Ruda Real
| Ruda Real | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Kairuba Brown |
| Born | June 5, 1977 |
| Origin | New Orleans, Louisiana |
| Died | January 29, 2006 (aged 28) |
| Genres | Southern hip hop, R&B |
| Years active | 1994–2006 |
| Labels | Dynamite Records |
| Associated acts | Boyz II Men, Kane and Abel, Magic, Hot Boy Joe, Jae Crack |
"Ruda Real" (June 5, 1977 - January 29, 2006) was the stage name of Kairuba Brown, an American hip-hop soul singer
Brown was born and raised in New Orleans, Louisiana. He started singing very early in his life, and was performing professionally by his teens. In 1996, he attracted the attention of legendary R&B group, Boyz II Men, who wanted to sign him as the first act on their new label, Stonecreek Recordings. Brown turned down the deal, instead opting to try his hand at building his own record label, citing the low royalties a new artist receives as part of the reason. He eventually recorded and sold his material in the New Orleans underground (which also included artists such as Kane and Abel and 5th Ward Weebie, and started Master P), working with other underground artists such as Magic, building somewhat of a name for himself.
He is probably best known for the song Bounce Ya on My Pole, a sexually charged club song of late 1999. The low-budget video for the song featured a scantily clad fourteen-year-old model named Nichole. Teaming up with his younger brother, who lived in Flint, Michigan, he attempted to expand his popularity by first reaching out to the demographic in Flint that was New Orleans-bred, and ultimately the Detroit hip-hop scene (which produced such acts as D12, Eminem, and Kid Rock). Although his label, Dynamite Records (now defunct), was initially profitable, disputes and unprofessional behavior caused Jive Records to pass.
His popularity did not last, and after more touring he still failed to reach mainstream attention. Ruda Real was working on a new album in 2005 after numerous problems, including run-ins with the law, custody and financial problems; his whereabouts were uncertain for a time after Hurricane Katrina, however he turned up fine with his family in Texas.
On 29 January 2006, Brown was struck and killed by a car in Houston, Texas. He was about to embark on a tour to debut new songs.