Few can say they have held it down for Los Angeles independent and underground Hip-Hop like Abstract Rude. Ab’s humble beginnings in Hip-Hop, like so many other rap artists in the L.A. scene, can be traced directly to the early ’90s and the Good Life Cafe—the seminal hip-hop incubator that was rightfully memorialized in Ava DuVernay’s 2008 documentary, This Is the Life. His distinct voice and impeccable lyricism have kept him recording and touring around the globe since the mid-’90s, shortly after releasing the groundbreaking albums Mood Pieces and South Central Thynk Taynk as the frontman of his original group, Abstract Tribe Unique (ATU). In addition to his ATU roots, Ab began collaborating with legendary Freestyle Fellowship members Aceyalone (with whom he co-founded Project Blowed and A-Team) and Myka 9 (the trio later forming the jazzy hip-hop live band Haiku d’Etat). Furthermore, the 2000s saw Ab release multiple albums with two of the most successful independent hip-hop labels, Battle Axe Records and Rhymesayers Entertainment, before founding his own label, Keep The Feel Entertainment, in 2015. Since then, he has consistently delivered soulful hip-hop through various compilations and collaborative projects.

On his last effort, LA Basin EP (September 2022), “the one they call ‘Stract” returned to form with rising producer Cal-S-Thetics, crafting an ode to the city of his birth. Rude’s signature blend of melodic rapping and originality continues to shape and uplift the indie-ground culture of Los Angeles.

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