RiFF RAFF: The Neon Icon In His Own Words

Get Out Of My Face
RiFF RAFF, AKA Jody Highroller, AKA Neon Icon, in his own words
As told to Jeff Weiss
Editor’s Note: This story originally appeared in the August/September 2014 issue of XXL Magazine.

The Neon Icon needs no introduction. If RiFF RAFF didn’t exist, he could not have been invented, even if you had access to top-secret fluorescent shades from Crayola, a 1990s pop culture almanac and a Versace briefcase filled with extravagant and illicit powders. He is absurdly quotable and preposterously entertaining.

Over the last three years, the 32-year-old, burgundy-braided, zigzag-bearded, new face of British Knights has ascended from a freestyling curio on World Star Hip-Hop to a globetrotting rap star, collaborating with Chief Keef, Lil B, Action Bronson, Childish Gambino, Mac Miller and Diplo—the impresario of Mad Decent, which released Neon Icon in June. But RiFF RAFF’s iconography had already become immortal when James Franco swagger-jacked him for his Alien character in last year’s Spring Breakers.

Investigative reports have been dedicated to uncovering the details of RiFF RAFF’s upbringing in suburban Houston. He’s been subjected to enormous slander and even more adoration. But past details matter very little in the ongoing saga of Jody Highroller, the rap game’s Zack Morris, Janet Jackson and Dawson’s Creek.

His origins are bound to no region, time, nor tangible reality. He exists only as far as his Walt Disney-on-dope imagination can carry him. It’s only right then that RiFF RAFF should tell his story in his own words.

RiFF RAFF: i’VE BEEN THiS WAY SINCE i WAS A KiD. i’VE ALWAYS HAD GREAT iDEAS. AT 7 YEARS OLD, i BOUGHT A SEWING KiT AND CUT THE TAGS OFF MY GiRBAUD JEANS AND PUT A TAG ON THESE ORiENTAL BRiGHT BLUE BUGLE BOY JEANS, AND EVERYONE WAS LIKE, “DANG, i’VE NEVER SEEN THiS COLOR OF GiRBAUDS.”

i WAS ALWAYS BORED IN SCHOOL SO i USED TO PASS THE TiME BY BUYiNG STiNK BOMBS FROM THE GAS STATiON AND THROWiNG THEM iN THE BATHROOM BETWEEN CLASS. AS A KiD, MY FAVORiTE ADVENTURES WERE TO SKiP SCHOOL AND GO iNTO THE SEWAGE DRAiNS AND TALK TO THE TURTLES AND OPEN UP PACKS OF TOPPS STADiUM CLUB BASEBALL CARDS.

i ALSO LOVED PLAYiNG FOOTBALL ON THE SiDE OF THE HOUSE IN STARTER JACKETS. MY FAVORiTE COLOR WAS NEON PEACH. MY FAVORiTE BOOK WAS THE GiViNG TREE.

i KNEW i WAS AN iCON AT 5 MONTHS OLD, WHEN i WAS LAYiNG ON MY BACK iN A GROCERY CART AND i COULD SMELL THE APPLE JACKS WITH MY EYES CLOSED. iN HIGH SCHOOL, i USED TO DRiVE A MiTSUBiSHi DiAMANTE COTTON CANDY TEAL BLUE FiVE-SCREEN CAR, WiTH TWO 15S, A POP TRUNK GREY LEATHER FADE MiRROR TiNT.

i’VE BEEN PLAYiNG BASKETBALL SiNCE FOREVER. THE HiGHLiGHT OF MY HiGH SCHOOL CAREER WAS SCORiNG 51 POiNTS WITH 13 THREES iN A GAME.

i ALWAYS HATED COACHES WHO MADE ME RUN SUiCiDES, THE DRiLL SERGEANT-TYPE STUFF, GUYS WHO TOOK THE FUN AWAY. iT’S LIKE MUSIC. WHEN i FOCUS TOO MUCH ON WRiTiNG, i LIKE TO FREESTYLE TO KEEP iT FUN.

i’VE ALWAYS HATED BEiNG TOLD WHAT TO DO. i’M A GAME-TiME PLAYER. THE COACHES’ PETS WERE ALWAYS THE TYPES TO HiT LAYUPS iN PRACTiCE AND MiSS THEM iN THE GAME. NOT ME. i DON’T LiKE BEiNG TESTED. JUST PUT ME iN AND LET ME RUN. ANY TiME i WAS WiTH A COACH WHO UNDERSTOOD ME AND JUST LET ME PLAY, i’D SCORE 25 TO 30 POiNTS PER GAME. i’VE NEVER BEEN GOOD WHEN SOMEONE ELSE iS IN CONTROL OF MY SiTUATiON. i’VE ALWAYS BEEN AT MY BEST WHEN i’M THE PLAYER COACH. i DIDN’T WiN AWARDS; i’M THE GUY WHO GAVE THEM AWAY.

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