Rockie Fresh has been making the rounds, promoting his new mixtape Electric Highway. The recent MMG signee recently stopped into Hot 97 to talk about his new contract, and the music scene that's blooming in Chicago.
In reference to Drill movement in Chicago, lead by young rappers King Louie, Lil Reese, and most notably Chief Keef, Rockie had nothing but praise to give. "I got a lotta respect for they movement. They just young dudes like me trying to make it from whatever circumstance they was in. So I definitely got respect for it." He explained that Keef's music is an accurate perspective on what is happening on the Chicago streets right now, comparing the movement to other Chicago legends. "I just feel like that's one side of the fence. You can kinda see that with the artists that came before. Kanye, Lupe, and people like Twista. We've always been able to give the world these interesting perspectives on life. Right now Chief Keef [and them], they tellin' the world they perspective. Rockie also commented on why his sound isn't quite in line with Keef's, despite coming up as a young rapper in Chicago. "I started rapping and got my fanbase in Chicago a little bit before that movement popped, so my sound is a little different" he said.
Rockie later talked about getting picked up by MMG, and how Diddy had also reached out to him around the same time. After performing at a Casey Veggies show in New York, Rockie got a call to meet Rick Ross in L.A. Not long after, Diddy gave him a call. "He called me direct" said Rockie, revealing that Diddy asked him to stay in L.A. after meeting with Ross, so the two could talk business. "I know you coming out here on Monday, I want to meet with you on Thursday.", were the words of Puff.
"Me being 21 years old and always lookin up to those dudes, my mind just got to racing." admitted Rockie. "I related to both of them dudes a lot, I ended up kicking it with them a lot before i signed." It was Ross's approach to Rockie's music that ended up giving him the upper hand, he explained." It was just Ross's take on my records. He just created the right situation for me, and that's why I went that way.
On when Rockie's debut will drop in the long line of MMG artists, he can't say for sure, but he's aiming for next winter. "Personally, with the stuff that I make, me coming from Chicago, and as far as that being a cold place, and that's where i record most of my music. I really like dropping a lot of my my projects in the wintertime, because they fit that vibe. So you may be hearing the album next winter."
Watch the full interview below.
