, that line starts to blur. That threshold starts to separate, and that's kind of hard because I feed off the crowd's energy."
"I'm working with people who have my best interest in mind, and I also have the best interest in them," Ramirez says.
Photo by Kenneth Lesley
"Being able to cross the water and connect with people that really don't speak the language but can still recite the lyrics to you is a really cool feeling," Ramirez explains.
He recalls a show in Germany where the crowd's reaction floored a promoter. According to Ramirez, the show's organizer admitted that rap acts weren't doing too well at the venue but was amazed at how much the crowd loved them.
But for Ramirez, his biggest accomplishment on the road is being able to work with his friends.
"You get lost in the business of this shit. Like, I've been doing this for ten years, and it's a real cutthroat business," he says. "But being able to do this with my friends, I can say I have the advantage. I'm working with people who have my best interest in mind, and I also have the best interest in them. It's a win-win situation for all of us."
Beyond touring, fans can expect new music very soon. Ramirez's latest single, "Sleeping with the Fishes," will premiere with a mob-themed music video on August 25 and give a taste of his upcoming mixtape.
"This tape is darker, but [with a] more violent tone," he says. "With my music, I like to switch the vibes up every now and then. I'll probably do something dark, something emotional, then something funky. I'm not a one-trick pony; I like to expand and grow."
$uicideboy$. With Ramirez, Ghostemane, City Morgue, and Sematary. 8 p.m. Wednesday, August 30, at the FLA Live Arena, 1 Panther Pkwy., Sunrise; 954-835-7000; flalivearena.com. Tickets cost $24 to $146 via seatgeek.com.
