(AllHipHop News) While most Hip-Hop fans remember Rocko from his 2008 Billboard chart-topping hit, “Umma Do Me,” fans might not know that Rocko is partially responsible for one of last year’s biggest hits, “Tony Montana,” by Atlanta artist Future.
Rocko, who heads up the label A1 Recordings that released Future’s records, has his hands full, as he also is planning the release of his sophomore project, One of One.
In the meantime, Rocko has been steady at work on a slew of mixtapes that have hit the streets to critical acclaim.
“I put the mixtape [Gift of Gab] out because my fans were asking for the music, so I put the songs out online, just to give the streets something so they can hear Rocko,” Rocko explained to AllHipHop.com in an exclusive interview. “I let the streets pick the singles, and the streets really force my hand to put out the singles. That’s how it works, though; the streets will let you know what they like.”
But Rocko’s plans to follow up his 2008 debut release with One of One, are being carefully planned and executed as the title has great meaning to Atlanta trapper turned rapper.
“One of One is the title, because I feel like I’m ‘one of one;’ there’s nobody on God’s green earth exactly like me, just by my code of ethics, my morals and values. I never compromise my integrity, it ain’t too many people out here left like me. I would starve with some real people than eat chicken with a chump.”
When asked about the role he plays in the career of Future, one of Atlanta’s fastest growing artists, Rocko explained that he doesn’t have to manage him because he spends plenty of time in the studio on his own time.
“Future, that’s my brother. He’s the first artist signed to my record label, A1 Recording. He said he wanted to be an astronaut, so we went to Pluto,” Rocko told AllHipHop.com. “I mean, when it comes to him [Future], he makes those beats what they are, he wants to rap on a beat that don’t nobody else want. When it comes down to his beats and all that, he makes his own records and everything, that’s how he rocks,” he explained.
“I have conversations with the label, and I talk about how I think things should go. I handle the day-to-day business with the producers, but a lot of my business is on auto pilot, because Future likes going to the studio and he is always in there.”
Rocko’s next mixtape, Seeing Is Believing, will feature T.I., Jeezy, Future and several others. No release date has been announced at the time of print.