| RiotUSA | |||||
| Birth Name: | Ephrem Louis Lopez, Jr. | ||||
| Birth Place: | Manhattan, New York City, U.S. | ||||
| Origin: | The Bronx, New York City, U.S. | ||||
| Years Active: | 2021–present
| ||||
Ephrem Louis Lopez, Jr., known professionally as RiotUSA, is an American record producer, songwriter, and rapper.[1] Born in Manhattan and raised in the Bronx, he is best known for his musical productions for fellow Bronx native and rapper Ice Spice, who he met at State University of New York at Purchase in 2021.[2]
RiotUSA first gained major recognition in late 2022 after producing Ice Spice's breakout single "Munch (Feelin' U)", along with her follow-up singles "Bikini Bottom" and "In Ha Mood".[3] He co-wrote and produced the entirety of her debut extended play, Like..? (2023), while also serving as executive producer on the project.[1] [3] That same year, he produced and co-wrote "Barbie World" (with Nicki Minaj and Aqua) from the soundtrack to the 2023 film Barbie, and co-wrote the remix of "Karma", by Taylor Swift featuring Ice Spice.[2] [1]
Ephrem Louis Lopez, Jr. was born on August 1, 2001 in Manhattan,[4] and raised in the Bronx. His father is DJ Enuff, a radio personality and disc jockey known for his work on New York City's Hot 97 and for being the Notorious B.I.G.'s road DJ.[5] His mother also worked in the music industry. He started making beats in GarageBand when he was ten years old.[3]
Lopez attended State University of New York at Purchase, where he studied communications and later met his future collaborator Ice Spice.[4] [1]
Riot met Ice Spice in 2021, and the two started collaborating soon after. He produced her debut song, "Bully Freestyle", released in March 2021.[6]
On August 10, 2022, Ice Spice released her song "Munch (Feelin' U)", produced by RiotUSA. The song gained popularity after getting support from Drake, and subsequently went viral on Twitter and TikTok. It peaked at No. 5 and 34 on Billboard's Bubbling Under Hot 100 and Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs charts, respectively.[7] [8]
Ice Spice's debut EP, Like..? was released on January 20, 2023. In addition to serving as executive producer, RiotUSA produced and co-wrote every track on the project.[1] [3] Later the same year, he signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music.[9] [10]
| Year | Ceremony | Award | Result | Ref |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 66th Annual Grammy Awards | Best Song Written for Visual Media (Barbie World) | ||
| Best Rap Song (Barbie World) | ||||