R.A.P. Ferreira facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
R.A.P. Ferreira
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Ferreira performing in San Antonio, Texas in November 2018
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Rory Allen Philip Ferreira |
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| Born | February 3, 1992 Chicago, Illinois, U.S. |
| Origin | Kenosha, Wisconsin, U.S. |
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| Occupation(s) | |
| Instruments | Vocals |
| Years active | 2010-present |
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Rory Allen Philip Ferreira (born February 3, 1992), known by his stage name R.A.P. Ferreira, is an American rapper, poet, and producer. He was also known as Milo and Scallops Hotel. He is from Kenosha, Wisconsin.
Ferreira became popular after releasing his first two projects, I Wish My Brother Rob Was Here and Milo Takes Baths. Other rappers like Busdriver and Open Mike Eagle noticed him. He later went on his first tour with them and joined their record label, Hellfyre Club. After facing challenges with his first studio album, Ferreira started his own record label, Ruby Yacht. He runs this label from his record store, Soulfolks Records, in Nashville, Tennessee.
Early Life and Education
Ferreira was born in Chicago, Illinois, on February 3, 1992. His parents divorced when he was very young. His mother moved to Saco, Maine, where he spent most of his childhood.
He discovered hip hop when his uncle, a battle rapper named NIZM, showed him music by Nas. As a teenager, Ferreira moved with his father to Kenosha, Wisconsin. He enjoyed theatre in school and spent a lot of time practicing hip hop. He often used online forums to connect with friends. By the time he started college, Ferreira had attended 13 different schools.
He began rapping as part of a hip-hop trio called Nom de Rap in Kenosha. After high school, he studied philosophy at St. Norbert College in De Pere, Wisconsin. He tries to include ideas from philosophy in his song lyrics.
Ferreira has shared different stories about how he chose the name Milo. Sometimes he said he picked it at age 16, inspired by a character in the book The Phantom Tollbooth. Other times, he said Milo stands for "maybe i like owls," linking back to his first rap name, "wise owl, himself."
Musical Journey
In 2010, Ferreira's group Nom de Rap released their first mixtape, Greatest Hits Vol. 1.
Early Solo Projects
Ferreira released his first solo mixtape, I Wish My Brother Rob Was Here, in 2011 under the name Milo. He recorded it in his bedroom. The mixtape's title is a nod to Del the Funky Homosapien's I Wish My Brother George Was Here and also honors his friend Robert Espinosa, who had passed away. Forbes magazine noticed this mixtape.
Milo Takes Baths came out on February 2, 2012. This project was more polished than his first mixtape. He spent more time on it and tried to move away from the "nerdcore" style he had started with. Forbes also praised this EP.
In January 2013, Ferreira released two EPs: Things That Happen at Day and Things That Happen at Night. One of his songs, "Kenosha, WI," was even published in a journal called Postmodern Culture in 2012.
Joining Hellfyre Club
After these releases, Ferreira caught the attention of rapper Nocando and his label Hellfyre Club. This label included his role models, Busdriver and Open Mike Eagle. Ferreira had been talking with Busdriver and Eagle since 2012. They told Nocando about him when Ferreira was thinking about quitting rap. He then signed with Hellfyre Club and went on his first tour, visiting 25 cities.
The Cavalcade mixtape followed in July 2013. In November 2013, he appeared on Hellfyre Club's album Dorner vs. Tookie. He also released Poplar Grove (or How to Rap with a Hammer) under the name Scallops Hotel in November 2013. In June 2014, Ferreira moved to Los Angeles to be closer to his label and friends. They started a "Moving to LA" tour, which began in St. Louis and ended in Sacramento.
Starting Ruby Yacht
His first studio album, A Toothpaste Suburb, was released through Hellfyre Club on September 23, 2014. Ferreira left Hellfyre Club soon after. He was not happy with how his album was released and said he didn't get paid from the pre-orders.
After leaving Hellfyre Club, Ferreira decided to start his own record label, Ruby Yacht. The name comes from the Persian word "rubaiyat," which means a collection of poems. He explained that he didn't have other options because no major labels wanted to invest in his art, only his listeners did.
