Rob49

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“The more you put out, the more you will gain’ - Deeds meet Rob49

Rob49 may have had one of the most explosive starts to any rap career of the decade. Capturing the attention of legends such as Kevin Gates, Lil Baby, Birdman, G Herbo and Lil Durk, earning himself a feature on Travis Scott’s highly anticipated ‘Utopia’ and becoming an XXL Freshman of 2023, the young artist’s achievements are nothing short of impressive.

Hailing from New Orleans, Louisiana, the ‘49’ in Rob’s name derives from the 4th and 9th districts of his home city. Beyond the Jazz and Beignets, New Orleans is undoubtedly a place with little opportunity for aspiring artists. Yet for Rob49, that only promoted his drive and hunger for success, as he explains ‘It made me who I am today’. Now residing in Miami, Rob noted that New Orleans “wasn’t enough to get him where he needed to be”.

Rob's feature on Travis Scott's highly anticipated album, 'Utopia,' played a pivotal role in propelling him to rapid success. Recounting the experience, Rob shared that he was with Travis Scott at a club the night before, and out of the blue, Scott invited him to the studio. Reflecting on the spontaneity of the collaboration, Rob mentioned, "I didn't even think we were gonna make a song, but we did, and it was just that simple." The accompanying visuals, released last week, have further amplified the popularity of the fan-favorite track. The music video showcases a lavish yacht party and features sets of twins, including the notable Clermont Twins.

With this collaboration, Rob49 swiftly ascended to stardom, maintaining his momentum with subsequent smash hits. His mixtape Welcome To Vulture Island and this summer’s 4GOD II featured a star-studded line-up of features from artists including, Trippie Redd, Lil Durk, Lil Baby, Icewear Veezo and more. Notably, just last week, he surprised fans with a collaboration alongside Young Money’s own, Lil Wayne. "Wassam Baby" embraces its New Orleans origins, supported by an infectious, lively beat and boastful verses. Rob shared the spontaneous nature of the collaboration, recalling the moment he was about to leave the studio. However, he decided to push for one more track, urging his partner, "Let me try and get one more out, let's try to push one more out." The track was sent to Lil Wayne, who promptly delivered a powerful verse, contributing to the surprise and success of the collaboration.

The 25-year-old detailed his creative process, highlighting his preference for different settings based on the type of music he's creating. For "pain music," he enjoys solitude in the studio, emphasising, "But when I'm making lit music, sometimes I want people in there with me’. As with any artist, moments of creativity come unexpectedly, as he notes, “I just be having moments in my life where sometimes anything goes”.

Reflecting on challenges he’s faced in his still relatively new career, Rob reveals a tendency of “second guessing” himself through “not thinking (his) music was good enough for a minute”. Looking back on his younger self, he’d advise him to “keep going, you’re doing it right, just go, you win some you lose some”. Now an international touring artist, Rob has consistently showcased his talent, triumphing over those initial moments of self-doubt time and again. He advises other young musicians hoping to follow his footsteps to hold that same drive, noting, “the more you put out, the more you gain”.

In attempting to define 'the culture,' Rob emphasises that it encapsulates the youth today, stating that it embodies "the new age, whatever the young people doing is the culture”. Immersed in the culture himself, we eagerly anticipate Rob49's future endeavors, eagerly awaiting his upcoming album and the unforeseen surprises it might unveil.

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