The Ridgeway native was 16 when he made his professional foray into the music business. Inspired by New Orleans’ innovative Cash Money Crew, Ru began making a name for himself on his local music scene, doing live shows and pressing up his own CDs. His hard-hitting lyrics and entrepreneurial spirit caught the attention of fellow South Carolinian Angie Stone. Shortly after the neo-soul songstress helped him secure a deal with Elektra Records, Ru found himself unsigned again, among the artists lost in the shuffle after the label merged with Atlantic Records.Music fans first got a taste of Ru’s wrath on his 2001 debut single Will Destroy. The buzz on the promising new lyricist continued with the release of his 2002 follow up, Shawty What You Doin’. Both songs reached the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop charts and helped land him at his current label home, Capitol Records.Most recently, Ru has worked with famed producers Jazze Pha and Jim Johnson (producer of Jamie Foxx’s single Unpredictable), as well as artists Rich Boi and Alpha Omega. He was recently featured on the cover of South Carolina’s Rize magazine and regularly appears in the Southern hip-hop magazine Ozone. Lil’ Ru was also the recipient of a 2007 Ozone award for the category Artist Patiently Waiting to Blow.
Lil Ru ' Don't I Look Good'
The Ridgeway native was 16 when he made his professional foray into the music business. Inspired by New Orleans’ innovative Cash Money Crew, Ru began making a name for himself on his local music scene, doing live shows and pressing up his own CDs. His hard-hitting lyrics and entrepreneurial spirit caught the attention of fellow South Carolinian Angie Stone. Shortly after the neo-soul songstress helped him secure a deal with Elektra Records, Ru found himself unsigned again, among the artists lost in the shuffle after the label merged with Atlantic Records.Music fans first got a taste of Ru’s wrath on his 2001 debut single Will Destroy. The buzz on the promising new lyricist continued with the release of his 2002 follow up, Shawty What You Doin’. Both songs reached the Billboard R&B/Hip-Hop charts and helped land him at his current label home, Capitol Records.Most recently, Ru has worked with famed producers Jazze Pha and Jim Johnson (producer of Jamie Foxx’s single Unpredictable), as well as artists Rich Boi and Alpha Omega. He was recently featured on the cover of South Carolina’s Rize magazine and regularly appears in the Southern hip-hop magazine Ozone. Lil’ Ru was also the recipient of a 2007 Ozone award for the category Artist Patiently Waiting to Blow.