Rocko Interview

by Profit |


For some, the rocky road to success is easy to navigate. Take Atlanta rapper Rocko for instance. After working for years writing, producing and developing major label aritsts, Rocko realized no one was going to take his advice as well as himself. Proving he knew exactly what the rap game needed, just a year after becoming an artist himself, Rocko secured a deal with Def Jam Records. Thanks to the overwhelming popularity of his Drumma Boi produced single, “Umma Do Me,” Rocko is now at the forefront of the new Southern movement in hip-hop where business acumen and consumer awareness reign supreme.

I had the chance to talk to Rocko over the weekend, about his new album, Self Made, his definition of hip hop and how the streets embrace his sound. Enjoy the read.

Profit: Umma Do Me is getting a lot of spins right now. How do you feel about that?

Rocko: Well you know Umma Do Me, it is what it is. Do what you do and turn it up to the max. I'm gon step out on faith and go all in feel me? That's what Umma Do Me represents. I'm gonna keep pushin regardless. I'm gon make it do what it do. Here I am with a top 10 single and I'm blessed to me in this situation. I got a lot more heat coming so you better get used to me.

I've already heard a few mixtape tracks like Tomorrow, This Morning, and Shoot Me Down. Any mixtape tracks on the album?

The streets told me they have to be on the album. There's some markets that the mixtape ain't hit yet and the songs are already hittin'. So of course I had to put some [mixtape tracks] on the album.

Drumma Boi produced Umma Do Me. Did he produce anything else on the album?

I produced three tracks on the album and Drumma Boi and I co-produced like six or seven tracks. Cool and Dre are on the album, The Runners are on there and also Marvelous J. I pretty much kept it Southern.

In your opinion, does hip-hop live in the South?

I can't really comment on hip hop. Everybody has their own definition of what hip hop is. I don't classify my music as hip hop. I classify my music as astronomical or space shuttle music. My music is out of this world because I am like none other. I come with a different swag on every record. I got my own style of music.

How's the promo tour going?

It's going good. I appreciate the love and how people have been taking to my record. Everybody's anticipating the album on March 18th.

You got any features on the album?

I been in the game for like nine, ten years and I've collaborated with a lot of people. I got songs with Jim Jones, Ricks Ross, Young Jeezy, T.I., Juvenile and more. But, on this album, I wanted it to be all me. I only got R&B collabos on the album. I wanted it to be all about me.

Anyone you wanted to work with that you didn't get the chance to?

Nah not really. I'm signed to Island Def Jam, so whoever I decided to work with, I had access them. So on my first album, it's gonna be all me. Maybe on my second, but not the first.

What song are you gonna go with for the second single?

It's crazy becuase I am getting mixed vibes. The label wants Busy, certain markets want Tomorrow, but Atlanta along with some other Southern markets want This Morning. Every city I go into knows This Morning word for word. Do you run from that? Do you go against what the streets are asking you for? That's a conversation I gotta have with the label.

How's your label, Rocky Road doing?

I got a few artists on that label. I gotta make Rocko a household name and it'll be easy to bring them in. Rocky Road is not only a label, but it's a film company and a movement feel me? I got the movie Self Made coming out. It's my life story, from nothing to something. It's going from 1 minute old to the present. We got A-Town the movie coming out, the real A-Town story, not ATL.

What are your plans for March 18th?

I'm just gon do me. I'm just gon do what it do. I'm coming back with another album in December. The people that don't like me are gonna have to get used to me. Rocky Road, we got our own money, we got our own staff, we got our own radio staff and promotion staff. The people that do'nt know me are gonna get to know me. I'm gon stay in their face, on their TV and on their radio!

Best of luck to you Rocko, March 18th it's all about Self Made.

I appreciate the interview.
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