Rob Grimes Keeps the Streets Talking with ‘Talk of the Town’
SAN DIEGO, Calif. — After heating up the Sports Arena stage as the opening act for Atlanta rapper T.I. and winning over flocks of fans, it was only right for hometown hero Rob Grimes to title his latest mixtape “Talk of the Town.”
“The reason I decided to name it that is because I built a buzz in my town,” Rob says. “Everywhere we go, we hear people talking about me, from … driving down the street and hearing my song on the radio, from radio show personalities hyping me up, to my friends going to places and all they want to know about is Rob Grimes, so the title fits perfect.”
A major driving force behind the sound of the mixtape is the title hit song “Talk of the Town,” produced by the hottest up-and-coming producer M-Phazes and featuring Havana. It’s sure to rival the success of that infectious “Around the World” sound.
However, one track on the record that shows a more serious look into Rob’s past as a troubled youth coping with the pains of his parents’ tumultuous divorce is “Coming Home.” The song, produced by Minnesota’s own, Mystro, was both a therapeutic experience and a calculated risk for Rob.
“The story is 100 percent real. I never put myself out there really, but I felt like I needed to get something off my chest … I felt the world was fighting with me and my little world was crumbling,” he says. “But that’s a side of me people really don’t know, and I felt it was important for me to make such a bold statement with that song.”
Having an array of songs with different messages and energies speaks to Rob’s versatility as an artist, which was the main reason for the 24-year-old emcee releasing the mixtape.
“Basically, on this project I wanted to show people what I’m about,” he says. “I want them to understand why I am the way I am. I want them to feel my pain and joy. I want them to know that I’m nice with music. All the other mixtapes were just a verse here and there and hooks, but this time I chose to do more original beats from producers I work with and made it more of a ‘mixtape album’ than just your normal mixtape. But I’ll still have my freestyles and remixes here and there.”
DJ Bille Knight, Rob’s manager, played a major role in bringing this project to life by setting up all the producers and “putting [his] stamp on this,” Rob says.
Long hailed for his nonstop grind and hunger to be among the industry‘s most successful, Rob’s fans can definitely hear his evolution from a backpacker to an icon on “Talk of the Town.”
“Rob’s progression as an artist is not just reflective of his natural talent, but of his passion for music and his undeniable work ethic,” says Brandon Smith from the LR Firm, who acts as a consultant for the rapper.
“Talk of the Town,” slated to drop on July 4, will be available online as well as at retail venues like Access Hip-hop.
To hear more of Rob Grimes’ music, visit www.myspace.com/robgrimes. Get locked in to www.robgrimes.net for updates and follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/RobGrimes.
_1518735.jpg)
