Video: Ripp Flamez – “Learning”

Cleveland’s Ripp Flamez Learns From Tragedy in Mass Appeal Premiered Video

08.23.2016

The Song:

Cleveland is not an easy place to be from and hometown hero Ripp Flamez knows that just as well as anyone. Asked what was the most important lesson he’s learned from living in Cleveland, Ripp responds, “How valuable time is. I have friends who I wish were still here, who are either dead or in jail and I wish I could spend time with them again.” Premiered today by Mass Appeal, his video for “Learning,” a track from his most recent album DayOne Forever, follows Ripp through the Cleveland night as he sings about the tragedies he has faced, stopping in a bodega and a graveyard. “Songs like ‘Learning’ tend to get overlooked so it’s important to me to highlight that song and others like it that are a part of my life story,” Ripp explained when asked why it was important to him to make this video. The video also shows a group of children dancing, which Ripp explains, “The kids represent us as kids living through and around all the tragic events and being able to make light of it, to be able to dance and smile through all of it. I guess it symbolizes growth and being able to adapt.“

Ripp has become known for his trademark ability to combine suave R&B melodies with streetwise hip-hop lyrics, perfectly matching the mood of this track’s somber, slow-riding, bass-heavy beat. This style allows him to address the solemn topic of the gun violence that plagues Cleveland, capturing the tragedy with both his melody and lyrics. Ripp spoke about the environment and attitude in Cleveland, saying, “Gun violence is the result of feeling unsafe. It’s become a necessary evil because no one feels safe. So many people are willing to take your life over a pair of shoes or a couple dollars because no one values human life, so you have to protect yourself by any means. If people showed more love, we could get rid of that mentality.”

Earning over 285,000 SoundCloud plays on single “Wavez,” Ripp Flamez is Cleveland’s formidable entry into the Bryson Tiller/PartyNextDoor school of Rap&B. In 2015 he won Best New Artist at the Ohio Hip-Hop Awards. Leading up to the release of DayOne Forever, the Wave God dropped “Your Way,” a romantic, for-the-ladies ballad with twinkling piano, plaintive electric guitar, and finger snaps via G Styles. “Your Way” followed The FADER‘s premiere of the menacing and dramatic “Shine Light,” as well as the “LeBron Flamez” single, which debuted via Complex. DJ Steph Floss featured Ripp’s song “Break The Bank“ on his recent mixtape, I Feel Like Clue. “Some artists may have content and substance and others may just have melodies, rhythm, and good production,” Ripp Flamez says. “I have both, along with a unique voice and an organic fan base.”

Watch “Learning”: https://youtu.be/bG34ORynWyo

Check out the Mass Appeal Premiere: http://massappeal.com/premiere-ripp-flamez-learning-video/

Buy DayOne Forever on iTunes: https://itunes.apple.co

Please contact Michelle or Dharmic for more info.

Ripp Flamez Background:

Born in the Garden Valley Projects, one of Cleveland’s roughest areas, Ripp Flamez found himself alone after his father died and his brother got locked up. Flamez channels his struggle and brings his experience to life through his rhymes. “There’s a lot of different talent in the city with a lot of genuine support,” explains Ripp Flamez. “I found my sound in the midst of all that; so did Kid Cudi and Bone Thugs-N-Harmony, two of the artists I look up to most… It’s a tough city and you have to earn your support, you have to show what you really about.” Named “Best New Artist” at the 2015 Ohio Hip-Hop Awards, Ripp Flamez released DayOne Forever in July 2016, garnering acclaim, with highlight track “Lebron Flamez” earning a spot on Spotify‘s Most Necessary playlist.