MoRuf "Life is Beautiful"

Photo by Nancy Musinguzi

I first heard MoRuf's music in 2012. I don't know who put me on to Euphoria (with Iman Omari), but God bless that person because it was a sound I needed to hear at that time. After releasing Shades.Of.Moo in November 2013, MoRuf's been staying a little low. I hit up MoRuf to find out how life's been going, his growth in the past three years, and what he has in store for us. Get into it:

How’s life treating you right now? Is everything crazy? Is everything cool?

Life is beautiful. Straight up. I can’t complain. I graduated two years ago, and yo life is really nice man. I kind of feel like I’m in my second childhood, and I’m just excited for what’s to come. I’m just really in an optimistic place. I’m an optimistic individual, but life is really beautiful. It’s weird, it’s odd, I do know what’s next, but I don’t. But it’s still pretty fucking amazing, and I’m really excited for what’s next. I’m just excited for the growth. From the music, to the brand L.O.E, Love Over Everything, to whatever God places in my path. I’m just really in a great place spiritually, mentally, and physically.

What’s your favorite song right now?

My favorite song right now is Breathing Underwater by Hiatus Kaiyote. I just listened to their latest album. Amazing. Beautiful. Sheesh. That shit is so tight, and Breathing Underwater is my go to song for when I wake up, or on the Path train, or even at the gym. It’s just the musicality level from the live band, and Nai Palm's sound vocally is just amazing. It’s fresh sounds.

I first heard about you when you put out Euphoria with Iman Omari like three years ago. The Path is still one of my favorite songs. I want to know how much you think you’ve grown as an artist since then? I also think that you and Iman Omari should do another tape together. It’s just a suggestion, but do you think that’s a good idea?

Since 2012, I really feel like I’ve grown a lot. That was two years after my pops passed. That was the year after I dropped my first project Ready to Live, and that was the year in which I dropped Euphoria. Iman and I met each other through his manager/girlfriend, Jade who’s from Jersey, and Iman was coming from Cali. He was asking her, “Who’s hot in Jersey?” and Jade said, “This cat named MoRuf, he’s kind of lit.” Iman and I met, and during 2012, I was still in the process of creating Shades [of Moo], and I’m thinking, “I could probably fuck with this guy named Iman.” 

The first night we met we made two songs, and I’m like damn. This sound was not what I wanted for Shades, and it wasn’t something I couldn't put my finger on, but I fucked with it. The second night we made two more, and I’m thinking, “Yo, it just makes sense.” 

But to answer your question, [laughs] how much have I grown from 2012? A lot.  A lot of shit has happened. I graduated from college, been through some shit from a relationship that I’m still in, and in general just growing as an individual. I’ve grown musically in terms of what I want to put out as an artist, and what I want to put out as an individual. In 2012, I was still in this mindset where I’m like, “I want to put out these bars!” Now, I’m at a point where I really feel like God put me in this world to create music, spread vibes, and spread love. I’m doing that through music, and I’m doing that through my brand L.O.E, Love Over Everything. That’s something in which I’m just not posting on Twitter or Instagram, or any social mediums just to be cool, or just to start some shit. This is what I really believe in, love over everything, and that’s the energy I’m trying to put out within my music, and within my community. I grew up in Irvington, New Jersey, and it’s kind of lit out here. It’s not a lot of niggas who come back out here to help the youth, so that’s my goal: to really help others through my music, and through the power I have on my level. To spread love. 

And yes, my bro Iman just moved back to Newark. He was in New Orleans for some time, but Euphoria 2 is actually fucking happening. I actually just recorded a verse for Euphoria 2. I’m not sure if it’s dropping this year. Who knows? Probably. Hey, it could drop tomorrow. I could be lying, you feel me. But Euphoria 2 is actually happening.

Photo by Nancy Musingzi

On your most recent project Shades.Of.Moo, which is very smooth by the way, I heard some real Mos Def, Black On Both Sides type influences. Soulhop was the song I really heard it in, and was thinking, “Yo, this shit is fire.” Would you say that that’s the sound that you’re trying to bring back? Please, say yes because that’d be awesome.

Soulhop was the energy for Shades. My first project, Ready to Live, was more so bars. Like, I got bars nigga. I’m trying to get signed tomorrow. Euphoria was more so me experimenting, and Shades, I already knew I could rap, and I already knew people knew I could rap. So, with Shades, I wanted you to be able to feel it. Soulhop was like soulful music, but with a mix of hip-hop.
That’s always embedded within my music. Soulhop was a free-spirited, not so calculated MoRuf type vibration. I can tell you with my new music, you can feel it in your soul! I’m not making shit to be cool, or shit to be on these blogs. I’m making shit to be a fucking artist, and that’s what a lot of cats not really doing. Niggas want to be trendy. Niggas want to be cool. Niggas want to get that look. Niggas want to get a retweet. Fuck that, because that shit gets old really quick. That shit is pointless. I’m here for the art. I’m here for the love. I’m here for painting my picture of I what I think it should sound like.

Do you have any proud moments that’s happened to you since the year began that you’d like to share?

One of my proudest moments since this year started to keep it 100 with you would probably be answering the phone for Sallie Mae. If you don’t know, Sallie Mae is the loan company who attacks you after you graduate from college. Since I graduated in 2013, I’ve been dodging them, swiftly. I recently picked up the phone for them, and I had a great convo with them, and I feel great. You probably weren’t expecting that, but that’s one of my proudest moments. Taking that burden off my chest, and building that process of how I’m going to pay these couple of thousands back for this thing called college that I went through. That was kind of cool. 

Also, another one of my proudest moments is just bossing up. I don’t want to give too much, but I guess you’ll see it in the upcoming weeks. Just not depending on other people for my destiny, and bossing the fuck up. That’s what I’ve done, and I’m really proud of myself. Not waiting for anyboy. DIY. Doing it yourself. Me really bossing up on a couple of things, and I’m really excited for what’s to come.

Do you have anything in store for your listeners in the upcoming months?

More MoRuf music. My bro Melo-X and I have been working on this project off and on for the past year or two. He’s been busy, I’ve been busy, but we’re working on this project, and Lord willing it shall be out very, very, very soon. So, that project, L.O.E merch, and just really flourishing within the business as an artist. Just not trying to be some rapping ass nigga. Just really flexing my degree on niggas. The next couple of months are just going to be really beautiful and exciting, and I’m really excited. My objection is not to be the motherfucking trendiest nigga. Trends get old. That cool shit cools down. I’m here to be MoRuf. I’m here to be the best me, and I’m just really excited to display that to the people. 

Now, lastly, I know you’re Nigerian, so what’s your full name, what’s your tribe, and do you know what your name means? I know a lot of Nigerians, especially the ones that are in America don’t know what their names mean, and that kind of breaks my heart because my parents beat it in my head. So, I want to know if it’s the same or not, for you.

Yes, I am Nigerian. All day. Green, white, green ya heard! My full name is Moruf Adewunmi, and Moruf means compassionate in Arabic. My father was Muslim, and he passed in 2010. Rest in peace kid. My mom is Christian. So, it’s Moruf Adedayo Adewunmi. I’m a pretty compassionate person. I’m really empathetic. I like to put myself in people’s shoes. I’m just a lover. That’s who I am in general. And I’m definitely Yoruba. 

If you don't already, make sure to follow MoRuf on Instagram, Twitter, and Soundcloud to stay updated on his music and his brand Love Over Everything.

Stay Beautiful.