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Notable Press Quotes

―From it’s first song (―Into The ‖) to it’s last (―So Long‖), the project has a smooth energy, and Rockie’s effortless flow proves to compliment the soundscape throughout. The tape’s vibe is often calming, and consistently melodic, as the newbie builds his story by placing slick rhymes around tales of striving to make it, ducking haters, chasing women and leaving school.‖ - XXL Magazine Review of “Driving 88” (XL Rating) http://www.xxlmag.com/reviews/2012/02/rockie-fresh-driving-88/

―[Driving 88 has] earned-smart wordplay, dense sonic melodies and lots of head- bopping jams‖ WIRED Magazine – The Best Mixtapes of 2011 [The Otherside] http://www.wired.com/underwire/2011/12/best-mixtapes-of-2011/?pid=5716

―[Rockie] Fresh’s career is accelerating at high speeds and he has no intention of slowing down.‖ -Vibe Magazine http://www.vibe.com/posts/pardon-introduction-chicagos-rockie-fresh

―Driving 88 is sure to establish Rockie as a force to be reckoned with from the Chi, a city with a long history in hip-hop.‖ -Complex http://www.complex.com/music/2012/01/mixtape-rockie-fresh-driving-88

―Don’t count the young guys out. If anyone is breathing new life into , it’s them. Case in point – Rockie Fresh.‖ -AllHipHop http://allhiphop.com/2012/01/23/rockie-fresh-takes-fans-back-to-the-future-with- new-project-driving-88/

―[Rockie Fresh is] the Derek Rose of rap Chi-Town has been waiting for‖ URB.com http://www.urb.com/2010/12/10/rockie-fresh-wants-you-to-follow-him-and-not- just-on-/

For Inquiries Contact: Andrew Gertler - [email protected]

WEB LINKS http://www.rockiefresh.com http://www.twitter.com/rockiefresh http://www.facebook.com/rockieml

Press Clippings

Rockie Fresh, Driving 88 Rated: XL

It’s been more than half a decade since a rapper popped off nationally from , one of the country’s largest cities. The last ones to experience that breakthrough, and , have proven to be two of the genres most artistically forward thinking and successful rappers in the time since. With the release of his latest mixtape, Driving 88, Windy City native Rockie Fresh looks position himself to carry on tradition, as he offers up the first project since the buzz on his name began to swell outside of the Chi.

From it’s first song (“Into The Future”) to it’s last (“So Long”), the project has a smooth energy, and Rockie’s effortless flow proves to compliment the soundscape throughout. The tape’s vibe is often calming, and consistently melodic, as the newbie builds his story by placing slick rhymes around tales of striving to make it, ducking haters, chasing women and leaving school.

“You ” creatively samples ’s voice for one of the more amped anthems on the release, as Rockie boasts about the flame on his name. He also switches up the tempo of his flow here, proving there can be some versatility in his easy-sounding approach when he decides the time is right. “No Fear” is another highlight, as the 20-year-old buries his doubts over a dark, piano driven beat (“Your rules are irrelevant, I’ma just do what I choose/From the City of Wind, means that I’ll never lose,” he raps). There are only three rap features on the tape, but Rockie’s sonic partnership with each artist (, King Louie and Phil Ade) is both complimentary on the track and reflective of a solidarity he’s forged with fellow up and comers.

What happens next for Rockie Fresh—a major label deal, a co-sign from a fellow Chicago native, or continuing to do things on his own—remains to be seen. But with Driving 88, it’s clear that the young rapper has the hunger, determination and ear to find his own space. And while he does, just enjoy the ride. —Adam Fleischer

July 13, 2012

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/premiere-rick-ross-reveals-new- maybach-signee-rockie-fresh-20120713

Premiere: Reveals New Maybach Signee Rockie Fresh

'I feel like I'm ensured to take over the game,' says Chicago native

With the bevy of new rappers sprouting up by the day, it's easy to get lost in the mix. Which is why when news hit yesterday that Chicago upstart Rockie Fresh inked a deal with Rick Ross's near-invincible , there was much chatter about the young MC, whose named still hadn't cracked certain circles. Whether the pundits were hip to him or not, Rockie's been buzzed about in label offices since his debut mixtape, Rockie's Modern Life, dropped in 2009, and he's been building a solid fanbase by blending the dense chords and atmosphere of alternative rock with quick-witted lyricism and an authentic Midwest twang. Having toured with artists as wide-ranging as and , the 21-year-old MC is poised to make a major dent in the rap game, starting with his upcoming mixtape Electric Highway and a 20-city headlining tour.

