Rising Stars: Meet RuMeal of Ohio

Today we’d like to introduce you to RuMeal.

Hi RuMeal, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
I started out making music at an early age. I would record songs in my bedroom and hand out mixtapes around Columbus, Ohio, while performing at local bars and venues. On May 8, 2015, I released my first EP (Infinite) on digital streaming platforms (AppleMusic, Spotify, Tidal, etc.). I would work with some people in the music industry and film a music video for my song ‘Young and Free’ with a production team BLKDMNDS, which led me to move to Los Angeles, California in the summer of 2016. While in L.A., I gravitated towards my interest in video and photography. I then enrolled in The Los Angeles Film School and did a lot of freelance photography and videography work as I was earning my Associates of Science in Film Production in 2018. Around the beginning of 2020, I moved back to Columbus and did various freelance work during the pandemic. I stayed for a year before moving back to Los Angeles for job opportunities in film. I would work out there for a couple of years while also performing my music at small events around the city. In spring of 2023, I moved back to Columbus again and have been working as a freelance cinematographer while getting reacquainted with the music and entertainment scene around town.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It hasn’t been a smooth road, but it has been a very rewarding one. There’s always some kind of struggle but the only one that has stood out is the hardship of building a consistent team of individuals who believe in the bigger picture just as much as I do. With that struggle alone it’s taught me to wear many hats and play multiple roles in my journey.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I’m a hip-hop artist (writer, producer and audio engineer) and I’m also a cinematographer. I specialize in vocal recording and video production, but most people would know me for my music. What I’m most proud of is my willingness to learn and grow artistically. When it comes to music I like to look for inspiration outside of the norm. That helps me expand my creativity and it’s the same with my video production. I don’t like to stick to the status quo and get boxed in to one way of doing things, and I think that’s what sets me apart from others.

What were you like growing up?
I was pretty much a sports kid up until high school when I completely shifted into music. I always had an interest in music and would do it along side of sports but when I got to high school it became my main focus. I was some what of a studio head so I would go to friends houses who had recording equipment or I would find my way into some actual studios around town. As far as my personality, I kind of always been laid back, chill, a bit nonchalant and always been intrigued by things that might be deemed a little weird or different. That combined with my passion for music making me a slight music nerd.

Contact Info:

• Instagram: https://instagram.com/rumeal.reddot
• Youtube: https://youtube.com/RuMeal