S. Samuel
Atlanta rapper Rocko has finally stepped up to speak on the controversy surrounding his "U.O.E.N.O" record and admitted the heat Rick Ross has created from his verse has forced him to make changes.
According to Rocko, pressure from the mainstream level is forcing him to change up the track and throw on new guest features.
“I went in and did the record and it was from my mixtape, I knew it was a good song but I ain’t have a clue that the streets would be so receptive to it. I ‘ain’t’ even know it.’ [laughs] With that being said, the record instantly became a smash over the [NBA] All-Star Weekend and stuff like that and it just became a smash in the streets. With me, I feel like I’m a street artist, I feel the record with Ross, that’ll always be the original record but because of the type of traction that the record has as far as like radio and all over the country — it puts me in a position where I have to change it. Right now, at the present moment, I have six different verses from all types of very talented, multi-faceted artists – witih all respect to the homie Ross, because when I reached out to him about the record, I sent it to him and he sent it right back. You gotta salute that — it’s crazy because it’s a Catch-22, I don’t want to take him off but one thing for certain is it’s set in stone that he’s always going to be on that song. … It doesn’t matter who I put on the song, it’s always going to be the original version of it. It’s not like I can do another verse and say, ‘Okay, this is the original right here.'” (Hot 97)
Coincidentally, Young Money’s Tyga has stood up for Ross in light of the backlash.
On Ross’ verse on the Rocko song “U.O.E.N.O.”, Tyga felt the situation was blown out of proportion. “It’s freedom of speech,” he said, “I mean it wasn’t even his record.” The rapper expressed that those criticizing Ross probably don’t actually know all that much about him. “I mean activists, and all those righteous groups. That’s what they do, they probably don’t even listen to Ross’s music. I know they don’t know who Rocko is.” he said, concluding that “they’re just finding anything they can.” (Hot New Hip Hop)
Along with Tyga’s comments, MMG member Meek Mill spoke up for the “Boss” this week and questioned why Rick is being targeted.
“I don’t even care about nobody criticizing no lyrics. People rap about killing stuff all day. Biggie said, “Rape your kid, throw her over the bridge” back then, it was nothing, it was just hip-hop. Now you got all these weirdos on these social sites voicing their opinion about something anybody say. I don’t care, you know what I’m saying? I’m from the hood. I never really cared about what nobody say in no rap. Rap’s always been talking about killing, drugs, all types of stuff. You know what I’m saying? So you can’t just criticize no one thing nobody say. It’s imaginary visual. If a writer write about somebody getting raped in a movie, that mean he a rapist or he want girls to get raped? No, he just wrote about that in a movie. [Eminem talked about] you can kill your mom, kill your baby mom, rape her, tie her up. … It’s just different now. People can voice their opinion on a social site and become popular and people are turning it into any thing. Me? I don’t care about that. You can say whatever you want. I take care of my family, I’m getting money, I’m living my life and I’m being me.” (Urban Informer)
Cash Money/We The Best rapper Ace Hood recently defended Ross’ lyrics.
Ross ain’t that type of guy,” Ace said in an interview. “You know what I mean? I’ve known Ross since I jumped in this music industry, he ain’t mean it in no way that would be degrading to women or anything like that aura. [Why did he say it?] What they saying he said, he didn’t say. You know what I’m saying, what they’re saying. Bottle and champagne, something like that.” (“Jenny Boom Boom”)
Check out Rocko’s interview:
