On July 17, Billboard Magazine stated that over a decade into their career, New Orleans’ kings of dark-emo rap, $uicideboy$, have become one of the most successful, and lucrative independent acts in the industry.
Billboard’s July 19, 2025 cover story charts the rise of the duo (Scrim and Ruby da Cherry) from DIY hustlers mailing merch out of a post office to one of the most successful underground acts in hip-hop.
Built on a punk ethos and internet-savvy grind, they formed their label G*59 Records, which later struck an eight-figure deal with The Orchard, grossed over $50M on tour in 2024 and pulled in $30M from merch alone — all while largely bypassing mainstream radio, awards, or TikTok virality.
Their story is also one of survival: both members went through rehab between 2019 and 2020, forcing them to relearn how to make music sober and rebuild their lives and partnership. Now in their mid-30s, they’re more reflective about their influence on fans, aiming to “save 100,000 souls” through their music while staying true to their roots of raw honesty about depression, addiction, and pain.
Billboard writes: “On new album Thy Kingdom Come, $uicideboy$ won’t shy away from the dark subject matter that got them where they are now, but they’ve become far more thoughtful about how they go about it. Now in their mid-30s, Scrim and Ruby say they have witnessed the first signs of aging and mortality — the constant jumping around onstage isn’t as easy as it once was, Scrim laments — and life is different: Scrim’s married, Ruby’s in a serious relationship, they work out every day, and they’re more committed than ever to their work. “You know, it’s funny, because I spent most of my life wanting to kill myself,” Scrim says with a bemused look as he describes his current gym routine. “And now I’m terrified of dying.”
Despite arena-level success, they still embrace their outsider status — no Grammys, few industry accolades, and no plans to change their name despite suicide-related search blocks online. Their upcoming album Thy Kingdom Come (out Aug. 1, 2025) continues their dark, confessional storytelling as they navigate aging, recovery and purpose after years of chaos.
Read the full Billboard story on $uicideboy$ here.
