Nashville rapper Rory Allen Philip Ferreira, a.k.a. R.A.P. Ferreira, released his seventh studio album OUTSTANDING UNDERSTANDING on December 20th, 2024, his second album this year after January’s The First Fist to Make Contact When We Dap with Fumitake Tamura. Ferreira released this album after a tumultuous year featuring a legal battle between the rapper and his ex-partner over custody of their child. 

Released exclusively on Bandcamp, the project is “the fruit of intense meditation and solitude,” according to the album’s description. Ferreira wrote it “to cope with living loss and anguish, to grapple with torture inflicted on my kids and me.”

OUTSTANDING UNDERSTANDING, by R.A.P. Ferreira

15 track album

R.A.P. FerreiraR.A.P. Ferreira

In July of 2024, Ferreira’s ex-partner Chloe Stingley accused Ferreira of domestic violence and child abuse. The accusation went viral when Stingley created a crowdfunding campaign on BetterWorld, describing her experience and requesting $22,000 for legal assistance. Ferreira denounced her claims, and, in a now deleted instagram post, detailed a timeline of the legal proceedings between him and Stingley.

The case, as well as all of the allegations, were dismissed and the court ruled in Ferreira’s favor when Stingley failed to provide adequate materials of evidence or witness, and Ferreira was granted full custody of their child as well as a restraining order against Stingley. Later, Ferreira claimed on Twitter and Instagram that despite Stingley raising $10,000, she came to court without legal representation. 

According to the lengthy album description on Bandcamp, Ferreira states that throughout the ordeal he lost friends, fans, and his record store business, which he had to close. “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,” he states. “OUTSTANDING UNDERSTANDING is the fruit of intense meditation and solitude. [A]ll my children are home safe and my refridgerator is stocked plenty. [T]he poet will always write a way.”