“At the end of the day, every artist is wearing a mask,” he tells EW.
“I’m just a mirror for them.”
He is, however, confident in his own talent.
Credit: Mark Peaced
“I’m destined for the next level.”
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: How much planning went into the Rascal launch?
RMR:I wouldn’t say a lot.
Everything just kind of came spur of the moment.
I called somebody, and then the next week we went ahead and did it.
I wrote the record in 15 minutes.
What was it like to see it go viral so quickly?
It’s still moving fast.
A lot of people around me are telling me I’m moving a lot faster than most new artists.
After its success, did you have other songs ready to go?
Are they on the new EPDrug Dealing Is a Lost Art?
I get the melody down first.
So most of the records on the EP came afterward.
It was just one record before the [Rascal] video came out that was barely done.
Now Im working with, like, 50 records.
So your process prepared you to knock out more songs quickly, regardless of how big Rascal got?
I might do a whole opera.
Who are your musical influences?
Kanye, Drake, Michael Jackson is a really big influence.
There’s such a wide range with music.
Good music is good music.
A lot influences me.
Keith Urban, Rascal Flatts influenced me.
[Rascal Flatts singer] Gary LeVox is still influencing me.
Do you exert a lot of creative control over things like your music videos or your style?
I give a shot to be part of as much of the creative process as possible.
I’m going to be the one that makes a mistake.
You mentioned Timbaland earlier.
What was it like working with him?
Tim’s like an uncle.
Sometimes when he puts something down, it’s like an adrenaline rush.
I wanted to knock out 16 records with him.
We only knocked out three, but next time we’re in the studio together he promised 16.
It’s great working with him because I love to set that high standard working with such a legend.
I learned a lot of things from him.
When I’m working with somebody like that, it’s a serious thing.
I go in there and I’m throwing punches the entire time.
I got my gloves on.
Why the choice to be anonymous?
At the end of the day, every artist is wearing a mask.
Even a lot of individuals in their normal day are wearing a mask.
Im just a mirror for them.
It’s an extended part of the art.
Yes, it is.
Is RMR an acronym?
Howd you come up with the name and pronunciation?
It’s exactly what you just said it’s Rumor.
I know people are always going to have preconceived notions.
There’s always going to be rumors out there.
Speaking of rumors, will you say how old you are?
When did you first hear the video?
When it came out in February.
Okay, that’s how old I am.
A version of this story appears in the June 2020 issue ofEntertainment Weekly, which you canbuy here now.