Rolling Stone caught up with Rockie to discuss the details of the deal, his relationship with Rick Ross, his dualistic sound and the explosion of hip-hop coming out of the Chi.

The news of your deal hit like a whirlwind. What have the past 24 hours been like? It's been a blur. When I signed it was real late, and a lot of people asked why I did it so late but me and Ross wanted to make it something real. We had hung out that night, and that was the time that we felt it was appropriate. I ended up not getting any sleep that night and flew back to Chicago that morning. When I got back to my crib, my dogs was trippin' so I didn't get any sleep. By that time my friends had already got the news, so I was catching up with all of them and seeing all of the people that helped me make it possible. Last night was a long night, too. I haven't even had the opportunity to sit down and take it all in. It definitely feels crazy.

At one point you were fielding interest from Bad Boy and Universal, and I'm sure other folks came knocking. Why Maybach? It made sense to be on a whole 'nother level. I toured with Wale before even really meeting with Ross. I actually did a show with Ross in L.A. – I'm not sure if he even remembers that, but I opened for him before. I did some shows with Meek [Mill] before. They were always around, but I never made the connection to think that we'd be able to do business together down the line. When the opportunity arose it made me look back at the situation and decide this was the place I needed to be at.

What kind of deal is it? How many projects are we expecting? I got a multi-album deal, you can be expecting a lot of stuff coming from me in the next few years. I've got a lot to talk about and a lot of life to experience. It's real powerful. I feel like I'm ensured to take over the game real soon.

We know Ross as the face of the label, and you mentioned you've performed with Wale and Meek. Is there anyone else in the camp that you've connected with? Not yet. I'm a real low-key dude. When the situation arises, I'll be cool with anybody, but I haven't crossed paths with much of the crew besides Wale and Meek. The relationship I got with Ross is real dope, so I expect it to be the same across the board.

Can we expect some collaborations with those dudes on the upcoming Electric Highway? Yeah, definitely. We're gonna work out some crazy stuff. I'm gonna be dropping a record probably within the next two weeks. I wanted to give it time to settle in first. There's lots of different reactions and stuff like that, so I wanted to give it time to calm down just so people could hear the record from me and take it in.

Let's talk about the music for a bit. You blend rock and hip-hop in really interesting ways, and you toured with Fall Out Boy's last year. Can you talk about that experience? What did you learn from him? This is the cool part about every situation I'm in. People reach out because they really respect the music and the direction I'm going in. When I dropped the Otherside mixtape, Patrick reached out to me via Twitter and invited me to his crib in L.A. I always was a fan of Fall Out Boy, but just to see him working live and explaining to me certain things from an artist's perspective, that was crazy in itself. And then when I was on tour with him, I felt like it was an opportunity for me to really take rap to another level. He has a different sound, and when I was on that tour, a lot of people were not … they didn't dislike rap music, but it's not what they were used to listening to. It was a blessing to be on that type of tour. I learned a lot. He's a crazy performer, and well-rounded as an artist. He's going to be on my project, and definitely on my first album.

How did you get the musical context that you came to? Who are some of the artists you grew up listening to? I grew up listening to Kanye, Jay-Z, Lupe, , dudes who I really respected for being themselves. Even with Rick Ross, I was a huge fan of his flow patterns and the way he did hooks. I just realized, man, all the artists I really respect, they have something that makes them obviously different, whether it's the beats that they use or the flows that they use. When I started out, that was what I tried to focus on, having my own sound and my own style so that when people hear the record, they know it's a Rockie Fresh type thing.

MMG also has a very identifiable sound in hip-hop right now. How do you plan to merge those two, coming out of that crew but still having a unique identity? I think that's the incredible thing about features. The fact that me and Meek are two different types of artists and we can collaborate on a record, it just causes us to be ourselves and do what's best for the song to make it something interesting for the people. When I'm doing my own personal records, they really stand true to my sound. These collaborations will take my sound and blend it with someone else's to create something we can all appreciate.

Who are some of the producers that you're reaching out to now? Who are you excited to get in the studio with? I think MMG's in-house team can make great radio records, and that's something I definitely want to add to my arsenal. I'm looking forward to working with – he's a dope young dude coming up right now, and me and him have been talking back and forth. He actually just send me some beats last night. And definitely people I've been working with. I definitely want to work with Pharrell and Kanye, but I'm tryin' to keep it young.

