A dynamic rapper, musician, and aspiring actor from Brooklyn, New York, Rob: Earth-One has been carving out his own unique path through the hip-hop scene, both as a solo artist and with his label and collective, The Social Contract. With a sound that seamlessly blends genres and styles into a unique and captivating sound, Rob: Earth-One has been featured on MTV Base in Africa and various media outlets.
Laying the foundation for things to come, Rob: Earth-One has recently shared his brand new single ‘GOIN’ CRAZY’, and to help promote the release, he was kind enough to sit down and answer a few of our questions.
It’s so great to be able to catch up with you, thanks for taking the time to answer some of our questions. Let’s dig right into things, when did you first start making music?
“Hey, thanks for having me! I started making music when I was in high school, so it’s going on about fifteen years now.”
What inspired you to start your journey into music?
“Music has been around me all my life. Some of the first Christmas gifts I can remember were music-related. Growing up, music was always blasting in the house. I sang in school assemblies, played trumpet in middle school, and I played keyboard in church as a youth. I honestly think that music has always been my destiny.”
Do you have any influences that have really shaped your music so far?
“ I was a huge Kanye West fan, growing up. When I was ten, my cousin (who lived with us at the time) bought ‘The College Dropout’ and I was instantly hooked. That was the first artist who ever inspired me to want to actually create the type of music I liked. By the time I got to high school, Kid Cudi would become another major influence on me as an artist. From there, I really started finding myself as a musician. A lot of the stuff my mother would listen to when I was growing up has also had an impact on what I listen to and how I approach the songwriting process. She listened to a lot of Mary J. Blige…and still does! That’s her favorite artist.”
You have a very modern sound that is often hard to pin down. How would you describe your sound?
“If Ihadto, I’d describe my sound as Alternative Hip-Hop/R&B/Pop. My sound really varies and tends to be all over the place, as evidenced by my single, ‘GOIN’ CRAZY’. I like to implement aspects from every type of music I enjoy. I have a lot of influences and it’s always fun to experiment and piece ideas together, to create something truly unique. I want it to be so unique that people have a hard time defining its genre… but it’ll still sound great!”
Can you tell us a bit more about your new single?
“My latest release, ‘GOIN’ CRAZY’ is one of my favorite pieces of work. This is one of those songs that I always wished I could make. The high school version of me would definitely be in awe at the fact that I created this. Produced by the genius, Jesse Shirts, this song blends elements of Indie Pop/Rock, Hip-Hop, & R&B. ‘GOIN’ CRAZY’ has easily become a favorite and I’ve made lots of new fans because of it. The music video is on the way, shot by Alexander Night… be on the lookout for that!”
What was your songwriting process behind the track? How did it all come together?
“The songwriting process for ‘GOIN’ CRAZY’ was pretty simple. I knew I wanted to make something catchy, but also of emotional substance. The writing session itself took maybe thirty minutes, tops. I did record about five or six different versions of the song, over the course of a few months… but that’s mostly due to my perfectionist nature. I’m in love with the final version! Shoutout to John Diamond for mixing and mastering this song so beautifully!”
What’s the most important thing for you when you’re writing a song?
“The most important thing for me when writing a song really depends on the reason behind making the song. More often than not, I’m making songs for an album. In this case, I aim to write songs with lyrics and melodies that are fun to sing along to, but have deeper meaning than just sounding good. I often ask myself when writing, ‘what would younger me think of this?’. I think that’s always been a good approach for me.”
What’s next for you as an artist?
“Great question! I have the official music video for ‘GOIN’ CRAZY’ coming very soon! I also have an upcoming NYC show at The Delancey in the Lower East Side of Manhattan on January 27th, 2024! Pull up, if you can! Other than that, I’ll be dropping more singles, as well as my album ‘HAVE A NICE LIFE’. 2024 will be a lot of fun!”
Before you go, do you have anything you would like to say to our audience?
“I hope that I’ve made some new fans. I appreciate you taking the time to read this and I hope to see you very soon at one of my shows!”
A true sonic journey that shines with raw authenticity, ‘GOIN’ CRAZY’ is a bold and brilliant introduction to Rob: Earth-One. A crowd favourite, with almost 20,000 streams on Spotify alone, the new track is a fierce blend of relentless energy, honesty, and undeniable enjoyment. For more from Rob: Earth-One, be sure to check out his website and socials below.
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Photo credit: FULTONBRAND