Ferreira stayed in Los Angeles for a while, living in a storage shed with his friend Safari Al. They recorded an EP called (Boyle) and Piles, which they released on December 17, 2015, as Red Wall. They used the money from sales to move to Oakland, then quickly moved back to Milwaukee. This was mainly because Milwaukee was cheaper, and Los Angeles had "broken his spirit."
His second album, So the Flies Don't Come, was released on September 25, 2015. Kenny Segal produced the entire album. After this album, Ferreira went on his first tour as the main performer. The album was listed among the best of the year by magazines like Rolling Stone and Spin.
Later Albums and Name Change
In 2017, Ferreira announced his third studio album, Who Told You to Think??!!?!?!. Rolling Stone called it one of the most anticipated albums of 2017. It was released on August 11, 2017, through his Ruby Yacht label. Pitchfork ranked it among the top rap albums of 2017.
His fourth studio album, Budding Ornithologists Are Weary of Tired Analogies, came out on September 21, 2018. On October 1, 2018, Ferreira announced that this would be his last rap album as Milo. That same year, he also released a collaborative album with rapper Elucid, called Nostrum Grocers, under the group name Nostrum Grocers.
On May 31, 2019, he released the song "Respectdue" under his new stage name, R.A.P. Ferreira. His first studio album as R.A.P. Ferreira, Purple Moonlight Pages, was released on March 6, 2020. Pitchfork praised the album. Ferreira planned a tour for this album, but it was canceled on March 13, 2020, because of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Ruby Yacht Label
Ferreira started his record label, Ruby Yacht (also known as RBYT), in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He named it after the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam and his grandmother. Ferreira fully owns and funds Ruby Yacht himself.
For a time, Ruby Yacht operated from Ferreira's record store, Soulfolks Records, in Biddeford, Maine, which opened in April 2018. The store sold cassettes, vinyl, and CDs, mainly focusing on independent rap music. It was the only record store in Biddeford, Maine, at the time.
Two other artists are signed to Ruby Yacht: Ferreira's childhood friend Safari Al and producer Kenny Segal. Ferreira has not signed many other artists.
Personal Life
Ferreira is mostly a vegetarian, but sometimes eats meat. He currently lives in Nashville, Tennessee. He moved to Los Angeles in 2014 to be closer to his label, Hellfyre Club. After the label ended, he moved back to Wisconsin, then decided to live in Maine. He said he liked Maine because it was "far away from everything" and gave him space. He also mentioned that his marriage and his wife's pregnancy were big reasons for moving to Maine.
Ferreira studied philosophy at St. Norbert College. He left college after moving to Los Angeles.
Ferreira got married in 2016. In July 2017, he announced that he had a son, born in December 2016. Ferreira's divorce was finalized in 2021.
Discography
Studio Albums as Milo
- A Toothpaste Suburb (2014)
- So the Flies Don't Come (2015)
- Who Told You to Think??!!?!?!?! (2017)
- Budding Ornithologists Are Weary of Tired Analogies (2018)
Studio Albums as R.A.P. Ferreira
- Purple Moonlight Pages (2020)
- the Light Emitting Diamond Cutter Scriptures (2021)
- 5 to the Eye with Stars (2022)
- OUTSTANDING UNDERSTANDING (2024)
Collaborative Studio Albums
- Nostrum Grocers (2018) (with Elucid, as Nostrum Grocers)
