Two brand new albums and a tonne of new tracks to his name – rapper and artist R3YE5 keeps work ethic and passion at the forefront, as he carves out a distinct career in modern hip hop and trap.
We caught an interview with the rising creative, to find out more about the music, his journey so far, and his plans for the year ahead. Here’s how it went.
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R3YE5 – great to connect with you, and huge congrats for the success of your latest releases. To introduce things – where are you based, and who or what first inspired your passion for music?
Wsp iss nice to meet you and thank you so much I appreciate that hella, the 1k song’s been goin crazy.
To answer yo question though, I’m located in Windsor, Ontario, Canada, and that lowkey leads into yo next question but the main thing that got me wanting to do music. Growin up listening to all that 2017-2025 underground from Carti n Lil Peep to now Fakemink and Che, which I take lots of inspo from, but the main artists I’ve looked up to always is lil tracy/yung bruh, sad boys, drain gang, crystal castles, all those artist.
‘u kan get dat in a normal speed’ is one of your most streamed tracks. How did this come to be, and what does it represent?
This is acc mad funny cause I be listening to carti since 2017 and the melody is from one his leaks and I fw it heavy so I chopped the melody on fl and sent it to my bro Ssumwayy and he put the rest of the beat. The lyrics of this song tho be a shoutout I guess to carti and just stuff ive done my whole life from skating to getting kicked outta school and also a past into my drug addiction which I mention in hella songs sorta as a cry for help but also cause that shi sound hard.
Your latest single is ‘fuck a iphone I need a flip fone’. The production is much more old school hard-house, and the concept equally nostalgic, the vibe upbeat and fierce. Why this change in direction, and what prompted you to make this?
Yea it got that old ass sound cause iss a nightcore remix version of tha song more and more which I listened to that a lot growing up as well but it was never out there cause when your younger tha shi embarrassing to listen to but its become more accepted with tha whole emo/scene vibe bein chill these days. The whole change in recent songs from older ones is just me being able to express myself and show what I like and what I like to make, like I want my shi being blasted in raves and clubs and see people turn the fuck up cause that’s what this shi about.
Do you produce your own beats, and if not, how do you choose producers to work with?
This is something not a lot of people around will admit but it’s mostly all free for profit YouTube beats, so I just be looking up the artist I fw and I’ll find some artist and either have it be free to use or pay some producers. My bro Ssumwayy also be making beats but truss, me n him gon be the next uzi n carti.
Given your eclectic repertoire, how would you define or describe the style of your music for new listeners?
Honestly if u listen to my music its very similar to certain artist but at the same time I think its very unique with maybe not the beats but my vocals and what I say and how I say it, im working on making it better everyday but this stuff takes time just gotta find the right people to help me out and I can help them out, if I had to give it a specific genre id say some sort of edm rap or hyperpop rap for the newer songs I like making but a lot of stuff in the vault or released is underground rap or just some jerk rap calm shi like that but I wanna expand out into my own thing so I can stand out and not become a one hit wonder cause tha shi lame.
How long does it typically take you to lay down a new track, and how much lyrical editing is involved?
I walk in my room, I load up a beat I mess with, and I just go – sometimes it’ll take me 5 mins, sometimes it’ll take me 1-2 hours, I just be uploading anything to show the rawness, no matter if iss good or bad, cause that’s just how I am. Imma be myself and only myself, imma show people who I really am off the tip of my tongue – no writing songs just going wit the flow of how I’m feeling.
What are the themes and intentions used throughout the 2025 album #SWAG, and how long was this project in the making?
So this whole album originated as my obsession with the WWE Halloween havoc match in 1997 with rey mysterio vs eddie guerrero and its one of my favourite projects cause I can genuinely listen to most songs off of it. But the album wasnt time consuming maybe a few weeks due to the short amount of songs.
Which lyric from the project is one that you’re the proudest of, and why?
Honestly my favourite lyrics has to be when I said “I miss bro bro, where makoto.” cause thass my boy from Japan and I ain’t seen him in a while and it was raw cause I be missin tha boy hella.
Is live performance a big part of your plans, or writing music for media, something else along those lines – or just original music for your own brand?
When isn’t a live performance a big plan, everybody be dreaming of the day they can start doing that, cause I wanna see my fans jumping and singing everything, it seems so lit. I be watching rolling loud and excited for the day I’m on those big stages.
I do have an issue with labels though, because I know I need my music pushed out but I be needing my money too, and they be stealing it all, but if you a label or find a label hmu and get me dem big shows if u fuh wit my shi xD.
You also released UNDEAD this year – how do you balance work ethic, regular life, and creativity?
Honestly I got kicked outta school but I got some legal shi and no job so I js be home if I’m not at court and whenever I be at home I be recording, shit if yall want some unreleased hmu and sell that shi like some 1:1 clothes.
The energy of UNDEAD is off the chart. What was the creative process like for this album?
This album was all secretly about my pain about the fact that I grew up and was so used to toxicity that once I was happy I felt dead, because I didn’t have that toxicity to keep me alive, and that’s the whole undead zombie theme, this album was a huge project between me, Ssumwayy, and my big homie Sam – who did the custom clothes from his brand INVEIN, and he pushed me so hard and hyped me up so hard, so that’s where I got the energy from. It was so meaningful I was so proud to put it out no matter the streams or reviews of it.
What’s next for you?
The next couple projects are gonna be big I can feel it between my edm/hyperpop vibe Im bringing but also a huge wave a salute to my late uncle so its gonna have a lot of versatility and a lot of sounds that I never even thought id be making but its all in the craft you just have to wait and see.
Is there anything else we should know?
My dream is to do live shows. I’ve always wanted to be able to turn up with a crowd, if that’s something possible, you’d be making my dreams n wishes come true – not to be on that corny shit but thass tha truth.
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Find R3YE5 on Instagram, Soundcloud, TikTok.
