Ronny J is one of the key architects of the distorted, speaker-shattering sound that has dominated the internet for the past couple years, and now the Miami-based producer is stepping out from the shadows with his debut album, OMGRonny. The record features frequent collaborators like Ski Mask the Slump God, Denzel Curry, Wifisfuneral, and Smokepurpp, and was preceded by the single “Thriller (Forever)” with Ski Mask.
OMGRonny continues the trend of young producers putting out their own projects, something that artists like Metro Boomin, Southside, and Sonny Digital have all done recently. Producer Cam O’Bi is prepping his debut album as well, and much like Ronny is rapping in addition to handling production. Many producers nowadays have publicly complained about shady practices by labels relating to placement fees, so putting together an album seems like a logical way to guarantee a fair cut of revenue.
On “Thriller (Forever)” as well as solo singles like “Dripset,” Ronny shows flows that range from stark and staccato to more melodic (with some autotune assistance). He might not be quite as dexterous an MC as someone like Ski Mask, but he proves on OMGRonny that he’s a compelling rhymer in his own right.
In an interview with The Fader, Ronny revealed that he is currently working on music with Lil Xan, Swae Lee, and Travis Scott. He also talked about OMGRonny and how the focus of the project changed once he signed with Atlantic Records.
"Once I signed, it was like, OK Ronny, you might as well just introduce some of your own records on there as well. So, basically, what I did was I'm doing a couple of features then you'll also get songs from me, dolo. It's just an opportunity for people to see me as an artist, not just a producer. I bring so much more to the table - ideas, hooks, songs, all that shit,” he said. “I don't even really call myself a producer. I can paint, I used to want to be an architect, I'm an artist overall. But you can call me a producer for now."
Stream OMGRonny above, read Pigeons & Planes’ feature on how producers get paid in the streaming era, and watch our P&P Pro-Tips interview with DJ Burn One about starting your career behind the boards.
