Interview: Grand Rapids, MI Rap Artist J. RoB Talks About His New Video "Money Bags"
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“My creative process is all about the feel. I let the beat talk to me and whatever it tells me, I do. ”
Tell us about your creative process when developing new music. Also, what do you look for in the production that you decide to write to?
My creative process is all about the feel. I let the beat talk to me and whatever it tells me, I do. I also love just to build with a producer on the spot, that always makes for some dope music. I just take life and write about it, that's it in a nutshell. It's all real.
Congratulations on the release of your new single/video "Money Bags". Tell us what inspired you to write the song and how you connected with its producer V12 The Hitman.
Took a trip out to LA before the pandemic and connected with V12 who is also from the city that I'm from, Grand Rapids. We kicked it along with my guy Neighborhood Kid, and while on the trip we went to G. Perico's release party and the time was just lit.
Got back to Grand Rapids, and heard he was in town, and would be at Neighborhood's shop, and he played me some beats he had tucked, and the instant I heard the beat for “Money Bags”, I got that stank face you get when you hear a banging beat. From there “Money Bags” was made.
Shout out to V12 The Hitman, who has worked with some of your favorite artists in the game.
Regarding the visual, how did you and the director Orange Cap come up with its concept?
Shout out to Orange Cap productions, if you're an artist looking for great quality work hit him up. I've been working with Orange Cap for a few years now, and I told him that this one made me feel like the Joker in Gotham City. Like it sounds like an anthem for Gotham. From there he was like "Yo we gotta get one of the masks they used in Dark Knight." I trust him behind that lens so from there we drew from the famous robbery scene from that movie with our own spin to it.
We were blown away by that El Camino in the video; how would you say that car culture and the rap scene in Grand Rapids (or midwest overall) intersect?
Man that El Camino is crazy, its even crazier on the inside lol, shout out to my good friend and car club owner Steve Russo of Midwest Executives. I think it goes hand in hand with each other and really helps out both sides as far as supporters and networking. I mean eventually you need a dope whip in your video at some point lol, and what car owner doesn't want their whip in a music video lol. The Car culture brings the crowd and artists do the same.
With "Money Bags" now released, what's next for you musically? Can we expect it to appear on an upcoming EP or album this year?
I will be dropping music this whole year, every quarter. I have a Live EP with the band Bedrock the Foundation set to release shortly. I also have a collab EP with another artist by the name of A1 which will be produced by Troy Ceasar, and an EP with V12 The Hitman of course. This year we are busy again.