Family is everything. As it comes to 25-year-old Inglewood, Calif. rapper Rucci, putting your loved ones at the forefront of what you do isn't an option, it's a necessity. His debut album is titled Tako's Son, named after his father, who was deported to El Salvador in 2017—he later escaped to Mexico. Rucci counts his dad as a big influence, along with his uncle, P-Funky, who's currently doing 35 years in prison. With the momentum of the West Coast rhymer's single "Get the Strap" featuring Shoreline Mafia and his upcoming tour, Rucci came to XXL to fill us in on his origins and drop a new freestyle.

Starting off his freestyle with confidence, Rucci has some scores to settle. "First 48, outside his house we gon' stay/He gon' die today, toss his body in the lake," he raps. "Still sippin' drank, still laughin' to the bank/Showstopper, make these bitches faint, Eddie Kane."

Rucci's aforementioned uncle inspired him to make music. "He was an underground rapper," the rapper says. "He had been around music since a kid, always been in love with music." Witnessing family following a passion in hip-hop was inspiring. "I just always had a deeper love for it than anything else," Rucci shares. "So I just dropped outta high school and said, 'Fuck it, this what I'ma do.'" His decision to rap at 18 years old paid off, as he made a name for himself with his 2017 song "Go Rucci," establishing a buzz for him locally and further.

In a time where L.A.'s youth movement in rap has produced quite a few popular acts, including Shoreline Mafia, 03 Greedo, AZChike and more, Rucci has managed to be both unqiue and benefit from the area's current wave. With that said, Rucci knows how to separate himself from the pack. "I think it's like a big thing of like of understanding what you doing on a day-to-day basis," he affirms. "I'm doing it for longevity."

Getting back to Tako's Son, Rucci wanted the album to release at the right time. "I dropped a lot of music," he explains, "but I never could really like open up and tell them [the fans] about me ’cause they didn't give a fuck yet." His father inspiring the title of the project is Rucci's way of showing love even though he's no longer in the country. "He's a big part of how I move every day. He's the reason why I am who I am.

Check out Rucci's XXL freestyle below.

More From XXL