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Local artist RJ Truettner has established himself as a key player in Flagstaff鈥檚 underground hip-hop scene, mingling boom bap beats with authentic storytelling. On March 28, Truettner is set to release an EP produced by Fang Over Fist Records entitled 鈥淚 Am OK,鈥� which offers social commentary and reflects on the artist鈥檚 personal experiences.

Growing up in Flagstaff, Truettner was introduced to hip-hop at a relatively young age. He said he was listening to Digital Underground and Run-DMC at 7 years old after being introduced to the music by his father.

As a kid, Truettner said, he spent hours downloading music on an old Verizon flip phone and by 2012 was making music of his own.

鈥淚 had a bunch of Tech N9ne songs on it when I was a little kid, and I just thought it was the coolest thing -- the ability to create rhythm with double time -- so that鈥檚 how I started making [music],鈥� Truettner said.

Since then, Truettner has released several singles, including 鈥淥pen Book,鈥� 鈥淣o Brakes鈥� and 鈥淣umb.鈥� The rapper has performed at many local venues, including The Hive, The Green Room (now Yucca North), The Orpheum Theater, Firecreek Coffee Co., Flagstaff Brewing Company and more. Truettner has even shared the stage with big-name hip-hop legends, KRS-One, Murs and OhGeesy, opening for their Flagstaff shows.

Truettner鈥檚 musical style adopts influences from classic hip-hop, alternative rock and boom bap. The artist鈥檚 distinctive voice is a testament to his personal experiences and meditations, as well as his label and producer Cecil Tso鈥檚 guidance. According to Truettner, the label operates as more of a music collective that empowers artists to make the music they want to, as opposed to making music with the motivation of generating more money.

鈥淪ay I record something with [Tso], and it鈥檚 below his standard, he鈥檇 be like, 鈥楳aybe rethink what you鈥檙e doing, or make something that has purpose as opposed to making something that鈥檚 just following the mold of what you would expect somebody who鈥檚 making hip-hop to make,鈥欌�� Truettner said.

With Tso鈥檚 support, Truettner created the upcoming EP 鈥淚 Am OK,鈥� which is set to release March 28.

On the album, Truettner provides social commentary to issues relevant to him and pulls from personal experience to communicate themes and emotion. Truettner says the title is a nod to those who say they鈥檙e OK when they really aren鈥檛.

鈥淚 wrote most of these songs at a low point over the past two years -- which, for context, I鈥檓 doing much better now,鈥� Truettner said. 鈥淚鈥檓 not saying these are basically relevant themes to what鈥檚 going on in my life now, but they were.鈥�

Truettner said 鈥淚 Am OK鈥� has been in the works since the end of 2022 or the beginning of 2023, and only one song off the EP has been released so far 鈥斅� 鈥淣umb.鈥�

鈥�'Numb' is a song that on the surface kind of sounds like it鈥檚 glorifying consumption 鈥� such as people drinking or consuming in excess 鈥� when in reality, I wrote it as a call for help, referencing my own overindulgence,鈥� Truettner said.

Another song on the EP is called 鈥淲hy?鈥� which Truettner said he wrote during a stint of depression a few years back.

鈥淚t鈥檚 based on the question of, 鈥榃hy do I feel so down when I know that this moment is temporary and there鈥檚 going to be a brighter day ahead?鈥欌�� Truettner said.

The track, 鈥淪ee Through鈥� was written to reflect on people, including Truettner, who sometimes wear a mask to pretend they are all right so as to not worry others, the artist said.

鈥淎t a certain point, others can clearly tell that you鈥檙e not doing OK, and underneath the surface, we鈥檙e just choosing not to share that struggle,鈥� Truettner said.

And a personal touch, 鈥淪ee Through鈥� features background vocals from Truettner鈥檚 wife.

The song 鈥淐ahuita鈥� also appears on 鈥淚 Am OK鈥� and references the days when "one just wants to disappear, be left alone and neglect responsibilities.鈥�

鈥淭he name 'Cahuita,' it鈥檚 not a word you鈥檇 probably ever hear out of this context; it鈥檚 the name of a small town in Costa Rica,鈥� Truettner said. 鈥淎 few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit [Cahuita], and it really gave me a positive outlook on life seeing how playful life is, seeing how people live there as opposed to here, where we just kind of clock in and live our life on autopilot.鈥�

With several local artists involved in its creation, 鈥淏eaver Street Cipher鈥� is another standout track. The song features all the members of Fang Over Fist Records, who are all Flagstaff locals, according to Truettner. The song nods to the skyrocketing cost of living in Flagstaff -- more specifically on Beaver Street itself -- as some of the contributing artists have lived on the street themselves.

鈥淏eaver Street Cipher鈥� discusses being priced out of Beaver Street, how the City of Flagstaff has changed over time, and the chorus discusses the abundance of local talent that can be found even in small towns.

鈥淔ar after I鈥檓 gone, there are people that are going to be living here making local music, and it鈥檚 still going to be of a quality that might not be recognized on a national scale. But those people that do that are going to be happy no matter what, because they can still have a positive reception and fill a venue and things like that,鈥� Truettner said. 鈥淚t might not make money, but that鈥檚 not necessarily what鈥檚 important to the people involved.鈥�

The final track is called 鈥淣ever Give Up.鈥�

鈥淚 would say that ['Never Give Up'] is the bigger song out of this whole project. It鈥檚 a song I wrote to myself as a reminder that no matter how tough things get, to never give in to depression and always move forward." he said

鈥淣ever Give Up鈥� features Jehry Robinson, a nationally recognized artist and creator of the record label Strange Music Inc.

Truettner said he and his wife have been fans of Jehry Robinson for a long time, enjoying that the artist's music had a thematic purpose rather than just showing off that he can rap.

鈥淚 stayed off social media for a very long time,鈥� Truettner said. 鈥淪o, when I joined Instagram like two years or so ago, my wife motivated me to reach out to [Robinson] because he has a lyric in one of his songs that says he will make an effort to respond to anybody that reaches out to him. Sure enough, he did respond to me, and that鈥檚 kind of how that collaboration came to be.鈥�

While a lot of the themes on 鈥淚 Am OK鈥� are heavy, Truettner said he writes songs in a way where they鈥檙e not depressing to listen to but instead have a more optimistic take on those serious topics.

鈥淚 Am OK鈥� is scheduled to be available on major music platforms on March 28. Listeners can stay up with Truettner by checking him out on social media @arizonense on Instagram and Facebook.