The personification of his “10 Trap Commandments,” Brooklyn’s own RRose RRome is ready. Take This Serious the début mixtape signifies a success story. Canarsie, BK the antithesis of Mayberry, USA raised RRome. Here it is normal for dreams to be permanently deterred. This under-resourced environment easily fosters atrophied encouragement; the devil whispers doubt.
Nothing will detour Rizzo. Canarsie’s Varsity promises, “I definitely have a genuine love for Hip-Hop. It’s a culture. I grew up in it; I live it. I’m big on my word.” This exclusive interview depicts a hard-working artist who is striving to become celebrated by Time.
Hip-Hop signifies different things to different people; what about the culture first compelled a respect and an attention that eventually motivated you to transition from being in the crowd to being a creator?
The art of emceeing is painting pictures. I’m creative; I like to tell stories. I like to tell who I am and to explain myself. I feel like it’s just a way to way to express myself. Since everyone’s story is different I feel like no one has heard my story yet—no one has lived my life—I’m just here to bring people into what I’ve seen, what I think and what I feel. So, that’s the major part of me being an MC. Hearing other people’s stories and wanting to tell mine that was the time that I wanted to say, “You know what, my story is real. Let me explain myself through these studios and these booths.”
Being from Brooklyn, NY, you may face unique challenges given Brooklyn’s legacy of legendary MCs. Thus far, how has your organic creativity and determined work-ethic helped to earn support from you borough and helped to distinguish yourself from other emerging artists?
For starters, that people who were idolized and looked at in a high light have co-signed it already. I’ve spoken to AZ I actually work with his cousin. Jinx, he shoots my videos. He’s heard my stuff and has agreed to work—we haven’t got there yet. Fame from M.O.P. is my dude. I hang out with him all the time. We eat fish sandwiches and pop bottles together. And actually he’s in my video, too.
Are you respected because of your creativity or because of your budget?
Both, it’s because of who I am. No budget, not money, it’s definitely because of respect. It’s a respect thing; I’m official. Let’s get back to that part, the genuine official part, that’s me. The forefathers respect it and accept it. Other than that my work is good. My story wasn’t told yet. When people hear it they’re intrigued by it. It’s different; my music stands out as well. Some people have the look but don’t have the music—I have a lot of both. My delivery—I can do hard sh*t, radio sh*t, conscious sh*t—there’s no ceiling to my music. I don’t write…
If the pen is mightier than the sword, Hip-Hop, offers a unique opportunity to America’s black man. It may be used as a legitimate resource to rebel against institutionalized racism. Is your voice as an MC truly telling the story of the man behind the moniker; or, is it a mere caricature of a shallow rapper?
I’m telling my story. I’m giving you my every day. For instance, with the “You Ain’t A Killer,” I saw a couple of MCs that weren’t really the people that they say they are. But it’s a little bit of both. I have my ratchet moments where I’m talking about popping bottles, dealing with women in a scandalous kind of way, and I have conscious joints as well. It varies; I’m not one dimensional. We all have those low moments and those high moments. I speak for the man that lives a regular life.
Take This Serious, boasts features from Sheek Looch, Stylez P, and Uncle Murda. Going from concept to creation, what bottom-line-truth were you working to amplify?
This is my first project that I’ve put out. It’s a body of work that took me maybe two or three years to create. I waited, because I wanted to put out something that was meaningful. I feel like it was that’s why I named it Take This Serious. I wanted the game to take me serious. This is my first project. I want this to be impressionable. So, I reached out to GQ Beats.
He’s a humble producer that I f*ck with. He has relationships with different artists… It was dope for me. Not a lot of people can say that they had such huge features on their first project. So, that meant a lot to me. I’m still pushing. I’m still striving. I’m a perfectionist. I wanted to make sure that everything was sonically correct. It took work… Coming into it I didn’t think the creative process would be so long. It worked out; it was fun.
Do you have people around you that you trust with your creativity?
Definitely, Dayzel, he’s actually the engineer for The L.O.X. right now. He’s done production for them as well. I’ve got a huge team around me. I know it’s a go when Dayzel, Buck 3000, and Phat Gary okay it. We’re all working together to make sure RRose RRome gets where he needs to be. I want the world and everything in it. I’m working hard to put my foot in the game and make my impression felt.
Until the next time what would you like to share?
I’m a force to be reckoned with. I’m working hard. It’s my time to shine and to be recognized and looked at. Keep your eyes open and your ears open. I’m coming and I’m at the top tier of next Brooklyn dudes and top [artists] coming out of the Tri-State right now.