Meet Rich Reddy: Hip hop/rap artist at UoY

Student JEEVAN REDDY and his RICH REDDY musical persona comes into focus as the artist talks to SCARLET SOMERVILLE about his dream to make it big. You may know him as the third year business management student at York, but did you know his upcoming album Guide has just dropped?

Jeevan rocks up to Fossgate, York’s Kiosk cafe in a loose, brown, boxy fit leather jacket, which he leaves unzipped (intentionally) as an ode to the Nirvana fanbase, showcasing the band’s iconic ‘Smiley tee’. Before coffee, we catch up on our summer activities. I am seated opposite him and he leans across the table to show me some pics he snapped of Japan using an emulator app on his iPhone called ‘Dazz Cam’ - he knows how to get a good shot! Touring Tokyo, Kyoto and the Shibuya Crossing was the linkup for Jeevan and his friends this year, and he reminisces on this event tenderly, telling me it was the first time he’d seen them in seven years.

I find out he’s a matcha kinda guy in the queue and feel equally as dismayed when the lady behind the counter informs him that they’ve run out…he goes for a hot chocolate instead - can’t go wrong. Then it’s down to business…so far I’ve seen fragments of this Rich Reddy persona through three minute recorded snippets of his unreleased material, but I was ready to speak to the man behind the music. 

“So when did it all start?” - a classic opening line. 

“I was five years old. My mum had me singing at church, I was in the choir. At fourteen, I started doing stuff on Soundcloud then at sixteen I began studying A level music tech at my sixth form college.” 

Jeevan began to tell me that in December 2022 he found a live, immersive setting for his art and left the small recording gadgets in the controlled space of his bedroom behind. He has Cody to thank for this who arranged his first ever gig. He pauses to take the first sip of his chocolatey beverage and smiles as he lifts the cup to his chin - as if to say now we’re getting to the good bit. 

Second year of Uni was a crucial networking period for Jeevan and he enlightens me on the risks he took, for example signing a housing contract to live with a group of strangers. This, however, proved to be a blessing as fate worked her magic and brought the bandmates together. “Now I had two musician friends and a drummer, it was like we were meant to find each other”. I sit back and melt into my chair - I love how fate works man. It was another reminder to just trust the process. 

“How did you find the periods when you lost contact with your band, like over the summer?” 

“This is when I got into doing solo stuff. I mixed and mastered in the house and worked on my own things but we never fully lost contact, like we’d keep in touch and would always trade hip hop instrumentals. We were still cooking”. 

“I’m glad to hear you were still cooking. Actually this sounds like a fruitful time for you then to really pursue your solo career! I mean that’s what you’re working hard on now right? The Rich Reddy album is on the way!” 

“Yes. Out of this came my first release called persevere…”

Jeevan doesn’t fall into the trap of cliches, his words are nuanced and well crafted: ‘it’s about how people perceive following their dreams’ - how and perceive being the key words. I get a lyric reveal:

‘I might be out of my mind’

Then in true Dissect Spotify Studios song analysis podcast fashion, he untangles the meaning of this phrase: he’s speaking to people about their dreams. “When you feel an urge to accomplish something you can’t ignore it”. I’m going to jump a few weeks ahead to when I attended Jeevan’s listening party for his new album - dropping on October 10th - and I asked him how long did it take to make this? He replied with “this album was three years in the making” and I totally got it. I could really tell from our interview that Jeevan has studied his art like he’s doing a major in it, there’s a deep history behind every lyric. 

“Every song has to sound like a hit”

This was the quote I double-lined in my notepad, and even circled too, I had to get it in, it was the thing that stuck with me. The idea that such a young musician is already adopting this perfectionist mindset is so motivating.

He does his research. “I’d listen to hits, you know like Thriller type of hit, so lots of MJ. I tried to understand what it is that made those songs work.” 

“There has to be a moment that anyone can relate to”

A lot of Jeevan’s artist philosophy is about trusting where you’re being taken. We shared a very relatable moment as musician and writer where we delved into the annoyance of having the words but not being able to write them down - whether they be song lyrics or an essay on a fourteenth century narrative poem. We just sat and accepted that not everything always falls into place when we want them to and he cites The Beatles as a source of inspiration when entering these stagnant times. 

“Remember when they were recording they didn’t know how to read or use sheet music.” 

This is a valuable lesson for all of us in life because we’re not always perfect but we can still be The Beatles.

If you haven’t yet listened to Rich Reddy he’s an amalgamation of hip hop, rock, pop and dance sounds who’s on the experimental stage working in phases - from aggressive deep cuts to radio friendly hits. He’s definitely got something going on. I was thrilled to receive an invite to his album premiere on Oct 7th and was mesmerised by the sounds. 

Quick Q&A then, fave artist?

Kanye…unfortunately.

Hit me with a rhetorical question!

If I waste an opportunity will I ever get it back?

If the upcoming album drop was an item of clothing what would it be?

A cosy sweater, something you could wear all the time, something that never goes out of fashion and you can always go back to. 

Side quest?

Fashion. When I’m creatively stuck in one area I can go to the other (my brand). 

Guide will be accessible via your Spotify search bar on Oct 10th. Cherie (my favourite track) has a Ken Carson type beat, but you’ve also got Energy Frequency which combines electronic noise and pop hooks. Similar to some of my top artists like Kofi Stone and Loyle Carner, he embodies ‘the poet’ and weaves a deeply reflective narrative on tracks like Radio and Persevere, both on Side B.

Get on that. Trust me you don’t want to miss out. 

At the listening party 7/10/25

Special note from Jeevan: 

“I’d like to thank God for how good he’s been to me, my family for how much they’ve supported me, all of my friends who’s pushed me to keep refining my craft, everyone who’s featured and worked on the album with me, including (but not limited to) my band mates, Charlie, Koushik, Isaac and Niko, some of my best friends in Alay and Cody and so many more.”

Photography credits: first image shot by Fin Fearn, second image shot by Ahmad Jones.