KruddTheGuru, an emerging Hip Hop artist from Baltimore, recently released “LifesAMess,” a powerful track that explores the challenges of everyday life. With raw and authentic lyrics, the song delves into the artist’s personal struggles and those of the people in his community.
During our interview, KruddTheGuru talks about the inspiration behind his latest single and how he worked together with frequent collaborator The Virus And Antidote to deliver those compelling beats. The rapper also discusses his musical influences and how he came to find his own unique sound, emphasizing on the importance of authenticity.
Let’s talk about the latest single “LifesAMess.” The song confronts the struggles of everyday life, including drug abuse and mental health. How did you go about writing such a vulnerable and relatable track?
I just go by things I feel or life situations around me. I don’t have too much of a process when it comes to making music. A lot of times it’s just things on my mind and I make a song out of it.
“LifesAMess” was produced by The Virus and Antidote. Can you tell us about your collaboration and how your previous work together has influenced the sound of this track?
I think me and Virus just go with the flow honestly. We just trust each other’s process. A lot of times I’ll send him vocals to make a beat around or he’ll have a beat he feels like I can fit on. We always try different genres but I would say the dark alternative vibe is kind of our sound.
You’ve mentioned Trae tha Truth, Deniro Farrar, Kanye West, Travis Scott, and Bones as some of your inspirations. How have these artists influenced your sound, and what sets you apart from them?
Listening to all those artists really inspired me to come up with a sound of my own. I feel as though they are unique with their sound and I always wanted to have a sound of my own that really defines me. I think what sets me apart from them is my sound in general and how I approach songs. I take little pieces from everyone though.
ItTakesAVillage and Kruddys Laboratory have garnered significant attention. Can you tell us about your creative vision for these projects and how they differ from one another?
The project, ItTakesAVillage, is one of my favorite projects I have done to date. We were going for a cyber trap type sound and wanted to keep the rawness with it. I wanted to express that it takes a village when it comes to writing the songs. We had a specific sound we wanted to stick to for it, but also keep people interested with the production and the vibe of the lyrics, while telling people what’s going on in real life. Kruddys Laboratory was more of me just experimenting with different songs and sounds and was me just showing people different things I could do.
Your music has been praised for its raw and authentic lyrics. How important is it for you to communicate a genuine message to your listeners, and what are you hoping they will take away from your songs?
I think it’s really important to have music that people can really relate to. People definitely love club bangers, but sometimes it’s nice to be able to relate to an artist and get people to feel a certain way about your art. I want people to know that you can make tracks that hit hard and make you bob your head while also saying some real stuff. Being authentic and true to what you do will always attract people for the long run.
Baltimore has a thriving hip-hop community, with many talented artists emerging from the city. How has your involvement in this scene shaped your musical style and influenced your career trajectory?
Baltimore has a huge hip hop scene that doesn’t get too much love in the music industry which forces a lot of people to go hard. It’s so many types of styles of hip hop and all types of music in the underground scene you’ll find yourself a fan of. Baltimore is raw and it’s just embedded in our DNA to be that way. Baltimore’s club music scene shaped a lot of the way Baltimore people make music, the bounce, the moves, the real authentic lyrics. It’s what we do.
You have already amassed a significant following in the underground hip-hop scene. What steps are you taking to continue evolving your sound and expanding your fanbase even further?
I’m just going to keep doing what I’m doing. Work hard and try to work with more people from my city with the same work ethic. Building more bonds and getting real support from the people will take you a long way.
Listen to “LifesAMess” here: