Rubi Rose: How the Curvy Rap Bombshell Used Beauty, Sex Appeal and a Deep Voice to Break Into Hip-Hop

 

Rubi Rose didn't enter the music business unnoticed. Before many fans had heard her rap a single bar, they had already noticed the gorgeous girl with the killer curves appearing alongside some of hip-hop's biggest stars.

Then Rubi grabbed the microphone.

Born October 2, 1997, in Lexington, Kentucky, Rubi Rose Benton is 29 years old, an American rapper, model and social-media personality, and a Libra.

Her background is as distinctive as her appearance. Rubi's mother is an Eritrean immigrant who was born in Ethiopia, while her father is of African-American and Japanese ancestry. She spent part of her childhood in Geneva, Switzerland, before eventually moving to Atlanta, the city that helped turn her toward hip-hop.

And Atlanta proved to be the perfect place for Rubi Rose to get noticed.

The Curvy Girl in “Bad and Boujee”

Before Rubi became known for her own music, millions of hip-hop fans had already seen her.

She appeared as one of the featured models in Migos' 2016 smash “Bad and Boujee.”

It was a perfect introduction.

Petite but spectacularly shapely, Rubi possesses a small-looking waist, full hips, thick thighs and a prominent backside, combined with a pretty face and glamorous fashion sense. Her figure made her a natural fit for hip-hop videos and social media.

But Rubi never intended to remain simply the beautiful woman standing next to the rappers.

She wanted to become one.

Beauty Opened the Door—“Big Mouth” Changed the Conversation

Rubi began recording music and made an early appearance on Playboi Carti's “On Top” before releasing the song that really changed her trajectory.

“Big Mouth” arrived in 2019.

The record showcased something her Instagram pictures couldn't: Rubi has an unusually deep, sultry rap voice.

That contrast became her musical trademark.

A petite, glamorous woman with a curvy model's figure opens her mouth—and this surprisingly deep, commanding voice comes out.

“Big Mouth” caught fire on TikTok and accumulated millions of streams and YouTube views. Labels took notice, and Rubi signed with Hitco Entertainment.

Suddenly, people who initially knew her for her looks had to acknowledge that she was seriously pursuing music.

From Video Vixen to XXL Freshman

Rubi continued releasing records including “Pretty MF,” “He in His Feelings” and “Hit Yo Dance,” featuring Yella Beezy and NLE Choppa.

Her debut mixtape, For the Streets, arrived in December 2020 and featured Future and PartyNextDoor.

That same year brought another enormous visibility boost.

Rubi appeared in Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion's “WAP” video, placing her alongside several of the most recognizable women in contemporary hip-hop.

Then came perhaps the biggest validation of her transition from model to rapper: XXL selected Rubi for its 2021 Freshman Class.

Rubi herself acknowledged why that mattered. She knew some people still regarded her primarily as an Instagram personality rather than a musician. The XXL freestyle and cypher gave her an opportunity to demonstrate that she actually wanted to rap.

Her distinctive voice helped separate her from the crowd.

Curves Are Still Part of the Rubi Rose Brand

Rubi never abandoned the sex appeal that helped get her noticed.

Why would she?

Her hourglass figure, thick legs, shapely backside and glamorous wardrobe remain major parts of her public image. She regularly mixes music promotion with revealing fashion, bikinis, body-hugging dresses and glamorous photoshoots.

The difference is that the curves became one component of a larger brand.

Rubi understood something female hip-hop stars from Lil' Kim to Nicki Minaj and Cardi B had demonstrated before her: music, fashion, personality, sexuality and visual presentation can all reinforce one another.

And those women influenced her.

Rubi has specifically named Nicki Minaj and Cardi B among her musical inspirations, alongside artists including Prince, Michael Jackson, Biggie, Marvin Gaye and Chaka Khan. She has also cited Foxy Brown among her influences.

Sports, Food, Nature—and Music

There's more behind Rubi's glamorous image than posing for photographs.

Growing up, she was heavily involved in sports, including cheerleading and track. She has spoken about enjoying food, nature and quiet downtime at home, while music became increasingly important after her move to Atlanta.

She also attended Georgia State University, where she studied politics and briefly tried DJing before fully committing herself to recording.

Rubi has said that she records constantly and works with different producers while developing her sound.

From Instagram Famous to Rap Famous

Perhaps the most interesting part of Rubi Rose's career is that she has never pretended her appearance didn't help.

It obviously did.

She's beautiful. She's curvy. She's sexy. She photographs exceptionally well.

Those qualities helped Rubi build an audience, appear in major music videos and become recognizable before her recording career was fully established.

But appearance alone couldn't earn her an XXL Freshman spot.

Rubi's deep voice, sexually confident lyrics and willingness to keep recording allowed her to turn visual attention into a genuine music career.

Her official social accounts include Instagram @therubirose, TikTok @rubirose and X @RubixxRose.

And that's ultimately the Rubi Rose formula.

The curves got people looking. The modeling put her in the room. Social media gave her an audience. But Rubi Rose picked up the microphone and turned all that attention into a career of her own.