Justin Rarri is rap’s favorite newcomer.
The self-described YOUNGEST IN KHARGE is leaving his mark on the music industry one autotuned bop at a time. With a savage disposition and enough money to buy back the block, the fresh-faced star is making significant headway with the recent release of his sophomore project.
Moneyed mentions and detailed accounts of a past life riddled with strife offer perspective on the Bronx-bred emcee’s unconventional lifestyle. Justin is well-known for offloading pompous prose throughout his stylized rhyme scheme. Simply put, he has a knack for structuring sentences in a way that champions a hustler’s rhetoric.
In retrospect, Justin Rarri has always been about his business. Even tracing back to the early days of his youth, the budding star had desires to push a pen before playing Madden, or any other game for that matter. “Writing for me is like playing video games. The same way kids today can get hooked on Fortnite or some shit, that’s how writing is for me,” Justin explains.
It’s almost like he was predestined to excel musically.
Sonically, his catalog narrates a tale of growth that is best interpreted through taking calculated risks. All things considered, Justin Rarri is ahead of the curve, and age is a mere barrier when it comes to identifying his heightened sense of self. “S–t, I pretty much do what I want,” he shares. With a comment section that’s filled with claims in support of Justin’s lyrical finesse, he’s next to blow, and that’s evident by his thriving fanbase.
Influenced by past dealings, Justin Rarri exudes an unflinching determination hellbent on overcoming adversity. Even after experiencing misfortune, a byproduct of the betrayal received from former associates, he still remains sanguine about the future. “People be treating me in the worst ways. I got s–t I could tell you about for days, but I don’t dwell on it.”
YOUNGEST IN KHARGE is unrefined and explicit. Citing featured collaborations with the likes of Smoove’L, Lil Poppa and Stunna 4 Vegas, Justin Rarri’s sophomore debut is a succinct overview of life through the eyes of a 17-year-old musical big wheel.
COVID-19 has taken the world by storm, creating a period of uncertainty unlike no other. Shockingly enough, the upstate rep has appreciated this whole “quarantine s–t“, which has fostered ample opportunity for self-reflection and perfecting his sound. With a hot-streak of all hits and no misses attached to his musical styling, InYaEarHipHop had a chance to speak with the brazen wunderkind to unpack YOUNGEST IN KHARGE, life before rap and more.
Our conversation, lightly edited for clarity and context, follows below.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rYKWgzdMAPc
What has life been like since quarantine came into effect? It doesn’t seem like you’ve slowed down at all.
Nah, I just keep working. I’m in the studio every day, getting my project together.
I appreciate this whole quarantine shit.
Now, I really got my next project (YOUNGEST IN KHARGE) perfect forreal, nothing rushed at all.
Walk me through an average day in the eyes of Justin Rarri.
Shit, I pretty much do what I want.
Some mornings, I gotta do interviews, but if I’m not in the studio, I’m probably planning on going to the studio or writing some shit.
With this whole quarantine shit going on, it don’t be much to do, so I be at the crib or studio.
What exactly does it mean to be the YOUNGEST IN KHARGE?
To be honest, I think the way I got it explains itself, feel me. Right now, I’m in PA, so I’m in a town where I got people hyped up and everything.
I started calling myself that after my homie said it once in the comments. Everybody started calling me that round the town.
Even the project alone is saying that without me even saying nothing. I just took that title to be honest. It really do relate, I’m doing what I want.
I always post that I’m working every day, but everything is good on this side, I’m really in this shit.
It’s clear your age doesn’t define your character, you’re wise beyond your years. In retrospect, with you starting to record music at 14 years old, do you ever feel like you missed out on the days of your youth?
I started recording in the studio at 14, but I started writing when I was 11.
Writing for me is like playing video games. The same way kids today can get hooked on Fortnite or some shit, that’s how writing is for me.
I can turn my iPad on, no matter what the instrumental is, and I’ll start writing something. If I was 11 already stuck in my crib just writing, I was bound to be stuck in the music industry.
I was a geek, don’t get me wrong. I had every system that you could name. I done tried mad things too – I played basketball, I used to draw, but nothing else ever pulled me the way that rapping did.
In the beginning, you’re not sure of it. I think at 14, I felt that – I stopped doing all that extra shit and stayed in the studio.
Let’s get into your summer anthem, “2 Seater”. What was the creative direction/concept of this video, outside of waking up one day and becoming a drug kingpin.
The concept was like a novela, one of the Spanish shows. Everything in there was like a show, real dramatic.
I had no idea you’re Dominican. With this in mind, do you have any plans to make use of your bi-cultural identity, in terms of music?
Yeah, of course, the same way that Cardi B do it, shit.
I don’t mean to compare, but I’m not ashamed of nothing. I’m just not the one to say everything about me upfront, I like to slowly show it.
That’s what I’m doing now, putting my culture in my music.
I’ma do more shit for the culture soon, remixes and shit like that – I ain’t gone say no names, but it’s coming soon.
What do you feel like is the hardest part about the creative process behind making music?
The hardest part about my process is just making sure I like the song. I can make hella songs in a day, but I’d rather focus on one and keep building that one up.
That’s really the hardest part, just making sure that I fuck wit it.
If you see in the comments, people know that I don’t have not one bad song. I make sure that my shit is like that every time, for every song.
When me and Sumyunghai are both locked in, we build stuff from scratch. There’s a lot of stuff we made that might come out, that might not.
I can make 10 songs, but that don’t mean I’m putting em out.
They can bump too and everything. But yeah, that’s the hardest part, just making sure I like the shit.
With experiencing emotional trauma, betrayal and personal shortcomings so early on in life, as mentioned throughout some of your songs – how have you managed to keep your sanity while overcoming adversity?
The way I’ve always lived, I brought myself to where I’m at.
Ain’t nobody ever told me to start rapping or made me wanna rap, I just got into it. Even at a young age, I knew it was gonna be something that I’m good at.
I like to live for the moment, I’m really stuck in my own head.
People be treating me in the worst ways. I got shit I could tell you about for days, but I don’t dwell on it.
I’m always happy, cause I got me.
You can’t let the past affect you, that’s why people get stuck bro – I see that shit all the time.
Like wit all this shit going on right now, I do this shit and just think about myself. I don’t worry about no comparison or nothing.
The only time I care about some shit is if something is tryna stop me from what I’m doing.
That’s when I cut it off.
