Roccett: New West Prospect
Friday - December 7, 2007By: Jay Casteel
Coming up in the hip-hop industry has become more and more difficult over the years. With the utilization of the internet, almost everyone is trying to get into the game. On top of that, artists on the West Coast aren't getting the love they once did. But all of that seems to be irrelevant for a rising star from Carson, California, who in a short time has built a buzz and garnered the attention of one of the South's biggest stars in Young Jeezy and become his CTE West front man. His name is young Roccett.
At only 24 years old, Roccett has the work ethic of a grizzled vet. He's put in major work to get noticed, and with five mixtapes under his belt and a slew of others in the works, it's no wonder Jeezy is so impressed with the kid.
BallerStatus.com caught up with the young star in the making to talk about his humble beginnings, his chance meeting with Young Jeezy and what the future holds. In this interview, it's clear Roccett has a good sense of what's needed to become Cali's next -- which in the rapper's own words is summed up with just one, grinding.
BallerStatus.com: Start by telling us how you got into the game.
Roccett: Aww, well we got to start off with the word grinding first of all. That sums it all up, but I've just been doing my thing, putting out these mixtapes, doing song after song, show after show and just pretty much grinding. That's really what it takes to be where you wanna be.
BallerStatus.com: So, you're from Carson, California?
Roccett: Yea, definitely, C-Arson baby.
BallerStatus.com: Tell us about early on, how you got into music.
Roccett: I'm 24. Music is a part of everybody's life. Music influences you throughout your life whether you from the streets or not from the streets. Everybody got their favorites in music. I think my music influences growing up would be Tupac, Biggie and N.W.A., which got me started at a young age. I didn't really start doing music until I was about 18 or 19. That's when my homie put me in the studio and I just started doing songs and we went from there. Here we are today.
BallerStatus.com: When you finally got into the studio, did you take to it right away? I mean, was freestyling something you messed with beforehand?
Roccett: Yea, yea, I could do it. I always had a knack for it. But the first time I got into the studio, I mean I went in there and did my thing. The first song I ever did probably come out hot, but it was a song (laughs). But, getting into the studio was comfortable, you know what I mean? I never got nervous behind a mic or people like that. I ain't never had problems, I get in there and do my thing. It's nothing to me.
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Roccett: I got five mixtapes in the streets man, five of them. I been grinding.
BallerStatus.com: What was your process of getting them out there? Just hit the streets with them?
Roccett: Hell yea. That's how you start off (laughs). You get out there and you do it. That's how you get your name in the streets. You do something with some folks, it's up to you to get your name out there when you first starting off. You don't really get no help when you first start off, you just get out there on your own and get to passing them out.
BallerStatus.com: The street distribution is a hard thing. I see dudes everyday trying to sell their music on the streets. How were you able to get people to actually listen to your music? What was it like in the beginning?
Roccett: I gave it away first. You can't turn down free baby. When you ain't knowing, it's hard to sell things. You got to know them first. When there's a product out that's already hot like if somebody give you some Nikes or Reeboks -- you might even buy those -- but if I got these new Roccett shoes, you're gonna be like "What are those? I ain't ever heard of that," like you ain't finna rock them. They could be super sweet and expensive, but still, you'd be like "Nah, I'm about to get these Air Force Ones to be sure about my outfit." So, that's why you gotta give them away. You gotta get people to check you out first, then they won't might spending $5 or $10 or whatever donation the next time when they see you in the streets.
BallerStatus.com: At first, obviously, you're not sure how people are gonna react to your music. So, at one point were you like "Oh, people are really starting to feel this and embrace me."
Roccett: To be honest with you, you can't really care. You just gotta do it. You gotta understand from the jump that not everybody is gonna like your music. If you're going into the music thing to make everybody happy, then you're in the wrong business. It just won't work. All you gotta do is make the majority of the people happy and you can make some moves.
So, what I did was just get it away and told people I was dope, so just check me out. People did it and thank God they liked my music man. Here we are today.
BallerStatus.com: So for people out there who haven't heard of Roccett yet, how would you explain your style?
Roccett: My music is off emotions man. It really goes with how my attitude is that day, like what kind of mood I'm in. Like if I'm in a riding mood and the beat puts me in the riding mood, then I'm gonna give you a riding track. If the beat got a little slow little grind for the ladies, then I'm gonna give you that. My style I would say is universal. I make music from my heart and my soul. The majority of people go through everyday things, so that's what we gonna talk about.
BallerStatus.com: You're the main representative for Young Jeezy's CTE label, specifically, you always rep CTE West. So, tell us how you linked up with Jeezy?
Roccett: The crazy thing is, I linked up with him before music just off some street stuff. Just actually being in the streets, we kind of bumped into each other when he was out here doing some promo things. I was at one of his joints and after he finished, we was outside freestyling. When he actually came out, he was listening and was like "Man, you hot." After that, I busted something else, woo, woo, woo and he was like "Man, I gotta sign you like there ain't no time to waste, you CTE. Get this going." That's how it started right there.
BallerStatus.com: So, you just heading the CTE West movement huh?
Roccett: You already know. I might be the head of CTE in a little bit of time baby. Just give me a little bit of time baby, I'm finna put this music out (laughs).
BallerStatus.com: So, what's going on with you on the music end?
Roccett: Aw man, I got the Corporate America mixtape coming out. We gonna drop that first. Then I got another mixtape we gonna do with DJ Drama, we gonna drop that in the streets. Then, me and Chuck T, Smallz, Skee, Dow Jones... we got a lot things in the works. We got a DVD on the way. It's just so much going on. I'm rocking with the clothes -- Blanco, Makaveli Branded and Notorious B.I.G. Just a lot of things man, I stay grinding. I can't ever stop.
We also got the Colors mixtape with DJ Warrior in the streets right now.
BallerStatus.com: Anything else?
Roccett: Google me man. Check me on Myspace. Myspace.com/Roccett. Check me out, I'm all over the place, trying to put this music out.
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