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Dre Robinson, represents what east coast rap is all about. Hailing from Boston, this artist combines gritty lyrics with an in-your-face delivery that will bring the hip hop world to its knees. Passion, grindin’, raw and real, Dre Robinson encompasses every characteristic and embodies the livelihood of an authentic street emcee. It is rare when one can say something positive about every track on a CD but typically when it happens a star is born.
His voice is unique, with his smooth flow and exceptional lyrics. His new album, This is Me, does not have to rely on beats for entertainment purposes, for his incredible storytelling ability is not only awe-inspiring but will captivate listeners reminiscent of early works of fellow east coast stars Big L, Nas and Mobb Deep.
This Is Me begins strong with “Be So Cold”, the epitome of a beat-bumping riding song that mixes hard lyrics with a relaxing beat. Not to be outdone, the next track entitled “What’s Hood” successfully brings you back to the dark side of rap. This is Me is a refreshing work that goes in a different direction creatively, combining 70s soul and modern hip hop.
This album takes the listener on an emotional rollercoaster, especially with the track “Searchin.” The beat is melodically exceptional and eerily unnerving as Dre spits about his tremulous past, filled with unbelievable hardship. Both intelligent and inspirational, his lyrics in this song pierce your soul and leave you re-evaluating and appreciating your own life. Dre’s own personal experiences growing up in that lifestyle are reflected in his music through his intimate take on the complexities and hardships of ghetto life, which are incredibly moving as well as frighteningly real.
He continues to entertain with head-banging’ beats and cameos by acclaimed Queens Bridge rap duo Mobb Deep, Dakari, and Remy Ma among others.
“Oh Yeah” is certain to become a hit track with its stylish Neptune-esque beats and could very well hit the Billboard Top 10 singles chart within weeks of release. Overall, this album will be a great purchase and ultimately marking the successful beginning of a new fresh talent in the world of hip hop. - By: Tim Lamendola for Juicy Magazine
Dre Robinson
WORD UP: LOVE OF LYRICS IS THE DRIVING FORCE FOR THIS RISING RAPPER FROM DORCHESTER
January 23, 2005
Dre Robinson likes to say he's been "grinding in the game" as a rapper since the mid-1990s, but he regards himself first as a songwriter.
Always a fan of hip-hop, Robinson says it was his love of words that drew him deeper into rap music, as "your self-expression with words is more captivating." Growing up in Dorchester, he applied his talents to writing rhymes. "I really fell in love with words and lyrics when I heard Nas, Biggie, and Tupac," he says. "Right there, I fell in love with writing."
With his eyes set on a career in rap, Robinson gained attention in local talent shows. Eventually, he shopped demo tapes made with various groups and met with record labels, though those meetings never produced the kind of recording deal he wanted. Still, it never occurred to him that he might not make it.
"People around me told me not to stop what I was doing even when you're at a down period," he says. "People having faith in me helped me have a lot of faith in myself."
Two years ago, he released his first solo CD, "Starvin,' " which was played on local hip-hop stations, and recently "Starvin' 3: The Feeding" hit the streets. Though he regards himself as a wordsmith, he's just as concerned with a polished flow for his rhymes.
"You can have great words, but if you can't deliver it right, it won't come across," Robinson says. "You have to be on point with both because that's what people will remember. I strive to be the best at both."
LENGTH OF TIME PERFORMING: Since 1997. MUSICAL INFLUENCES: Nas, Jay-Z, Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G. WHO HE THINKS HE SOUNDS LIKE: "I've been influenced by a lot of MCs, but I don't think I sound like them. I think I have my niche, my own sound, and I have a love for wordplay." HE'LL KNOW HE'S MADE IT WHEN: "When you achieve longevity, then you can say you've made it. I want to leave my mark in the game." QUIRKY FACT ABOUT HIM: His introduction as a hip-hop performer came as a local break-dancer in the early 1990s.
RENE GRAHAM - Boston.com (Boston Globe)
Discography
"Get Right" feat Mobb Deep
"Be So Cold" feat Jae Millz and Papoose
"Oh Yeah" feat Dakari
Photos
Feeling a bit camera shy
Bio
DRE ROBINSON
THIS IS ME
www.drerobinson.com
www.myspace.com/drerobinson
A combination of impassioned delivery and gritty lyrics has many saying, Mass Appeal recording artist Dre Robinson, is the one to watch. With an ever-raising national profile he's doing his part to not only secure his future but to focus Hip Hop's spotlight on his hometown. Lyrical giants like Nas, Rakim, Jay Z and Notorious B.I.G. turned him on to the power of words. However it was an up close and personal view of Hip-Hop that helped him decide the mic was for him. "There were these real popular local groups and they were up there rapping and dancing. And I'm like...they are not really doing anything I can't do. I always liked dancing and entertaining and the attention but I'm a fairly shy dude. So I tried to write, started writing and I just stuck with it."
After a while Dre discovered a whole new use for beats and rhymes, therapy. It started to serve as a relief for his stress. "I've got a lot of anger in me for what I've been through growing up. And when I get in the booth I can let that out. I can just let it loose and when I come out, I'm pouring with sweat. I feel like I just finished working out." For Dre music became a refuge from life's troubles. After losing both his parents (his father when he was ten and his mother passed when he was 23), he became guardian to his younger brother. Having lost his father at an early age and dealing with the long time illness of his mother as well as building on the close relationship with his brother has not been easy.
Dre brings an authenticity to his music that few can claim; an authenticity that comes from having an intimate knowledge of ghetto life. "My pops, rest in peace, my moms, rest in peace, they tried to make ends meet in Brooklyn. My moms stayed in NY with us, my pops was hustling back and forth from NY and Boston. So my whole life, I've seen the street life." Yet even with his front row seat view of the game Dre wasn't deterred from joining the grind.
It was when Dre mixed the story of his life with the poetics of Hip-Hop that he started to find his creative direction. "I'm in the streets with my boys and writing and everything just started coming together for me with the rhymes. My boys were like 'Yo, you're real good at telling these stories.' Me and my boys would be out on the street doing stuff and I would take that and go and write. The desire to rep for his people turned into a desire to get in the music business. With a crew of his friends he formed the Mic Commandos. The MC's eventually caught the attention of Joe Fergus Jr. better known as Joe Politics, who was doing A&R work for a local label. But when the label decided to focus on other projects Joe formed Pollymore Music Group in order to insure the world heard Dre's flow. It was then that Dre teamed with DJ J-Saki and flooded the streets with freestyles and mixtapes to help build a buzz around the Boston, MA area.
That buzz reached Mass Appeal label head Marcus DL and his head of A&R, DJ Gee Spin. In Gee Spin's eyes it was simple. "I knew from the first verse, I wanted to work with Dre. I wanted to meet Dre, so I had them come to the station, for my Sunday night show, The Launch Pad to see how he vibed and if he could make it happen live on the radio. He killed it! The passion in his flow and the fact that he did 50 bars straight (without a curse), made me excited about Hip Hop again. He just has "it". Whatever "it" is, he has it. He is versatile. And most of all, he is a good dude to be around. Many artists have "it" but few can translate it to good songs. Dre has done just that. The Jamaican born Boston-based lyricist kept the clubs and radio burning with his single "Get Right". The Marcus DL produced track is a club banger aimed straight for the thugs. Powered by a remix featuring Mobb Deep (no strangers to thuggish club bangers themselves) "Get Right" jumped into the club set lists and mixes of some of the nation's biggest DJ's. WILD FM Boston's Chubby Chubb and Statik Selektah all have it as a part of their mixes as well as Shade 45 and mixtape king Clinton Sparks. Hot 97 New York's Cipha Sounds and DJ Enuff as well as Power 105's Spinbad have given the song play.
Gee Spin says "Felli Fel on LA's Power 106 played the original Get Right every night for a month." The Drama King Kay Slay has shown Dre love on his "Drama Hour" radio show and was so impressed that he signed on to host Dre's preview mixtape, "Who Am I?...The Mass' Jewel".
Radio and mixtapes aren't the only places where everyone knows Dre's name. The Boston Phoenix spotlighted him in their New England Product column. Along with being the subject of the column Dre has been getting spins on the NEP show on alternative rock station WFNX. "Getting played on the New England Product show on WFNX and featured in the Phoenix is another really good look for us. Believe me I appreciate it because I know it's not pro
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