The Bronx producer is building an audience across several genres while preparing for a professional future in aviation.
Ask Zaruflo where he expects to be in a few years, and his answer begins with airlines rather than album charts. The independent Bronx producer, Imar Forbes, is studying to become a professional pilot, fulfilling an ambition he has carried since childhood.
Music still has a firm place in that future. Forbes wants to continue producing, releasing tracks, and finding listeners while working in aviation. He does not believe every passion must become a person’s primary occupation to deserve serious effort. Sometimes, a hobby provides its own form of purpose.
For Zaruflo, that purpose lies in creating something he enjoys and sharing it with people who might enjoy it, too.
The Freedom to Follow an Idea
Forbes did not begin producing with a detailed career plan. The idea arrived while he was relaxing and listening to an artist he admired. He began wondering whether he could create music of his own, then decided to find out.
His first attempts became part of a gradual learning process. Through experimentation, repeated practice, and conversations with other artists, he began improving his production skills. That incremental progress remains central to how Forbes works. Each new track offers another chance to learn something that the previous one could not teach him.
His producer name reflects the same independent instinct. Forbes created Zaruflo himself, making it a distinctive identity specific to his work. He was formerly known as RYKEL!, but Zaruflo now represents his developing catalog and direction as a producer.
A Sound That Refuses One Category
Growing up in the Bronx exposed Forbes to several genres and helped shape his musical interests. The borough’s connection to hip-hop forms part of that background, but his earliest production experiments took him toward electronic music.
Beastboi encouraged his interest in neo-dubstep, while HOL! influenced his decision to explore dubstep as his first primary genre. Those starting points gave Forbes a foundation in electronic production, but his curiosity soon carried him elsewhere.
He later began making hip-hop, R&B, and trap, expanding his work beyond EDM. If you enter Zaruflo’s catalog expecting him to remain in one category, his range of interests suggests a different approach. Forbes treats genre as an opportunity to try unfamiliar techniques, not as a permanent label.
He also connects his creativity to his personal history. Raised in a strict household, Forbes believes difficult experiences can motivate growth. In his view, hardship does not have to define a person through sadness. It can also contribute to strength, self-knowledge, and the discovery of abilities that might otherwise remain unexplored.
Reaching the Audience After the Track Is Finished
Producing music is only part of Zaruflo’s challenge. Building a listener base has proven harder, particularly while Forbes balances school, multiple jobs, and his aviation goals. He continues promoting his releases because hearing that others enjoy his work makes the effort worthwhile.
That persistence has brought plays on Spotify and other platforms beyond SoundCloud. Forbes’ milestones include surpassing 10,000 plays on a track and attracting attention from celebrities and influencers. Still, he does not use visibility as the only measure of whether music deserves his time.
The process itself remains the reward. Forbes wants to become a better producer, reach more listeners, and keep discovering what he can make. Wider recognition would be welcome, but enjoyment comes first.
Forbes’ future may involve days spent in the airline industry and spare hours devoted to music. Those ambitions do not compete in his mind. Together, they allow Zaruflo to pursue a childhood career goal while preserving the curiosity that led him to produce his first track.
