Posted by Women in hip-hop are no longer few and far between. There's a resurgence of ladies who are besting many of their male counterparts these days. The 2021 XXL Freshman Class is reflective of the times, welcoming four women to have the honor this year. Rubi Rose is one of them. Her distinct voice and sexually charged lyrics have helped her gain a legion of supporters in a short period of time. After dropping "Big Mouth," a song showcasing her deep tone and playful energy, in 2019, it was up from there. But to get to this point, Rubi found some inspiration along the way in quite a few different rappers, namely Nicki Minaj, which she positions as her No. 1 pick when naming her top five favorite rappers.
"No. 1, Nicki Minaj. I love her ’cause she's the queen," shares Rubi, who calls Nicki the "Queen of Rap." "She's like the first female rapper that I really got into. Her looks, visuals, everything. I love it." Rubi was influenced by both Nicki and Cardi B on the come up, which Rubi revealed in her 2021 XXL Freshman cover story interview.
Keeping it close to the family, Rubi's top five list also includes one of Nicki's longtime friends. "Second, Drake, of course," Rubi says. "The Boy. What's not to love, every song. He makes me feel it. I cry. I'm in my feelings. I fuck with him." Even a self-proclaimed "raw" artist like Rubi embraces her emo side.
For her No. 3 choice, the rising rap newcomer shows love to an Atlanta hip-hop staple. "Three, Thugger," Rubi tells. "Love Young Thug. Atlanta legend. I don't understand most of the time what he's saying, but I can repeat it and I love it." Though she's a native of Lexington, Ky., Rubi went to college at Georgia State University as a poli-sci major. Her time in ATL really shaped her musical tastes. "No. 4 is Future Hendrix, another Atlanta legend," she follows up. "I love 'Codeine Crazy,'" DS2. Just everything this n***a puts out."
To round out her list, Rubi puts respect on a Chicago rapper who was a Freshman himself in 2014. "No. 5 would have to be Lil Durk," Rubi expresses. "He just became, I really only started listening to his music this year, but I listen to every song this n***a puts out. He's also very like, you hear the pain and fuckin' 'oomph' in his voice. I really fuck with Durk and what he's doing right now." One of her favorite Durk tracks is "When I'm Lonely," off the deluxe edition of his 2020 album, The Voice.
Take a look at Rubi Rose's selections for her top five favorite rappers below.