Rob Lo — Producer Interview

Parts of this spread print white text over busy photos and the scan is difficult to read; the transcription below preserves what is clearly legible and marks gaps with […].

How did you get your name?

Shit, Husalah came up with it — we was just [little] kids, 12 or 13 years old, and back then [there was the] actor Rob Lowe… we were all […] you know what I’m sayin. […] I got a sampler at 9 years [old] […] Whitney Houston, Earth Wind and Fire, Miracles, Isaac Hayes, Luther Vandross — soul, [that’s] what I mean. So you know I always [went] back to that. I always have [that soul] behind my music.

How’d you meet The Jacka and the rest of the Mob Figaz?

Shit, Husalah and [me] — Husalah and [I] grew up together. […] Next thing you know, through a friend I went to school with, I met The Jacka. […] We met Fed X in […] this music […] Mob […] the 90s before Kanye, on some real shit.

If you wanted the world to know one thing about The Jacka, what would it be?

[Speaking] about The Jacka overall — [people] just want [to know the music, but a] whole unit of people follow… his steps in Islam. He [helped people] to be embraced [by] Islam — [I learned] Islam from him, and then I was able to embrace other people; I took it to the next level past me, you know. […] Jack — he started getting deeper [into] the music business, and dealing [with] the music business and religion is [a] cross hairs, you know? It wasn’t [easy] […] He wanted to make sure that [we] knew who God was, and that we […] this music […] be able to take care of [our family], which we’re supposed [to do].

[What are some] records that you’re proud to be a part of, both in the [beginning and] throughout [your career]?

The first Jacka album, self-titled “The Jacka”… [we moved] 20,000 CDs alone. […] [I] worked on it with […] So [when] we look [back at] our shit […] everyone was picking that shit up, and we […] It was the first time on the West [Coast we pre-sold] the CDs so that it could [chart] at [12] o’clock EST or so. We [had to] get our buy sheets out there so [people] could start pre-ordering. That first album [left] an imprint on [my] life. That was the major album for [me] — that first self-titled “The Jacka” […]. That was a pretty big moment [for us]; I can say those two albums actually set my future up in this music [business]. […] [Everything I] learned from [those] two albums set me [up] — that’s without Husalah, [and] that’s without everything else, [you know] what I mean?

How long did it take to compile the “Brave New World” [album]?

That album took about 8 months total! All the tracks are made [from scratch — every] track and [every] song you hear […] on the spot — the [mixing] was done on the spot and that’s what makes it an epic album. I’m really proud of this album so far. On this next one I have Dru Down on there, [and] of course E-[40] […].

Any new business ventures?

I got a new artist I’m working with — Deezy […]. [And] I’m working with Tight Team. These boys are hot: they cover trap, they cover pop, they cover everything.

[Where can people] find you online and on social medias?

@RobLoBlahkop on Instagram […] Also contact my manager PK.