When Rockie Fresh first signed to Maybach Music Group in 2012, label C.E.O. Rick Ross gave the buzzing rapper some invaluable advice that he took directly to heart.
"Ross told me, 'Treat people with respect. Focus on making music and not the lifestyle, and you'll always be smooth," recalls Rockie. "I strive to put out the best songs and albums I can—above all. That's what this game is about for me."
The Chicago MC's hyper focus on music hasn't changed since he first picked up a microphone at 17- years-old though. Growing up, he became entranced by the lyricism of Jay-Z, and Chi Town's own Kanye West at a very young age. As a result, he spent his time developing an insightful, inimitable, and invigorating lyrical posture of his own.
"Lyrics always drew me in," he goes on. "Words can be so powerful. My favorite artists were talking about their lives so vividly, and that fascinated me. I wanted to utilize lyricsin the same way so hopefully listeners could connect with me too." The world took notice in a big way when he unveiled his debut mixtape Rockie's Modern Life in 2009. It set the blog-o-sphere ablaze and led to his first-ever sold out show, solidifying him as a veritable presence in his hometown.
Dropping out of college in order to devote all his time to his rhymes, the artist followed up that debut gig with a much talked-about appearance at SXSW 2010 and his follow up mixtape "The Otherside". However, his career hit light speed once his third mixtape, "Driving 88" dropped in 2012.
The project garnered unanimous praise from the likes of Complex and XXL—who bestowed a 4-out- of-5 star rating on it. Moreover, major labels began calling left and right with both Sean "Diddy" Combs and Rick Ross personally reaching out.
Ross's Maybach Music Group instantly felt like home, and Rockie joined the team as the youngest signing to the brand.
2013 saw Fresh deliver another landmark mixtape, Electric Highway, which racked up over 250,000 downloads in the midst of numerous sold out headline concerts. The same year, he joined forces with Casey Veggies for the Puma-Sponsored Fresh Veggies, and he appeared on the slick and soulful lead single "God Is Great" from Maybach Music Group's Self Made Vol. 3, which debuted at #4 on the Billboard Top 200.
Now, Rockie's readying his major label full-length for a 2014 release via MMG/Atlantic Records, and it encompasses the same boundless mentality he's espoused since day one.
"It's coming together very diverse," he exclaims. "There's a lot of live instrumentation on it. The content is more about honesty. It's not materialistic. It's based on day-to-day life, appreciating your natural surroundings no matter who you are. I picked that up from living in Chicago around so many different people. It's going to be relatable as far as what you see and feel. It's about the ups and downs of any human being's life. Nobody is perfect. It's made with the purpose of bridging gaps. You'll hear some alternative rock inspiration and hip-hop inspiration. That blend is going to make it really cool ride for fans."
Ultimately, the music still counts the most for Rockie Fresh. "I just want people to be inspired to go out and achieve whatever they want to achieve based off what they see in my work ethic and my art," he leaves off. "I want people to understand you have to be yourself. Be comfortable with the decisions you want to make. Be a risk taker. I'm putting myself on the line to do something different. Taking that kind of a risk leads to something much bigger and more fulfilling."
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