Throughout most people's lives, they will find things that they are good at. A lot of them become passions that they've never truly honed in on and have paths that they've never walked down. A lot of people want to rap, and maybe are even naturally inclined to do so. But don't pursue it or give it a real chance. In a twist of fate, Rob49 finally got in the studio in 2020, after rapping in high school and blew all of his friends away. Now, he's the hottest new name out of New Orleans.
Rob 49's 2021 single "Vulture Island," which was upgraded with a Lil Baby feature this year, and his loyalty to his city's deep hip-hop roots returned with positive fan reception are to thank. The accompanying video for "Vulture Island" has over 3 million views in only two weeks. The rising rapper is gaining new fans by the day, strictly off his momentum and an opening spot on Nardo Wick's Who Is Nardo Wick? The Tour. Rob's first mixtape since signing to Rebel Music/Geffen Records in 2020, Welcome To Vulture Island, dropped last week, and his ride to the top continues on.
While Rob49 didn't take music seriously until he was an adult, he knew he had something in his younger years. He used to listen to Future songs, and start rapping at the point where the track comes to a close and the beat continues. He felt he was out-rapping Pluto, consistently, and that confidence is why he is where he is today. Rob's first song that got local traction was 2020's "Toxic," with an opening line inspired by all the Future and The Weeknd songs he listened to. "I put my bitch through Lemonade" he rhymes on the track, through a drawl that sounds somewhere between Soulja Slim and Z-Ro.
Rob49's music has the DNA of classic New Orleans rap within it, but his style isn't a throwback to the old days. His sound is all his own, blending modern trap and old-school flows with authenticity that jumps off the page. There is a reason why the city came out in droves for his "Vulture Island" video shoot, and why New Orleans continues to support him every step of the way.
After a jam-packed rookie year in 2020 that saw him drop three projects—4our The World, Vulture, KRAZYMAN—he released 4God in 2021. Looking back, the rhymer says that he wasn't a huge fan of 4God because of the personal struggles he was dealing with at the time. However, he went on a run after that, dropping songs that would be key to his career such as "Hustler" and the aforementioned "Vulture Island." At just 22 years old, he's accomplished a lot in a short time.
Taking a break from tour life to talk to XXL, Rob49 is on this week's episode of The Break Live, sharing the road that got him to this point. Check out the interview below.
Follow Rob49 on SoundCloud and Instagram.
Standouts:
"Toxic + Disrespectful"
"Hustler"
"Vulture Island V2" featuring Lil Baby
"Phone Ringing"
Welcome To Vulture Island
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