Grabba Ranks shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Grabba, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What do the first 90 minutes of your day look like?
My morning routine is pretty consistent. I usually wake up, brush my teeth, and get dressed. Then, I head to the gym for 30-60 minutes of exercise. After that, I walk back home, meditate, journal, and stretch to get ready for the day ahead. Having a morning routine has been super helpful for me. As a creative, I need something to keep me centered. I highly recommend that creatives and non-creatives try to implement a morning routine to stay stable.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Najée, but I go by Grabba Ranks as an artist and DJ. I’m a music producer, DJ, and creative based in New York City, and my brand is all about blending cultures, sounds, and energies to create something fresh and global. I pull from Miami bass, UK garage, baile funk, and house, and I love flipping familiar songs in unexpected ways to make people dance, smile, and connect.
What makes my brand unique is the balance of high energy and fun—my music doesn’t take itself too seriously, but it’s intentional, soulful, and rooted in community. I want people to feel joy and freedom when they hear my sets or press play on my tracks. Right now, I’m working on building out my catalog of originals while still putting out remixes that are moving through the DJ community. My goal is to not just be a DJ, but an artist who builds a lane of my own where dance floors around the world feel connected through rhythm.
Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
As a kid, I was always a dreamer, lost in my own world, pondering everything. Catholic school made me question the purpose of our existence. But through an existential crisis I delved into research and developed my own beliefs. One thing I always admired about myself was my quest for understanding why things were done a certain way. This curiosity shaped me into the person I am today, always seeking a different perspective.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
It’s not about the destination, but the journey. Just because you reach a goal doesn’t make you a better person or bring you happiness. It’s the hard work you put in every day that shapes you. And that’s reflected in your art too. When you have fun with what you do, the audience can tell the difference between someone who’s just doing something because they have to, and someone who genuinely enjoyed the process.
I think our readers would appreciate hearing more about your values and what you think matters in life and career, etc. So our next question is along those lines. Is the public version of you the real you?
I would say yes and no. I’ve always been able to show off my funny personality online and have gotten great receptions when I do, I even have a video on IG that has over 750k views. But while being funny and silly is part of my personality it’s not the full package with me. Recently I have been making a conscious effort to show more parts of my personality, my thoughts on deeper ideas, etc.
Okay, so before we go, let’s tackle one more area. When do you feel most at peace?
I would say post mediation/journal/gym going to the park by me and either playing music or not playing music and just admiring nature for all its beauty.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grabbaranks/
- Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/grabbaranks
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@grabbaranks
