Nashville-based cult MC R.A.P. Ferreira has announced a new album inspired by a legal battle over custody of his child.
OUTSTANDING UNDERSTANDING arrives on December 20 via the artist's Ruby Yacht label, and as the artist born Rory Ferreira writes on Bandcamp, "i had to make this album to cope with living loss and anguish, to grapple with torture inflicted on my kids and me."
"i've been in a custody battle for about 12 months, around 7 months into that process my baby's mother launched a fund raising site making heinous lies about me to garner funding," Ferreira writes. "it was actually the first holiday i had visitation with my child so i was not anywhere near the internet that day. she raised 11,000$ before i was able to make a statement saying these allegations are false."
In July, Ferreira was accused of child abuse and sexual assault by former partner Chloe Stingley (who also calls herself Mekah). Ferreira responded days later, denying the claims and noting that Tennessee courts approved an emergency order removing the child from Stingley's care and placing her in Ferreira's custody.
Ferreira now writes on Bandcamp that he is the child's legal guardian, and that Stingley has visitation "for a few hours a month that includes being supervised by a therapist."
"as of december, i have been subject to two police investigations and several DCS cases, i have had around 5 orders of protection filed against me and my family in 3 states as well as a child abuse injunction," Ferreira continued. "every order of protection was dismissed at hearing and in the state where it was available, a judge awarded me lawyers fees. the child abuse injunction was thrown out of court within 15 minutes.
"not a single police investigation resulted in charges filed or arrests made. i fully cooperated with police and volunteered for both cases to go to the police headquarters and submit to questioning. i allowed police into my home to do wellness checks. DCS has visited my home several times and concluded i am a good, safe parent. no allegations made against me were substantiated in any way."
"Up-to-date mythology" is the first of the album's tracks to arrive, and you can find it in the player below alongside Ferreira's Bandcamp message.
OUTSTANDING UNDERSTANDING is the fruit of intense meditation and solitude. you will live your life according to your ideas, ideals, praxis and philosophies, you will maybe fall prey to ideology, you will escape through mythology. this will convince you of rightmindedness when truly these are mere trophies of experience, a collection. luggage.
"got n—s on his own team mad enough to blast him." - DOOM
at some point your zeal will be confusing to all. your boundlessness will become grotesque. some friends will whisper but always be smiling in your face.
i had to make this album to cope with living loss and anguish, to grapple with torture inflicted on my kids and me.
i've been in a custody battle for about 12 months, around 7 months into that process my baby's mother launched a fund raising site making heinous lies about me to garner funding. it was actually the first holiday i had visitation with my child so i was not anywhere near the internet that day. she raised 11,000$ before i was able to make a statement saying these allegations are false.
as of december, i have been subject to two police investigations and several DCS cases, i have had around 5 orders of protection filed against me and my family in 3 states as well as a child abuse injunction.
every order of protection was dismissed at hearing and in the state where it was available, a judge awarded me lawyers fees. the child abuse injunction was thrown out of court within 15 minutes.
not a single police investigation resulted in charges filed or arrests made. i fully cooperated with police and volunteered for both cases to go to the police headquarters and submit to questioning. i allowed police into my home to do wellness checks.
DCS has visited my home several times and concluded i am a good, safe parent.
no allegations made against me were substantiated in any way.
as of now, i am my child's legal custodian. her mother has visitation for a few hours a month that includes being supervised by a therapist. she was ordered to have a psychological evaluation due to erratic behaviors in court. the person who made these claims public, who jeopardized my child's safety by posting their name and face, claimed to need funding for attorneys. she often showed up to court with no attorney. the two attorneys she hired withdrew citing a lack of payment, despite her fundraising success, and she has had to have court appointed council several times as her behavior has changed the nature of our case at certain junctions.
when all of this came out in the shocking manner it did, i lost many friends. people i thought knew my character, people i thought would at minimum spare a phone call to find out for themselves what was up, immediately stopped speaking to me. they shunned any conversation. a total stranger making allegations without evidence was proof enough for them. despite being cleared through police investigations and court dismissals, in some circles i will always be a pariah.
other friends, really my family, wasted no time. they lifted me up. they cooked food and sent money, they called regularly to check in. they defended my name in spaces and rooms i wasn't privy to. they gave me beats. they helped me make my art. they made me laugh and gave me scripture to read. they kept watch to make sure my family was safe when the death threats poured in. all my children have always lived with me. my friends know that. they knew we needed help.
i have been a professional rapper since i was 19. for 13 years i have paid every bill, bought every grocery, and supplied every toy through my craft.
i watched what had been built through hard work and intuition crumble. an entire tour had to be canceled. my savings for buying farmland was completely ran through for the numerous lawyers i needed to hire due to the false filings my child's mother did in separate states. my record store had to close. three members of ruby yacht jumped ship.
it became best if i stayed in the house.
OUTSTANDING UNDERSTANDING is the fruit of intense meditation and solitude. all my children are home safe and my refridgerator is stocked plenty. the poet will always write a way.
an OUTSTANDING UNDERSTANDING is all one needs to level up. i'll catch y'all on that open trail again soon enough.
all glory due to the impeccable ruby yacht
forever and always
truly yours,
RF