Today we’d like to introduce you to Ru AREYOU
Hi Ru AREYOU, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Imagine a filipino kid hanging on his make-shift rope from tying all his karate belts together to the staircase swinging back and forth causing complete havoc in the household. My parents immediately were seeking discipline and enrolled me into the local TaeKwonDo. From the age of nine to 20 years old I was competing professionally in a niche sport karate competition circuit called NASKA (North American Sport Karate Association), where you perform your own martial arts choreography to your music of choice. It was highly encouraged to find music that fit your performance, so I was going to local CD stores like Virgin Records to find that special song. Digging in the crates and mixing music at an early age really shaped who I am today – by age 13 I started making beats on the living room family computer.
In high school I started a hip-hop group called Hearing AID. Instead of swinging on the staircase I was swinging my drums on beats, rapping & singing about girls and staying fresh. I can blame N.E.R.D & The Neptunes for that influence. We made shirts and sold them after school and campaigned by taking photos of people’s hands that said “I love H.A (Hearing AID)” which was eventually posted on our MySpace Music page.I was able to produce, mix, and master for dozens of local Sacramento artists in a short period of time.
Around this time I went to Ex’pression College for sound arts in Emeryville, CA. A year and half went by and I had an epiphany. After watching ‘This Is It’ by Michael Jackson in theaters, I decided to drop out and move to LA. The performing arts kid in me rose to the occasion when I realized that I needed to be on stage rather than being on the boards. With little to no money I packed my bags and moved into a 2 bedroom apartment with four friends.
I also completed an acting/modeling program which led to being discovered by LA/NYC’s BLOC Agency. Before making the big move to LA, I re-signed with them which led me to a 10+ year dance career. I toured with LMFAO, Justin Bieber and Wang Leehom. I worked with well known artists like Kendrick Lamar, Jaden Smith and won an Emmy from America’s Best Dance Crew Season 8 with Quest Crew.
I always found myself working on music like a mad man any chance I got in between my dance career. The time I left my hometown back in 2010 I created an annual hip-hop concert in Sacramento which consisted of all of the artists I produced for. From LA to Sacramento I created a pipeline for talent such as City James, Duckwrth, Channel Tres & Jordan Ward. ‘Transition’ is currently reaching its 10th annual anniversary. We have yet to execute since the pandemic put a halt to many endeavors.
Becoming a major producer was such a high fantasy for me. I’ve gotten an unpredictable major placement with Chris Brown for a mixtape that he put out on DatPiff called “Boy In Detention”. The song was titled ‘Real Hip Hop Shit! #1’. The video was released on World Star Hip-Hop and major names like ?uestlove & 9th Wonder began raving over the song on twitter.
For the next couple years I decided to work on my craft and co-founded a multi-faceted music driven collective under the name “Awesome AWESOME S.H.X.T (souls here extending thanks)”. I essentially created a community of like-minded individuals that shared the same passion to pursue their dreams. We put together shows and learned from one another. Around the same time in 2016 I launched a clothing brand called REALIZEYOU. A lifestyle brand entrenched in the internal cognizance of “infinite recreation of self”. To REALIZEYOU is your luxury.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I realized it was time to invest into my own vision, but found myself financially struggling. I was paying off my student loan debt and living paycheck to paycheck. Until one day I got a call from Nick Demoura, Justin Bieber’s choreographer. He asked me if I’d like to go on a world tour with Justin Bieber as a martial arts tricker/dancer. It was an offer I couldn’t refuse.
While I was on tour with Justin Bieber, I would make beats before the show. Bieber would come into the dancers’ green room and peep what I was cooking up. We started to build a solid friendship around those interactions and soon started to send him beats via email. We were somewhere in Europe at a private dinner Bieber hosted and somehow the night ended up where I was playing beats on aux for the rest of the night. Those token moments were like stepping stones for me.
After the Purpose World Tour I decided to pursue music not only as a music producer, but as an artist. I’ve done countless shows in LA and recently did a sold out West Coast Tour with Jordan Ward. Being an independent artist/producer has been an upward hill. The trials and tribulations have always taken me to a fork in the road. One path signifies a loop and the other is a path to the unknown. My rebellious/daring personality kept me on the “right” path of pursuing my dreams because I always chose to step into the unknown.
There have always been obstacles on this road, but honestly if you can go through the struggle and get to the other side, that’s where you can find what you’re looking for. Number one struggle I go through is all mental. I had plenty of moments of wanting to give up which led me to questioning if I even like music at all. I realized that I had to create better habits of thinking in order to paradigm shift my reality. I started to tend to my spiritual side more often, started journaling and paid attention to what I can control. I figured it all boils down to discipline. Holding yourself accountable to action and then deciding how you are going to feel about it.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a Filipino-American artist/producer/creative.
I am a producer for hip-hop/R&B/neo-soul artists.
I’m known for my unique sound.
What sets me apart from others is attention to detail and self discipline.
I’ve been getting myself back into touch with my roots. Going back home to Sacramento more often to be around my family and familiar faces. Being the only one away from home has allowed me to grow as an individual. Now that I’ve matured in my industry, I’m finding ways to bring it back home. I’m most proud of myself for handling stress better than I used to 5 years ago. I know I’ve grown because I’ve opened myself up to seeing that it is an opportunity to grow. Even though the same scars and trauma surface, my approach in decisions makes me who I am today. This life skill has helped me in all of my creative endeavors.
My newest single “RIP OLD ME” is a reflection of my current growth. I’ve been persistent on creating my best body of work under the album title “WHOLE TIME”. The title itself means I’ve had what it takes to be the person I’ve envisioned to be since I was a kid. I’m constantly taking risks and flipping variables into wins. There will be times I will get knocked down, but that’s all tests to make me stronger. A warrior’s mentality is embedded in my DNA. All the experience helped me maintain while pushing through injuries and heartbreaking moments.
Do you have any advice for those looking to network or find a mentor?
My advice for finding a mentor or networking in general is to simply put yourself out there and connect with people. Use your moral compass and follow your gut feeling. Prepare yourself daily mentally and physically so you can attract your tribe. What worked well for me was being myself, but also I also paid attention to my weaknesses so that I can create better habits around it.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://RUAREYOU.com
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/ru_areyou
- Facebook: http://facebook.com/ru_areyou
- Twitter: http://twitter.com/ru_areyou
- Youtube: http://youtube.com/ruareyou
- Soundcloud: http://soundcloud.com/ru_areyou
- Other: http://tiktok.com/ru__areyou
Image Credits
Jssra, Shotbykyle, Darrin Bush, Jonathan Ochoa
