Voice Of The Metro

Voice Of The Metro: Introduce yourself to the people, homie.

Rob: What’s good, y’all? My name is $Rockin Rob$ from High Quality, and I, the lead mic, am trying to make moves and understand my music.

VOTM: So how did you get introduced to the go-go scene?

Rob: Well, PG used to play for Raw Image. He lives around the Saratoga. So I would be on some “talk to him and go to his show” type shit. But when he left the go-go game, I was like, “Man, I’m trying to be the only ‘Toga nigga that start up a go-go band.”

VOTM: There’s more than a little bit of a buzz about HQB right now…how did y’all start to make that come-up?

Rob: Put it like this…Fat Cat’s the one that put High Quality out from the jump. I met Fat Cat at Dunbar High School, passing out flyers. Then he came to our practice up at E-Sharp Studio in the Edgewood area. Then when he started to manage us, we played at the 20/20 at the CFE with XIB, UEB, PEB and all those bands every Sunday. Then we had our own club, The Teen Cafe, Uptown, we were playing at Emery Rec. Center. High Quality played a lot of shows and i’m glad that we’re ji’ known. We’re trying for the ‘08 to make it to the top.

VOTM: I know people are gonna want to catch a show after reading this…where can the fans catch HQB playing?

Rob: Well, we’re playing at the CFE on the 20th, and after that, go to our band page, http://www.myspace.com/highqualityband, to see all of our up-and-coming shows.

VOTM: What’s your inspiration to do this music?

Rob: First of all, God gives me inspiration to do my music, my family, and my friends.

VOTM: How do you feel about the critics that say that the young bands are fucking up the groundwork that the older bands laid down?

Rob: Man, excuse my language, but it’s too may fucking bands that’s coming out everyday. I get upset that they practice 3 times and they want a show. I started my band in ‘06, like June, and started to play at shows in November ‘06, so that’s like 7-8 months worth of practice. I had seen bands come to Dollar Bill’s show at the 20/20 and didn’t have no keyboard, and had to use another band’s board player. I put it like this - I don’t care if y’all people don’t like it. If your backline ain’t rocking like that, man, just don’t do go-go no more. If your lead mic can’t lead your rapper or singer to the song, get a new one, point blank. Plus, it’s the new bands coming out everyday on GoGoCentral. I aint’ going to say any names, but those bands know who they is. They don’t need to play at any shows. I see these bands on these flyers that don’t crank. To tell you the truth, they’re getting on shows because they’re putting up that money. Shit, if I was a promoter, I’d take their money too.

VOTM: What’s next for you and HQB?

Rob: Well, for ‘08, you’re going to see new people in the band, like we got Angel. She used to play for IEB, but she left and came to us. Also, we got another singer named Mikey B. He sounds like Chris Brown. Also, we got a new keyboard player and drummer named Crazy K and Drew-Man. Our album is coming out in February. It’s called Motivated By The Haters. That means that a lot of niggas try to put me and my band down, but we’re standing strong. For all y’all people that try to put HQB down, put it like this - I LOVE THAT SHIT!

VOTM: Favorite go-go band, other than HQB?

Rob: Well, I like Drastic Measures AND UCB.

VOTM: Favorite carry-out?

Rob: My favorite carry-out is Jerry’s and Mike’s. It’s around Saratoga.

VOTM: Favorite clothes store?

Rob: H&M and Shoe City.

VOTM: Favorite DMV rapper?

Rob: Unsure for now.

VOTM: Congo grooves or bounce beat?

Rob: Well, I fucks with bounce. Depends on what mood I’m in, but I fucks with the bounce beat.

VOTM: Any last words for the people and/or shout outs?

Rob: Man, I’m going to make this clear to all the people that’s reading this. High Quality is coming out with a CD every month, LIVE. It’s going to hit PAPalace and the streets. Like I said before, we are coming out with an album in February. I know people say it’s another High Quality. Man, it’s a fake-ass band called HQB Pt.2 - they’re not the REAL High Quality, everybody knows that. They try to lean on XIB and us, but we ain’t gonna promote their name. They’re not on my fucking mind, for real, so they can kick rocks and die. We got a new management team - Ms. Precious, the manager; Keeana, the assistant manager; Raymond, manager. Shout out to my hood, Saratoga, and R.I.P. to that nigga JuJu. We will all miss you. Shout out to the whole 41st and Rock Creek. Shout out to the whole GoGoCentral. I love everybody, love me or hate me, I’m going to be the last one standing! GONNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNE!