Hip Hop. R&B. Rap.
The lexicon of subgenres that come with all of these things have, despite their mass appeal, mass cultural impact and of course mass profitability, have largely been ignored in terms of importance to music. Specifically, the journey to get to that level or even being remembered, let alone being followed on the various social media platforms. All of this has been largely relegated to fluff pieces or whenever the artist themselves decides to share it with their fans.
Intuitively, most rappers, hood or talented suburbanite, have all understand one important thing. No one cares about your story unless its set to a good beat.
A great beat and great hook.
As a filmmaker, writer, photographer and battle-scarred music industry vet, I know that people only see the end result. They result of the blood, sweat, tears and beers.
The apex. The mountain tops.
It’s incredible to see.
As we sit through this growing pandemic, I reached out to Ed about possibly covering Jersey hip hop and rap for YDKJ since it seemed like there weren’t a lot of people covering them, hell even interested in covering it in a serious non-fluff way.
He said yes and I am going to jump on the opportunity.
Throughout my entries I will do my best to bring some semblance of identity to the talented yet nameless faces that prop up the hip hop industry, both underground and major, in the tristate area with interviews, premieres, and my brand of photography and framing that will hopefully make you want to know about these hip hop artists.
This is Beats Subterranean.
We start with the uber talented Bobby Doc.
With a slick and frankly vicious lyrical repertoire that, if underestimated, will drop you like a Kyrie Irving crossover, leaving you icing your ankle and your ego. Deadly punchlines, intellect and daggers that tell you the story of a young suburbanite with a chip on his shoulder and something to prove that can equal any artist regardless of your socioeconomic background.
Oh, I guess this is the point where I should mention for those who care he is white. If you are one of those people who that matters to, you clearly haven’t been paying attention to the game and he probably has already passed you.
Hood or suburbanite, he has the stamina and he is on the come up.
I got to sit down with him with a list of questions as he prepared to drop his new single “ Rocket” on March 27th via 3143 Artist Management
Tell us about “Rocket”.
Bobby Doc: “Rocket” is the first single off the Trash EP. I wrote that song because I wanted to bring a little bit of old school back to hip hop. Mine and Nakir Tasi’s lyricism matched with that beat is a great mix. It’s all about the come up and dedication to the cause
Where did the name Bobby Doc originate from?
Bobby: I originally went by Rob Sweatpants because in high school I was a big Odd Future fan. I got more serious about my music and I had heard that Childish Gambino found his name on a rap name generator. I was a big Donald Glover fan so I plugged my name in 20 times. I combined the two coolest things that it came up and Bobby Doc was born.
How important is it to you rep New Jersey as you move further along in the industry?
Bobby: It’s very important that I rep Jersey as I move forward. I’ve always lived here, I went to college here, my family and friends are here, and the most talented artists in the world reside here. I’m proud of my state and I’m gonna rep until I die.
When did you realize that you wanted to step Into the rap/hip hop game?
Bobby: Since I was 6 years old, I knew I loved hip hop. I’ve had an infatuation with lyrics since the start and I truly believe hip hop is the best way to tell a story. I get I’m not the most edgy guy but hip hop runs through my veins.
What was the moment you realized that this was something that could be a career?
Bobby: When I was in college I went through a lot of personal things and because of those things I dove into my music. I ended up doing a show and by my 3rd show I was opening up for Juice Wrld at Starland Ballroom in Sayreville, NJ. I am so grateful for that experience. That is the day I knew I could really do something with my music.
You’re pretty popular on social media and streaming service in a really short time, aside from putting out good music what else would you attribute that too?
Bobby: I would attribute a lot of that to meeting the right people, support from those people I’ve met, and the loyal fans, family, and friends. It also takes a lot of hard work. I don’t go to sleep until 3am and I’m in the studio until 11pm most nights when I’m creating. Hard work, dedication, and the right people around me attribute to my current success.
You’re pretty eclectic . In terms of lyrics, style and creativity who are you inspirations?
Bobby: Notorious BIG, Kid Cudi, Eminem, Stevie Wonder, RHCP, and Wiz Khalifa are my influences if I have to only name a few. Something that separates me from other artists is that I do not want to put myself in a box. I am a fan and a student of all genres of music. If I like an aspect of a different genre of music I am going to implement that aspect into my game. Artistry is all about growth and expansion
You have an EP coming out called Trash via 3143 Artist Management, how did we get to this point? Who was apart of the process of bringing this album to life?
Bobby: I am very excited about the Trash EP. The title is obviously sarcastic. I walk on stage and people think I’m trash until they listen. My manager KL Martin has been crucial during my process and I couldn’t be more thankful for him. Frank G of Creative World Media and Joey Papa of Sonoma Beach Studio also were a gigantic part of my project. I could not have created what I did without them. I firmly believe this project is my best project so far and I can’t wait to put it out.
You can check out Bobby Doc on Spotify here.
Copyright, You Don’t Know Jersey, LLC (2010-2022)
about the author: KL Martin
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