Roddy Ricch

Rodrick Wayne Moore Jr. (born October 22, 1998), known professionally as Roddy Ricch, is an American rapper, singer, and songwriter. He is signed to Atlantic Records. In November 2018, he released the mixtape, Feed Tha Streets II, which peaked at number 67 on the Billboard 200 chart. He released his debut studio album Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial on December 6, 2019, which debuted atop the Billboard 200. It spawned the Billboard Hot 100 number-one song "The Box", becoming his most popular song worldwide. In February 2019, he was featured on Nipsey Hussle's "Racks in the Middle" alongside Hit-Boy, which earned all three artists a Grammy Award for Best Rap Performance in January 2020.

Early life
Rodrick Wayne Moore Jr., was born on October 22, 1998 in Compton, California, where he was also raised.[4] He spent some time living in Atlanta, Georgia in his youth.[5] Roddy Ricch started rapping and singing as young as 8, and he began making beats in earnest at age 16.[4][6] In Compton, Rodrick was a member of the street gang Neighborhood Compton Crips.[7]

Career
In November 2017, he released his first mixtape, Feed Tha Streets, which featured songs like "Chase Tha Bag", "Hoodricch", and "Fucc It Up". The tape earned him praise from established rappers like Meek Mill, Nipsey Hussle, DJ Mustard and 03 Greedo.[citation needed] In March 2018, he released an EP entitled Be 4 Tha Fame. In May of that year, Nipsey Hussle brought Ricch out as his guest at a PowerHouse concert in Los Angeles.[4][5]

In July 2018, he released the London on da Track-produced single, "Die Young", which he had written for a childhood friend, who was lost in a high speed chase and said in a Genius interview he had written it the night XXXTentacion died.[4][8] The song—which was dedicated, in part, to the childhood friend and its music video would go on to accumulate over 80 million views on YouTube and 120 million streams on Spotify.[9] In August 2018, he released the single "Ricch Forever", produced by DJ Bugsy.[10] That month, Marshmello released a preview of a collaborative track with Ricch "Project Dreams" before Ricch was featured on a track with Nipsey Hussle, "Racks in the Middle", with a feature and production by Hit-Boy, released on February 15, 2019, later becoming both first top 40 hit on the Billboard Hot 100.[11]

In October 2018, Meek Mill brought Ricch out as his guest at a PowerHouse concert in Philadelphia. Mill also gifted him a "Dreamchasers" chain, appearing on his fourth studio album Championships (2018), in which he was a feature alongside Future and Young Thug on the song "Splash Warning" from the album.[4][12] On November 2, 2018, Ricch released his second mixtape, Feed Tha Streets II. The album, which features the singles "Die Young" and "Every Season",[12][13] has thus far peaked at number 67 on the Billboard 200 chart[14] and at number 36 on the Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums chart.[15] Later in the month, Marshmello previewed a new track with Ricch.[16]

In June 2019, he collaborated with American DJ and record producer Mustard on the track, "Ballin'", off Mustard's third studio album, Perfect Ten, which became Mustard's highest charting song on the Hot 100 as a lead artist, peaking at number 12.[17] In December 2019, he released his debut album, Please Excuse Me for Being Antisocial, debuting and peaking at number one on the Billboard 200, and featured Roddy's highest charting song, "The Box", which topped the Hot 100, as well as "Start wit Me" featuring Gunna, which peaked at number 56. Because of the strength of "The Box", a collaboration with Mustard, "High Fashion", which appeared on the album, reached the top 40 at number 35, the week he hit number one on the Hot 100. The song later peaked at number 20.[17]

Artistry
Ricch has been recognized for his raspy voice "that works wonders with vocal filters".[18] Paul Thompson of Vulture called Ricch "an undeniably talented vocalist and occasionally a compelling songwriter", opining how he "frequently adopts the same syntax and vocal intonations as Young Thug".[19]

On the transcending themes of his music, Ricch draws inspiration from his life, stating: "As I experience life, my music is gonna evolve. At the same time, I still do tell the stories from my world because there are unlimited stories and unlimited people from that place. I'll always represent them. As my life begins to change and I do different things, I still want to be able to tap in and relate to them".[20]