The sounds that are coming out of Chicago are so diverse, and a lot of these styles developed in isolated pockets throughout . Where do you think your sound fits into the Chicago hip-hop soundscape? I've definitely been around the hood my whole life, so that gave me an appreciation for urban music. But then I had the opportunity to live in the suburbs and go to a really diverse high school, and it made me appreciate rock and alternative music. When I add that to my music, it's not too many other Chicago artists that take that approach. Instrumentally and emotionally, it causes me to go to a different place with it. I'm that more mellow, chill vibe in the Chicago scene.

This has been a crazy summer for Chicago, between Kanye and G.O.O.D Music and the ground-level stuff that's happening with and King Louie. What are your thoughts on what's going on in Chicago hip-hop right now? It's amazing. I haven't met Chief Keef yet, but I got a huge respect for what he does. Louie, L.E.P, even the guys at G.O.O.D, these are guys I have respect for and they have respect for me. With all of us on the come up, doing something we all dreamed of doing, it's an amazing time.

July 16, 2012 http://www.billboard.com/column/the-juice/rockie-fresh-why-he-joined-rick-ross- team-1007586762.story#/column/the-juice/rockie-fresh-why-he-joined-rick-ross- team-1007586762.story Rockie Fresh: Why He Joined Rick Ross' Team Instead of Diddy's

It's been a quick ride to the top for Rockie Fresh, the latest artist to join Rick Ross' growing stable of top-flight talent with Maybach Music Group. After all, the young MC is only 21 years old and just signed his first major label deal last week.

"I've been managing him for about three years now; he went to the same high school I did," said Andrew Gertler from APG Music Group. "At the time he hadn't recorded any music… we just went to work and built everything from the ground up."

Since then, Fresh has dropped three mixtapes and built a following in his hometown of Chicago, hoping to follow down the trail blazed by and Kanye West. Shortly his most recent mixtape, "Driving 88," he found some fairly famous fans.

"I put out a music video for the intro to my mixtape called 'Into the Future' about two months ago," Rockie said to The Juice. "Rick Ross' A&R saw the video and played it for Ross, and he immediately took a liking to it."

What resulted was a whirlwind of attention from some of the most powerful men in the music industry. With Chicago quickly becoming a focal point of hip-hop -- teenage phenomenon Chief Keef signed to Interscope last month after gaining notoriety with a Kanye co-sign -- Ross planned to fly Rockie out to Angeles. But the bawse wasn't the only one interested.

"I just viewed [Ross] as a big brother, not as somebody who was gonna try to sign me… Then he got back to me later on that week letting me know that he was interested in going full-fledged with everything," Rockie said. "I was in talks with Bad Boy and Diddy at the time, and that was a situation that I really looked deep in to because they definitely put in a lot of work to make me feel comfortable."

With so much attention from two high-profile label heads, Rockie had a sensitive decision to make. He finally settled on joining the MMG roster that also includes the likes of , Wale, , . "Moreso outside the deal was why I signed with them," he explained. "[Ross] had such a respect for my own sound and my own project that I had already put out. He wanted me to add my own type of flavor into something great that they already have. He's not trying to have me make a certain type of record. He wants me to be the emotional Chicago artist that I am. So it works out smooth."

The contract, according to Gertler, is a multi-album deal between both and MMG. Monetary terms were not released, though neither Ross' nor Diddy's labels are exactly strapped for cash. But before Rockie works on his MMG debut, he'll be hitting the road with six dates supporting Meek Mill's "" tour followed by a headlining outing starting in late August in support of his upcoming fall "Electric Highway" mixtape. He'll be taking his time before dropping a proper album.

"Now I have the resources to actually make an incredible album. I have the features to pull in, the producers to pull in," he said. "It's gonna be something classic. I feel like I'm gonna become, in the next few years, one of the top rappers in the game. That's the goal."

July 12, 2012 http://www.xxlmag.com/news/2012/07/rockie-fresh-talks-signing-to-rick- ross-mmg/ Rockie Fresh Talks Signing to Rick Ross’ MMG The Chi-Town rhyme slinger explains the feeling becoming a part of Rozay’s empire and what he’ll add to the team…

Last night (July 11), Rick Ross’ Maybach Music Group’s roster grew by one. Rozay signed Chicago rapper Rockie Fresh in City, before celebrating the partnership in Queens at Club Perfections.

