Rockie Fresh
It seems like most of the new generation of Chicago rappers only care about the thug/gangsta lifestyle that plagues their home. Fortunately, one young man has his mind set farther than his neighborhood. Rockie released his first mixtape, Rockie’s Modern Life, filled with self reflection and reference to one of the best Nickelodeon cartoons of the 90’s. Honestly, the first release I listened to was Driving 88 to see what all the hype was about for this young rapper. I became a fan of the project because of the opening track and the overall reference to one of the best movies of all time. Tracks from the mixtape further cemented the Chicagoan’s future influence. The song, “Twenties” featured the same sample Kendrick Lamar would have later in 2012 for his song, “Bitch, Don’t Kill My Vibe” (Sidenote: Logic used the sample first for his song, “Addiction”). The song that I think showcased him the most was, “You A Lie.” Simple but catchy enough to be a radio/club smash, no wonder Rick Ross added a verse to its remix and signed Rockie to Maybach Music Group. With a big co-sign and newmixtape, 2013 will only continue to keep his life far from modern.