Mr.Brock

IAA: What city and state are you from?

MR. BROCK: I am originally from Charleston, SC a.k.a. Chucktown, a very culturally diverse place to grow up. In my early teens I moved to Charlotte, NC until a few years after high school I moved back. So usually I just say I’m from Carolina.

IAA: What is your music background?

MR. BROCK: My musical background started when I was knee high to a grass hopper. At age eleven I got my first guitar and began teaching myself how to play, locked in my room for hours every day. I would hear something on the radio, and figure out how to play it. It wasn’t long before I started endeavoring to write my own material, which accelerated my love for music even more, with the joy of expressing myself. As I progressed along I began looking into recording my songs, and was challenged with yielding around equipment & facility limitations. Then it happened, my older brother came running in one day and was like “check out this program, you can make your own beats!” After that I was consumed with learning how to produce hip-hop compositions, and my guitar playing took a back seat. After school I used to have free-style battles at my house because my parents were never home, and soon after I had rappers in my town and surrounding areas coming to me for beats. I ended up learning how to record vocals over the music, and I started getting artists to rap on my tracks & began doing hometown mix tapes. Somewhere along the way after graduation, I had a lot of my artists telling me to jump on their tracks with them, I was surprised to be received so highly in my skill set, but I guess I’ve always been modest, and have found it to be a humbling virtue. So with much encouragement I started writing and recording. I remember people coming up to me from school that I would see out and about, telling me how they were digging my tracks. It was kind of crazy, but it really motivated me to put down a solid piece of work. As the years went by I continued my quest and I met my mentor, DJ Prueph. He shared a lot of knowledge of recording technics and engineering aspects, which before then I had to learn by trial and error. Meeting Prueph really helped get my music out to broader audiences. I would go to clubs downtown, and beg the DJ to play my tracks. I would do anything to have the clubs bouncing to my music. I remember the first time I heard one of my tracks over the p.a. at Bar of Charlotte, it was awesome, everybody in the club was going nuts, I was like a hometown hero in that moment. That’s when the fire inside me really exploded, I felt like what’s next? I wanted everybody in the world to hear my music. So I started hosting a hip-hop open mic contest at a club called NV. I would give out 1st, 2nd, & 3rd place trophies to the best artists and perform as well at the end of the competitions, just trying to get out there. I was blessed to meet some big artists along the way that the club would have perform on the weekends. I remember specifically when I met Fantasia, I’m not gonna lie I was a little star struck, one because she’s an awesome artist, and two because of the soul she puts in to her music, its real. So I walked up to her and told her how much I admire her music, and that I was an aspiring artist as well. She looked at me and said “come here and give me a hug” then she whispered in my ear “always follow your dreams baby.” After that I moved to Charleston to have some solitude and concentrate on recording my first album. I ran into a cat named TrafficKing from Augusta, GA. who was the most impressive artist I’ve ever collaborated with. He really pushed me lyrically. I finished my first officially un-released album over a year ago, and that’s when I met my girl Natalie Rodgers from the UK. We hit it off immediately, which has been awesome to be with someone who loves music like I do. We’re currently working on some tracks together now.

IAA: Why do you want to record and release your own music?

MR. BROCK: I want to record and release my music for a lot of reasons. Spiritually, I feel like God has blessed me with a gift, everyone has something they’re good at. The guilty feeling I get at the thought of not circumscribing my passion throughout the world is almost enough to keep me going. Also, I always remember when I was traveling through the winding roads of life at an earlier age, how much music helped me get through a lot of challenges in life, therefore I feel like I have an obligation to society to reach out to people in similar situations. My vision is broader than most, call it arrogant but I feel like the world needs Mr. Brock.

IAA: What are your songs about?

MR. BROCK: My songs are about individuality, standing up and never backing down, not conforming to social norms. I like to think that my music content touches on relevant everyday situations, and also where we see ourselves sometimes heading.

IAA: Who is your fan base directed towards?

MR. BROCK: My fan base is directed toward a very broad range of people from all walks of life.

IAA: Who are your musical influences?

MR. BROCK: My musical influences are so sporadic; I love when people ask me that. I feel cliché sometimes, but I have to admit Eminem has had a big influence on me growing up. Also Jimi Hendrix, Pink Floyd, Nas, Wu-tang Clan, 2 Pac, Mos Def, the list is too long to go on. I guess you can say anyone with someone worth listening too has been an influence on me.

IAA: How would you describe your music to people?

MR. BROCK: I would describe my music as rap & hip-hop infused, capturing the essence of the moment, a vision of revolution, and the knowledge of the past. I like to code my music, so if you listen close, it’s like opening a map. People always tell me they like listening because they want to see what I’ll say next.

IAA: What makes you stand out from other artists?

MR. BROCK: What makes me stand out from other artists is that I have a different approach and lyrical content than anyone else. Everything from the beats to the persona I represent, the vision I look to instill, the inculcation that real life is stranger than fiction. I’m not all about money, and living some fantasy life, I’m a leader of a new revolution of people tired of the same old sell out artists. I have a different sound.

IAA: What are some upcoming projects you are currently working on?

MR. BROCK: Currently, I am working on multiple collaboration projects of a newer sound you could say. Also, still finishing up tracks for my second album.

IAA: What are your career goals? Where do you see yourself in 10 years?

MR. BROCK: My career goals are to be a successful artist worldwide. I see myself in 10 years, sitting in a studio working on my next release, or helping produce an album for someone out there like me.

IAA: How can your fans access your music and contact you?

MR. BROCK: I can be contacted at mr.brockalbum@gmail.com; https://itunes.apple.com/us/album/nameless/id456873170, http://www.reverbnation.com/mrbrock & http://www.soundcloud.com/mrbrock. Or just Google “Mr.Brock”

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