―I got that locked in,‖ Fresh told XXL shortly after arriving back home in the Windy City today (July 12). ―It was a long time coming, but we got it right. I let him know it was something I wanted to do earlier this week. We really cracked down. His lawyer put in work, so did mine until we got to common ground and I signed last night.‖

Rockie says other labels did court him, but he always knew MMG was where he would want to wind up. ―It was a crazy feeling man….I honestly did have good amount of offers on the table,‖ Rockie explained. ―Even though my situation is kinda under the radar, a lot of people took interest in the music from an industry point of view. I had some good looks, but nothing felt as real as the MMG situation.

―Knowing how Ross is, being able to be around him, he’s probably one of the best dudes to be working for,‖ the Chi-town native added. ―He makes it more so feel like you are working with him. It’s one of those situations that felt real good to me. I feel we gonna make a lot of bread together down the line.‖

Fresh joins the lineup of Wale, Stalley, Meek Mill and Omarion as Ross’ recruits through MMG/ Warner Brothers. With Chicago currently booming with young talent—such as Interscope-signee Chief Keef, and Def Jam’s and —Fresh says he’s eager to bring some of that Windy City flavor to the Bawse’s untouchable empire.

―I’m the only Chicago artist on MMG—we got our own style of music, our own vibe, our own problems and situations,‖ Fresh said. ―And just me talking about that and staying true to the sound of my city. And also on the pop level, I have a lot pop records that lean towards that direction. I feel that it gives me a different sound from everybody else on the label that adds to the team.

―That’s gonna be an amazing thing for my growth as a artist in general,‖ he added about making songs with MMG’s group of rhyme slingers. ―Guys like Wale and Meek are looked at as some of the top young dudes in the game right now. For me to do songs with them, I have to challenge myself to go in on verses, so it’s only gonna make me a better young artist. It’s going to be tremendous for my growth.‖

Rockie is putting together his new mixtape for the fall, entitled, Electric Highway. This summer he’ll be touring as a nopener on Meek Mill’s Dreamchaser 2 outing. After that, Rockie is slated to head his own headlining tour.—Shaheem Reid (ShaheemReid)

July 12, 2012 http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1689481/rockie-fresh-rick-ross-maybach- music-signing.jhtml Rick Ross And Rockie Fresh 'Clicked' Before MMG Deal 'I felt more comfortable in that setting than in any other meeting I had,' Rockie tells MTV News of new deal with Maybach Music.

Rick Ross was so excited to reveal the addition of Rockie Fresh to his label that the MMG CEO tweeted the announcement around 4 a.m. Thursday (July 12) along with a photo of the signing, taken just minutes earlier.

The 21-year-old Chicago rapper, who dropped his most recent mixtape, Driving 88, in January, told MTV News that he flew to New York to meet up with Rozay and, after a night on the town, they put the ink on paper.

At the end of June, Rick Ross shouted out Rockie during a radio interview, but he also added that he hadn't been signed yet, hinting that it was coming soon. Less than a month later, all the details have been sorted out and things are official.

Rockie said he and Ross have been in touch since his "Into the Future" music video caught the eye of Rozay's right-hand man Spiff and got things moving. "Spiff saw the video, hit me up on DM and asked, 'Are you signed?' At that time, I was taking meetings with a couple of other labels, and he said, 'Ross wants to meet you and he's gonna fly you out on Monday,' so he flew me out and I kicked it with him for a couple of days.

"It was so chill and organic that I didn't think he was going to sign me. We really didn't talk about business or . The next day, we went our separate ways and they let me know they were interested in doing a deal, and we've been working it out since then," Rockie continued, explaining that it took about a month and a half to finalize things. "I had some other offers on the table too, but I didn't want to ruin any relationships. I wanted to make sure that I handled everything as smoothly as possible and gave everybody a fair shot."

Besides interest from Ross, the newcomer also fielded an offer from Diddy's label. "Bad Boy was interested; I definitely had a lot of talks with them. Same thing with Columbia and Universal and RCA as well. But it was just one of those things where, when I met Ross, it clicked," he said. "It was some real n---a sh--, for lack of a better term. I felt more comfortable in that setting than in any other meeting I had."

Rockie is the latest addition to an all-star team that includes Meek Mill, Wale, Stalley and , and he doubts he'll have any trouble fitting it.

