Show And Prove: Raury Represents Atlanta’s Next Generation
Show And Prove: Raury
Words C. Vernon Coleman II
Show & Prove is our section in the magazine where we highlight which artists are hot in hip-hop now. Many who have appeared in S&P have gone on to launch successful music careers. Here is the story from Raury from our October/November 2014 issue featuring G-Unit, available on newsstands now.
While most rap artists flounder in obscurity before catching their big break, Atlanta’s latest burgeoning star, Raury has gone from zero to 100, real quick. In less than a year, the omni-musical teen has inspired a lost generation of voiceless youngsters with singles like the powerful “God’s Whisper” and the mellow “Cigarette Song.” His growing buzz culminated in the August release of his critically acclaimed digital debut, the free album, Indigo Child, a project that is about as far away from today’s typical A-town sound as it gets. "Indigo Child comes from the perspective of an underdog and outcast, someone who wasn’t believed in, who prevailed,” explains Raury of his musical debut. “When you become satisfied with where you are, that’s when you fall off. That’s when you die. It’s over for you.”
A native of the east Atlanta suburb of Stone Mountain, Raury Tullis’ musical aspirations started early. Teaching himself to play guitar via the Internet when he was 11, Raury was rapping and songwriting by the time he formed the band Tone Maestros, later called ADHD, during his sophomore year at Tucker High School. When the band separated in 2012, Raury decided he wanted to focus on a solo rap career and began to work on Indigo Child, a heart-pouring cohesive mix of rap, soul and pop, sprinkled with a hint of rock 'n' roll.
“When you meet with Raury, his outlook on life and music is very refreshing,” says JR Lindsey, Senior Director of A&R At Columbia Records. “He takes everything that he loves and doesn’t give a damn about what people think.”
This past August, shortly after the release of Raury’s project, the rap rookie was flown to L.A. to meet with Kanye West, and a photo of the two artists together quickly surfaced. Raury then inked a solo deal with Columbia Records and opened up for OutKast this past September. “We are really pushing boundaries and making music fun again,” says Raury. “Great input for the best output as far as your mind. I look at it as Smart Water for the brain.”
Po’ up.
Related: Atlanta’s Raury Talks About Signing To Columbia Records And Future Plans
Raury Covers Kanye West’s “Blood On The Leaves”
Kanye West, Pusha T And Raury Will Be On The Hunger Games: Mockingjay, Pt. 1 Soundtrack
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