Made In New Orleans: How $uicideboy$ built an underground hip-hop empire

$uicideboy$ know how to create a cult fanbase. Thanks to the accessibility of social media and SoundCloud, the duo emerged in 2014 with a sound that brought them huge accolades. Their three full-length records have all debuted in the Billboard Top 10, while their curated Grey Day tours and collaborations have exposed the likes of Denzel Curry, Turnstile, City Morgue, Knocked Loose, and more to a wider fanbase.

Suicide boys are the highest streaming independent artists with 1.89b streams so far this year… $$$$

— SCHEME (@DJSCHEME_) October 18, 2022

Sitting at a staggering 10.5 million monthly Spotify listeners as of March 31st, 2023, they’re one of the most successful independent acts in genre of music – not just hip-hop. Much like BONES and other prominent rappers of the scene, the independent spirit is alive in whatever $uicideboy$ set out to accomplish. And for them, creating music is therapy for the things and events they’ve experienced over the years. It’s an interesting mix. And the lyrical topics aren’t exactly easy listening, either. Considering the duo’s name, you can probably (and accurately) surmise that they touch on mental health issues, drugs (neither do hard drugs anymore, though Ruby still smokes weed), and suicidal ideations with a variety of tempos and aggression levels. Much like those that came before (specifically Three Six Mafia, who they’re often compared to), they’ve also been accused of devil worship and Satanism. Yet, the music hits hard – especially with those who have any sort of mental health issues, addiction problems, and people generally undergoing trials in their lives.

What’s really interesting about $uicideboy$ is how well their dark sound connects with a wide variety of people. It’s this collective mentality, mined from the eras of Cash Money + No Limit Records, that inspired the duo. And that sense of collaboration and community extends to many facets of the duo, especially their Grey Day concert tours (the 2022 edition featured Knocked Loose, Code Orange, JPEGMAFIA, and many more). There’s also the fact that they’ve released collaborative work with the likes of Travis Barker, Korn guitarist Munky, and Chris Travis, making for a wide variety of themes present. Their record label, G*59 Records, which releases music by $uicideboy$ and a variety of other artists they believe in.

It can be hard to pigeonhole Scrim + Ruby, too. They have to be one of the more unique entities as far as falling just under the eye of the mainstream, despite being some of the most successful operating independent of any label. Part of their success is also due to the fact that they’re prolific as far as releasing music, with at least a single (or more) coming out seemingly at every turn, with their music’s shorter format (most songs are around the two-minute mark, albeit with plenty of exceptions) also keeping fans with a constant stream of new content at every turn.

There’s little doubt that $uicideboy$ are a successful lesson in growing your brand and providing fans with what they want, while also reeling in new ones by engaging different demographics. After all, that sense of community is what fuels many, many successful musicians (and artists in general), and it’s no different here. However, by not shying away from these different subjects and events and instead confronting them head-on, there’s no doubt they’ll continue to grow. And they don’t need a major label to do it, either.