ROCKO JUMPS BACK IN THE GAME WITH “MAYBE” – TOP 40 URBAN HIT AT RADIO –
“VIDEO OF THE WEEK” AT MTV JAMS AND 106th & PARK DEBUT
LONG-AWAITED FOLLOW-UP TO 2008’s MILLION-SELLING “UMMA DO ME,” FROM ROCKO’s DEBUT ALBUM, SELF MADE
New Def Jam album due later this year
The rocky road to success in the dirty south hip-hop game is paved with hits – and Atlanta’s Rocko scores his latest with “Maybe,” chosen Video Of The Week at MTV Jams, breaking into the Urban Top 40 with over 4 million radio audience, top 10 at WHTA/Atlanta and more than 45 stations across the country bangin’ the track. “Maybe” is Def Jam star Rocko’s long-awaited return to the front line, and the first track from his new album (untitled as of this writing) due for release later this year.
Self-admitted workaholic Rocko first stepped out from behind the scenes – as an Atlanta-based artist manager, songwriter, promoter, and head of his own label (Rocky Road) – nearly two and a half years ago with his debut single “Umma Do Me.” The track sold more than 176,000 downloads and over 874,000 Ringtones, peaking at #9 on the Billboard Hot Master Ringtones chart. Def Jam debut album, Self Made entered the Soundscan at #6 and spent a solid half-year on the R&B/Hip Hop Albums, scanning more than 110,000 sales.
Self Made lived up to its title, reflecting Rocko’s rise to the top, a ten-year veteran of Atlanta’s highly competitive hip-hop arena who has been putting together hits for most of that time. He learned to write and format songs and create beats, while serving as a talent scout for Universal Music. His first act was Hitman Sammy Sam, whose novelty “Step Daddy” earned a deal with Universal.
In 2003, Rocko’s first mixtape, NWA (No Wack Artist) featured Juvenile, Turk, Jazze Pha, Bone Crusher, and others. In the interim, continuing to work with Universal, Rocko was connected to deals with Dem Franchize Boyz (their self-titled debut, 2004) and Young Dro (signed to Atlanta-based T.I.’s Grand Hustle label in 2006, distributed by Atlantic). Rocko’s production company also tracked songs for Lil’ Flip and Pastor Troy.
But it was 2007’s Swag Season, Rocko’s second mixtape, featuring Jim Jones, Rick Ross, Gotti, and Shawty Lo – along with the original version of “Umma Do Me” – that blew up the scene. After Atlanta’s premiere hip-hop magazine Ozone put Rocko on the cover, he was promptly signed to Island Def Jam Music Group. “They had their mind made up,” Rocko says. “I couldn’t even leave the building.”