Jeremy Rubinstein’s bedroom is set up like a mini studio. He has the professional microphone on a stand in the corner of the room, his computer is open on his desk with an audio receiver at the ready, and his walls are covered with posters of his inspirations. Rap music plays in the background as a continual flow of inspiration for his music.
Rubinstein by day is a communication major and a nutrition minor at the University at Buffalo, but he has a different name when he's not on campus and not attending classes. He turns into ‘Rubz,’ an aspiring rapper. Rubinstein knows he has a long twisty road ahead of him to get to the level of greatness he wants to achieve.
“I know I'm going to be working hard on this stuff if I really want it to happen, and I really want this to happen,” said Rubinstein.
From New City in Rockland County, New York, Rubinstein has been listening to rap music for most of his life. Finding interest in this music at a young age is what initially got Rubinstein interested in exploring this territory. He noticed he was really good at getting his ideas and rhymes out which made him want to pursue this career path. A couple of years later he started to write down his rhymes and realized his destiny.
“I’ve always had a love for rap just growing up, I could always rap but I never started writing till three years ago and then I started writing for fun and eventually I started getting good,” Rubinstein stated. “Everyone else can do it there is literally no reason I can’t, so why not go for it?”
Rubz just came out with his first public mix-tape called “Underestimated.” It is a 13-track, 47 minute mix-tape that is starting to get some momentum online. With features on the tape including one from known rapper King Los, it’s only a matter of time before the tape hits mainstream ears. Most of the tracks already have over 2,500 plays which is very impressive for someone as new to the rap game as he is. Most new artists barley get any plays on their first pieces of work. It took Rubinstein close to a year to create the mix-tape.
A big inspiration for the young MC is rapper Big Sean. Big Sean emerged into the mainstream world after signing a deal with G.O.O.D Music and came out with his first album “Finally Famous.” The song that got Sean famous was the very popular party anthem “A$$.”
“People tell me I sound kinda like Big Sean and I’ve liked him since ever. He doesn't put out a bad song!” exclaimed Rubinstein.
Long time friend and housemate to the aspiring rapper, Michael Strum, really believes in his friend and the music he creates.
“I truly believe if he keeps his head in the game and continues to grow as a rapper, his music will grow with him,” commented Strum. “The day he finally gets recognized and famous I’ll be able say I watched this whole thing grow from the very beginning.”
In another attempt to spread his music, Rubinstein has been looking to try and perform at concerts. He went to a concert recently that had him really thinking about how he’ll get on stage and really show people his music in a live, new environment. It might be a little too soon for him to be headlining shows around the country, but a start as an opening act is all it takes to get noticed and really push his music career forward
“There was an opener for a concert I went to downtown and he was from the Buffalo area,” stated Rubinstein. “He wasn't great but I can definitely get up on a stage like that one day and do better then he did.”
It is not the record labels Rubinstein is worried about but the people that listen to the music. He wants to follow in Chance the Rapper’s footsteps and try to become famous without ever selling a piece of music.
“He has so many resources and he really knows how to use them well,” said Rubinstein. “He got noticed and that’s what I’m trying to do.”
The aspect of the music genre he loves that made him want to pursue this career are revealed in the lyrics of the music. His mix-tape is very lyrical and deep to the artist. In the rap game lyrics mean everything to the song. When hip-hop/rap started many lyrics were about the hard times and struggles these people go through.
When N.W.A came out with their song “F*ck the Police,” it started a movement of people standing with these young men to try and fight for equality and trust within the cop community. Since then the lyrics in rap music have morphed to fit topics like drug abuse, money problems, and even sticking the middle finger up to the record label industry. Lyrics are not what people are looking for nowadays with music. A lot of people have started listening to music to party to.
“The problem is I need to just make party music cause that's what's popular,” Rubinstein realized. “That's just where the money is and that's what people are bumping to. I’m gonna take my time on this next tape and really try to make music that people are going to want to listen to.”
In a Kanye West type fashion, Rubinstein went back to the mix-tape after releasing it to the public because he found some minor errors in the editing of some of the tracks. Kanye got a lot of attention this past year for continuously going back to his most recent album and editing and even adding in some new lines to the finished work. Rubinstein noticed this and figured to be big one day, all of his work must maintain the professionalism of a real record.
“If I'm gonna be a professional someday, I need to make sure everything is perfect for when people go back and listen to my old music,” said Rubinstein.
There is a long road ahead for this aspiring rapper. He will have to really work on his beats, lyrics, and flow to produce the fan base that he wants for his music. HIs mix-tape ‘Underestimated’ already has over 3,000 listens on Soundcloud. There is a long way to go for him if he wants to hit the heights he aims to achieve.
“It’s not gonna be the first mix-tape, but its gonna be the second or third.” Said Rubinstein.
Keep yours ears open for the name Rubz as you very well might hear his name in the upcoming future. You can listen to the full tape here: https://soundcloud.com/rubz_official/sets/underest...
