Lil Rob Video Interview (Part 1 & 2)

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Heres a video interview we did with The one & only Mr. 1218, Lil Rob, On Tuesday afternoon March 16th 2010 in San Diago California.

This interview begins with the question on why he chose the name Lil Rob

He said he got that name before he hit the 3rd grade, Break-dancing was a big part of his and his brothers lifes, He says he was part of a Break-Dancing group called Gravity Crew, He says that his room was all tagged up with spray paint and so his brother tagged up Lil Rock And since his name is Robert, He started going by Lil Rob

Next question was What made you want to get involed in the rap game?

Lil Rob says his mother use to sing ranchera music & his father use to be in a oldie band & his brother use to D.J, So music has been part of his life since he was a kid, His brother introduce him to Freestyle and Old School Funk music, Dana Dane for example, He says he liked Jay-z when he was part of one of his older groups and remembers seeing their music video on Yo MTV Raps

He said he heard the Chicano Style Rap for the first time by listening to people like mellow Man Ace, Kid Frost, Lighter Shade Of Brown, Ese Rich Roc, Spanish Fly & Proper Dos because his brother use to DJ.

When he was younger, His brother use to take people over to their house to watch Lil Rob Break-Dance.

He says that 1992 was the year Oh What a Night Mexican Gangster & 619 came out, Thats when he grew up into the Gangster Lifestyle.

Next question is How Were You Discovered In The Rap Game?

He says it goes way back in the days to 1992 with Oh What a Night Mexican Gangster & 619 He was with his homies Junior, Cesar & Julian, He says thats when he first started seeing the troubles that can go on in the rap game because everybody it trying to do something different and they always bumped heads and things were falling apart, He was 16 at that time and just wanted to make music and get in the studio.

He got a hold of Sir Crown Productions though Aztec Tribe & thats when they started sampling Break Beats and Oldies.

Next question, Do You Ever Nervious When You Record?

He says hes a very shy dude and always gets nervious everytime he goes inside a studio, He still gets nervious to this day and wonders if hes doing it right, he doesnt go in there all cocky and thinks hes the shit, He says he doesnt know what the people expect to hear from him, hes been in the rap game for over 18 years and doesnt want to rap about the same shit, He doesnt want to rap like a gangster and he doesnt rap to rap about Not giving a fuck about anything when in reality he does!

He says he wonders if hes spiting the shit people watch to hear, He also says that he hears it everyday that he doesnt rap the way he use to, He says hes not 16 anymore and doesnt hang out on the street corner smoking a joint and drinking beer with the homies at 2:00am anymore and he doesnt live the same life anymore!

He says he hopes hes writing the right stuff people can releate to and can also respect, He says hes 34 years old now and he hopes that kids these days are not doing what he did and fucking up, He tells you to stay in school, Do your thing and dont fuck up!

He says you need to learn the business and not just rap, If he learned this business back then, He would have been a lot futher that what he is right now!

Next question Name some producers you have worked with and who were your favorite?

He says Sir Crown Productions was his first who produced his album Crazy Life which were Break Beats & Oldie Beats.

While he was with Low Profile Records he was working with Steve Vicious, Hes still working with him to this day!

He also worked with Moox (Who also produced Neighborehood Music & Bring Out The Freak In You)

Fingazz, Who produced the song Summer Nights which went up to #5 on the billboard charts, Lil Rob says Fingazz is a huge part of the Chicano Rap game, Hes a great writer & Producer, Fingazz does what he has to do & he loves the music!

Bionik Is another Producer Lil Rob has worked with while Bionik was in L.A (He now lives in Michigan)

He says all of them are talented! He also says theres not too many because he doesnt go out there & Mingle with too many people, He rather work with people who hes already cool with & try to make some hits with them, Hes not trying to find new people, He says hes so laid back and chill and believes If It Aint Broke, Dont Try To Fix It

I Hope you enjoy it!

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https://www.youtube.com/v/StshnDG1xcQ


Lil Rob is asked what he thinks of today's music compared to the music of the 1990's.

