Even though she hailed from a small hip hop scene in Richmond, Virginia, Ruin has established herself as a force to be reckoned with. Topping the Billboard 100 charts in 2005 in R&B and Hip-Hop, Ruin has proved she can hold her own in this male dominated industry. Currently promoting her new LP entitled “THE MOVEMENT,” featuring the hit singles “Southside Supastar” ft. lil boosie and “Ready 2 Party ft. Mc Lyte,” Ruin talks growing up in Richmond, being a female hip hop artist, and what’s next for this “Queen of the South.

M: What’s the meaning behind the title “The Movement” for your new LP?
R: The Movement is my representation of another dope female mc you must hear that worked hard and earned her position. How long do you think it will be before more females are heard on a mainstream level?! So each song tells a story about me and my team’s movement to overcome struggle, conquer, be heard, represent for women in hip hop, be successful and get money.

M: How does being a female in a male dominated industry influence your music?
R: It makes me work harder. It keeps me competitive plus it also gives me incite to what the game is missing from a female. It drives me more to push my music so people can hear the female side of things because it is not a lot of female rappers out to fully represent women as a whole.

M: What would you want people to know about you that they may not know?
R: That I’m an artist and I’m sensitive about my sh*t..lol…It may appear that I make music effortless but I second guess myself a lot.

M: What was it like growing up in Richmond, VA?
R: Growing up in Richmond was great, it is small so I was the only female mc on the scene for a while. I worked hard going to every open mic, battling MCs, promoting my music and parties to having songs on the radio and playing in the clubs. Now, understand Richmond hip hop scene is not that big and it’s not a big city interesting in breaking artists who are not signed to major labels. So I always say “If you can make it in Richmond, you can make it anywhere.” Now, I’m the Queen of Richmond even though I relocated to Atlanta. It was time to expand to a bigger market!

M: How does the Hip Hop Culture in the South differ?
R: I think it’s easier for artist to stay independent in the south. Outside of our music sounding different because of our accent and slang, the mixtape scene is larger giving artists bigger platforms to be heard. Not to mention we running the hip hop scene right now!

M: You started writing lyrics at a young age; did that change your life in any way?
R: I started writing when I was 12 so it introduced me to metaphors and learning new words so my rhymes wouldn’t be so repetitive. I became more in tune with my English classes so I could learn more words and their meanings as well as different styles of writing.

M: And did you decide to pursue music at that time or later down the road?
R: Yes, I decided to pursue music at that time. Everybody around me always said I was so good at it and gave me the confidence to really give it my all.

M: What advice would you give other female artists?
R: Work hard and stay consistent. They not making it easy for females in hip hop so you have to take every opportunity awarded to you.

M: What current artists do you enjoy?
R: I love Future and Drake. I also enjoy listening to Adele and Nicki Minaj.

M: Who would be your dream collaboration?
R: I dream about collaborating with Mc Lyte because she is my idol. But I would love to work with Future too.

M: What’s next on the horizon?
R: Dropping my mixtape entitled “Gettin 2 dat Money” hosted by HoodRich’s Swamp Izzo and shooting the video for my new single “Bodyguard” feat Stuey Rock

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