"We all represent different parts of the country, and we kind of define our age brackets too. I'm the youngest one right now, so I'll be repping for my age group and for my city Chicago and our way of life; I feel like that separates me from everyone else," he said. "We were talking about it last night, and Ross really views this as a sports team, where every player has to have their own lane and their own way of doing things, but in the long run, it all helps the team. I've got my own sound and my own way of getting my records done, and he respects that and feels it benefits the entire team."

Even though he's the youngest in the crew, Rockie has had some prior experience with two of MMG's biggest talents. "I was blessed to tour with Wale before all of this went down, and just to see the way that he became comfortable with the MMG situation, it was dope," he said. "I also actually got to perform with Meek a long time ago when he was with Grand Hustle, and to see his progression, it was something I admired."

It's been less than 24 hours since Rockie signed his name on the line, so the reality is still sinking in, but make no mistake about it, he's primed and ready to go. "It was a long time coming, and I'm really ready to show the world what I can do."

Rockie's Electric Highway mixtape is due this fall.

June 26, 2012 http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1688482/rockie-fresh-electric-highway- mixtape.jhtml Rockie Fresh Prepping Electric Highway Mixtape Chicago rapper reveals the title of his latest project exclusively to MTV News.

Chicago has bred plenty of legendary hip-hop artists, but the city's youngest crop of rappers are ready to in a new era for the Midwest. Among those leading the pack is Rockie Fresh, who will follow up his January mixtape Driving 88 with a new project titled Electric Highway this fall.

The 21-year-old Southside native has released several notable mixtapes over the past few years, including 2011's The Otherside Redux and this year's Driving 88, which found him collaborating with Casey Veggies and fellow Chi-town rapper King Louie. But Rockie's confident that current recording sessions will result in his best work yet.

"It's called Electric Highway," Rockie told MTV News exclusively, revealing the title. "I always want to do original music even if it's a mixtape, so it's definitely a free album, but all of the records are going to be original. With me getting older and seeing different parts of the world, my content is always going to be evolving, so this is going to be the peak of Rockie Fresh. Out of all of the stuff that I've done, I think this is going to be my best work and I'm really looking forward to dropping it."

Rockie's fans will certainly be looking forward to the project, as will a few industry heavyweights who also have their eye on the young rapper. During a visit to New York City's Hot 97 radio station this week, Maybach Music Group CEO Rick Ross sent a "shout out to the lil' homie Rockie Fresh," adding, "I'm a fan of his music." And even though Rozay confirmed that Rockie hasn't been signed to MMG "as of now," they certainly have a good relationship going.

"That was crazy," Rockie told MTV News just hours after the shout-out from Ross. "Me and him, we've been talking a lot back and forth. That's definitely one of my big homies."

While Rockie continues to explore his label options, you'd better believe that he'll stay buried in his work. While on tour over the past few months, he gave fans the chance to keep up with his everyday grind through the vlog series "Life on the Otherside."

"[It's] to let people know that sh-- is real," he said matter-of-factly. "A lot of people utilize the Internet to stunt and it kind of gets old after a while. I really want people to see my climb, to really respect the work ethic that goes into it, and even for them just to be motivated by it. [It's] to let other young artists know that the struggle is something everybody has to go through. It's not a smooth road, so I just feel like it's dope to really show people the real picture."

January 23, 2012 http://www.vibe.com/posts/pardon-introduction-chicagos-rockie-fresh

Mixtape: Rockie Fresh "Driving 88"

For weeks now, Chicago's Rockie Fresh has been teasing fans with new material leading up to the release of his mixtape Driving 88. Today marks the big release of his brand new project which features cameos from Casey Veggies, Phil Ade and King Louie as well as production from The Kickdrums, Blended Babies and The Gift. Driving 88 is sure to establish Rockie as a force to be reckoned with from the Chi, a city with a long history in hip-hop.

January 29, 2012 http://rapradar.com/2012/01/29/rockie-fresh-calls-yn-on-evr/

Rockie Fresh Calls YN On EVR

Download This: The Best Mixtapes of 2011

The Otherside Redux — Rockie Fresh

The Otherside was another mixtape that dropped right at the tail end of 2010, so normally wouldn't qualify for this list. However, lucky for us, Chi-Town rapper Rockie Fresh released the Redux of the album in July of this year, and re-upped the tape with guest appearances by Lil B and Odd Future's Casey Veggies — landing him right in the cross-hairs for this list. Its place here is earned — smart wordplay, dense sonic melodies and lots of head-bopping jams make it the perfect headphone-ready mixtape.

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