Lil Rob says that he still listens to 90's music to this day, He doesn't care too much for today's music, He says if he's on the internet he's gonna look up Ese Rich Roc and bump "18 With A Bullet" while he cleans up his pad, He says he doesn't like Lady Gaga, He says that he likes the Black Eyed Peas because they have that Old School feel to their music and thats the style he likes! He feels where they're coming from and knows what they're mixing into their music, He wishes he can do the same thing as them so he can keep that Old School feel to it and still get on the radio! Lil Rob says he was brought up with Dr. Dre, World Class Wrecking Crew, Arabian Prince & Egyptian Lover and music like that! He says other than that, He mostly bumps Old School Funk like Lakeside, Bar-Kays, S.O.S Band.

Next question, Who would you like to collab with that You haven't had a chance to collab with yet?

Lil Rob says that he will collab with anybody who has talent and is going the right direction with their music, He says that he has worked with other rappers BUT if something goes wrong, they call him a asshole, BUT then they want to work with Rob again, Then when Rob says no, then all of a sudden he's a asshole again, Lil Rob is down to work with anybody, BUT once you burn your bridge, It's over, one time is enough for him! He says the only person he trust is himself because anybody can do him dirty and any moment, So he rather do his own thing and would like to stay solo, BUT if it's the right person and concept and it might get his career popping then he's all for it as long as they respect him,

Next question, Where do you see yourself in the next few years?

Lil Rob hopes in the next few years this Chicano Rap game takes a turn for the better, He says it can blow up BUT these days everybody is changing up their styles and trying to go radio, He says you gotta do what you gotta do to make yourself happy, Keep your bills paid & support your family! He says he's Chicano till he dies and no matter if you call him a "sell-out" or whatever, All the music he puts out is gonna be Chicano Rap! He says he's Chicano and he isn't going to change for anybody, He says you CANT change his Brown eyes into Blue! He says it's a hard road, the radio stations has a big stack of cd's that they don't play and a little stack of cd's that they do play, he's trying to get into that little stack of cd's again BUT it's hard because theres ALOT of people that are trying to do that same exact thing, He's trying to stay up on flote and not trying to burn any bridges,

Next question, How do you feel when people call you a "sell-out"?

He says a sell out is somebody who sells themself out, He says he's Chicano till he dies and will never change, Then he ask, What is NOT being a sell out? Is he suppose to be "Gangster" and talk shit about the next neighborehood? He says it doesn't make any sense to him why we hate each other, He says he's all about "Brown Pride" and if you're Brown, Then why the fuck should he hate you? He says if you don't know him BUT you hate him and talk shit about him, He says #1 you're Jealous OR #2, you're a little kid and need to grow the fuck up! He says he just can't see himself as a "sell-out" because he's trying to sell music, He's not changing who he is, He knows how he was brought up and he knows who his friends are and he's NOT selling them out so he doesn't get what the whole "sell-out" thing is about!

He says if he's NOT a gangster now these days, then he guesses he's a "sell-out" BUT he doesn't understand what the whole hate thing is about.

Next question, If you can pick one song, What is the best song you have ever recorded?

Lil Rob says it's with his Tio Jimmy on the hook, It's called "I'm Still Here" He says he's all about Brown Pride and it doesn't change who he is, He's all about La Raza BUT he also bumps White, Black & Chicano Rap, Whatever, as long as it's good music, He says he ain't racist and hates it when people are racist against him!

Next question, Is there any reason why you don't collab with any known black artist?

He says no not at all, He says he jumped on the Ludacris "How Low Can You Go" song, Lil Rob jumped on that song on his own and Ludacris doesn't know Lil Rob jumped on it, He also jumped on Snoop Dogg's "I Wanna Rock" & Snoop Dogg doesn't know he's on it as well. Lil Rob says he's not gonna go out and pay somebody to get on his music because he doesn't have the money to do that, Besides it's alot cheaper just doing it by himself! He says he'll get on anybodys songs, as long as it bumps and it's good music and doesn't disrespect La Raza

[BP323]

Part 2 has just been posted!