Rye Rye

Rye Rye

Rye Rye is the stage name of Ryeisha Berrain, a rapper from Baltimore, Maryland. She begins performing at the age of 16 and works in hip-hop, rap and electronic-influenced music. Her songs and collaborations include material with Blaqstarr, a friend of her sister’s, as well as work with Diplo, Zakee, M.I.A., Afrikan Boy, The Count and Sinden, and Busy Signal.

Early work and collaborations

Rye Rye meets Blaqstarr through her sister and works with him on her early material. She later meets M.I.A. in a studio after M.I.A. hears one of her songs, which leads to further collaboration. She also tours with M.I.A. during late 2007 and early 2008, and briefly with Afrikan Boy. Rye Rye appears with Afrikan Boy on a remix of M.I.A.'s "Paper Planes", which is included on the Paper Planes - Homeland Security Remixes EP. She also appears on M.I.A.'s remix of Busy Signal's "Tic Toc".

Recordings and releases

Rye Rye works with Diplo on "Wassup Wassup" and other tracks including "Gangsta Girl", "Hardcore Girls" with The Count and Sinden, and "Reasons". "Hardcore Girls" appears on The Count and Sinden's Hardcore Girls EP on Domino Records. Her song "Shake It To The Ground" is made available for download on iTunes, and she also makes a music video for it.

N.E.E.T. and Go! Pop! Bang!

In 2008, Rye Rye becomes the first artist signed to M.I.A.'s N.E.E.T. label, an imprint of Interscope Records. Her debut album, Go! Pop! Bang!, is planned for release after delays linked to her pregnancy. She describes her sound as "unique, hard-hitting, anything thrown I can handle it."