- Bob's Son: R.A.P. Ferreira in the Garden Level Cafe of the Scallops Hotel (2021) (as R.A.P. Ferreira & Scallops Hotel)
- WHAT THEM DOGS DON'T KNOW THEY KNOW (2023) (with AJ Suede, as G's Us)
- the First Fist to Make Contact When We Dap (2024) (as R.A.P. Ferreira & Fumitake Tamura)
Mixtapes
- Greatest Hits Vol. 1 (2010) (with Nicholas J and AD the Architect, as Nom de Rap)
- I Wish My Brother Rob Was Here (2011)
- Milo Takes Baths (2012)
- Cavalcade (2013)
- Plain Speaking (2015) (as Scallops Hotel)
- Too Much of Life Is Mood (2016) (as Scallops Hotel)
- Over the Carnage Rose a Voice Prophetic (2017) (as Scallops Hotel)
- Sovereign Nose of (Y)our Arrogant Face (2018) (as Scallops Hotel)
- The Truly Ancient and Original Lefthanded Styles of the Hoodwinkers and Penny Pinchers (2019)
- Safari Al Fortnites at the Scallops Hotel: The First Orange Tree Has Been Planted in my Room (2020) (with Safari Al, as Scallops Hotel)
- Lilac Diesel (2023)
- KEF 33 (Scallops Hotel Hosts a Reading of the Purple Moonlight Pages) (2023)
- Asiatique Black Wizard Lily Funk (2023)
EPs
- Things That Happen at Day (2013)
- Things That Happen at Night (2013)
- Poplar Grove (or How to Rap with a Hammer) (2013) (as Scallops Hotel)
- Boyle and Piles (2014) (with Safari Al, as Red Wall)
Singles
- "Organon" (2012)
- "A Persnickity Goblin's Hard Sigh" (2012)
- "Concerning the Dream Tigers I Have Seen (for Borges)" (2012)
- "The Elotes Man" (2013)
- "A Binary Abacus" (2013)
- "Shinsplints wind Breakr Pants" (2018)
- "Galahad in Goosedown (Fiat Iustitia Et Pereat Mundus)" (2018)
- "Respectdue" (2019) (as R.A.P. Ferreira)
- "Doldrums" (2020) (as R.A.P. Ferreira)
Guest Appearances
- Nicholas J - "Sound Advice" from Demolition Mixtape (2010)
- Open Mike Eagle - "Boss Fight" from Rent Party Extension (2012)
- Mantras - "Villain" from Easy, Hogarth (2013)
- Nedarb Nagrom - "Weirdos" from Warm Lettuce (2013)
- The Wilde - "Greatest Fear" from Urban Alien Nation (2013)
- Tera Melos - "Snake Lake (Busdriver Remix)" from X'ed Out Remixes (2013)
- Anderson Paak - "Heart of Gold (Chain)" from Cover Art (2013)
- Kool A.D. - "Pass the Milk" from Not O.K. (2013)
- Iglooghost - "Frenchopen" from Treetunnels (2014)
- WC Tank - "Reconsidering" from almost forever (2014)
- Busdriver - "King Cookie Faced (for Hellfyre) (Greyhat Remix)" (2014)
- Open Mike Eagle - "Trickeration" from A Special Episode Of (2015)
- Prefuse 73 - "140 Jabs Interlude" from Rivington Não Rio (2015)
- Kiings - "Garden" from Wwydf (2015)
- Botany - "Au Revoir" and "No Translator" from Dimming Awe, the Light Is Raw (2015)
- Busdriver - "Worlds to Run" from Thumbs (2015)
- Elos - "Not the Best" from Limit Break (2016)
- Willie Green - "The Mental Wizard" from Doc Savage (2016)
- Q The Sun - "On the Way to Something Else" (2016)
- R. Bravery - "One-Hundred Black Kites" from Hamaon (2016) (as Scallops Hotel)
- Blu & Fate - "Oblivia" from Open Your Optics to Optimism (2016)
- Sixo - "Random Awakening" from The Odds of Free Will (2017)
- Armand Hammer - "Dead Cars" from Shrines (2020)
- Open Mike Eagle - "Multi-Game Arcade Cabinet" from Component System with the Auto Reverse (2022)
- Pink Navel & Kenny Segal - "Solving Combat" from How to Capture Playful (2023)
- Celestaphone - "Gravid Patch" from Paper Cut From the Obit (2023)
Compilation Appearances
- "All Pastel Everything" and "Manchester" from Dorner vs. Tookie (2013)
- "You Are Safe Now" from Mandala Vol. 1, Polysonic Flows (2014)
- "1 of Mine" and "Building Gray" from Catcher of the Fade (2015)
- "Milo Speaks" from Arte Para Todos 2016 (2016)
