Ricardo Maldonado
Jacksonville-born rapper Rob Roy (or Robert Raimon Roy, if you prefer) has continually expanded on his diverse style over the past 10 years, constantly refining his sound. A refinement, that Roy believes, is never finished. As an artist grows and changes, so must the art they make change to reflect their current self. Spanning his musical career, Roy’s style and sound has delved into hip hop, R&B, trap, soul, experimental, and many other genres, all of which reflect on his progression as an artist. Most recently, Rob Roy’s 2016 release, Johnny, is a mix of everything that has come before it, and a glimpse into the future.
Rob Roy moved from Jacksonville to LA years ago for the same reason many artists leave the town: there are just some things that cannot be done in Jacksonville. While he has tremendous respect for the those who have stayed to fight the good fight, LA was just more in line with Roy’s plans. In a city such as Los Angeles, artists are surrounded by the best of the best, all of whom have left their respective hometowns in pursuit of their art.
Following his move to LA, Roy has released three albums, King Warrior Magician Lover, Le Tigre Blanc on Steve Aoki’s record label, Dim Mak, and now Johnny, for a total of four in all. For a while though, following his third album, Roy was unsure if he would return to music. He took some time for himself and began to work night shifts at Ace Hotel in LA. He later picked up writing again in 2014, and began to work on what is now his most recent work.
“This new project is like if I could take Rust Cohle from True Detective, Drake, and Björk, and throw them into a blender,” states Roy. Other influences for the album include the obvious for him, Jodeci, DJ Screw, and any other southern music in general. Johnny describes an everyman, not a god, nor an idol. This is a culmination of Roy’s past.
After writing the album in LA, Roy later recorded everything in Jacksonville with longtime friend and producer Luke Walker, who also worked with Roy on his other albums. Roy believes he now spends more time on what he is saying, being very particular with his diction, while also having more confidence in his vocal deliveries. It seems as if fewer words can say a lot more than one thinks, if chosen correctly.
“You can mess up in Jacksonville and nobody cares. It’s an advantage. That experience is invaluable; do not be in a rush to leave. In the end, it is all about how you frame your reality. If you’re framing your reality in a negative context, then you are limiting yourself.”
Rob Roy teamed up with art director Ted Lovett, whose collaborations include Nas, MIA, and Rihanna, and photographer Daniel Shea, to create the album’s visuals. Shea also directed the video for ‘Vanish in Our Sleep,’ the last track on Johnny. Roy’s website www.robroy.fm, features Shea’s photography and videos, which further explore and visually expand on the album.
Although Roy left Jacksonville a while ago, he still sees his hometown as the perfect incubator for artists and musicians. Here, artists are able to experiment with sound and style without added pressure. The stakes may not be as high as in major cities like New York, Chicago, or LA, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Artists are then able to fly under the radar and again, refine through a process, whatever it is they are trying to achieve.
“You can mess up in Jacksonville and nobody cares. It’s an advantage,” Roy states. “That experience is invaluable; do not be in a rush to leave. In the end, it is all about how you frame your reality. If you’re framing your reality in a negative context, then you are limiting yourself.”
Roy has certainly experienced both sides, while developing his sound in Jacksonville to eventually moving to LA to pursue his vision. This has ultimately shaped and added to who he is as an artist. For now, Johnny is a solid addition to Roy’s catalogue, and vision of what’s to come of his sundry styles of hip hop and R&B. There are ideas floating around for an Ace Hotel tour in the future but nothing is set in stone. Johnny can be heard on Spotify, SoundCloud, and Apple Music.
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