S. Samuel
Atlanta hip-hop artist Rocko has revealed plans to feature Rick Ross on an upcoming "U.O.E.N.O" official remix despite the initial controversy the "Boss" created on its original version.
While he would not dish out too many details, Rocko did reveal Ross would lay down new vocals for an upcoming official remix.
“What I did do, for radio, all the verses I got, I got several verses from all different artists, so I said what I was going to do — every week I was going to put out a different verse with a different artist on it and just put it out clean, just for radio. If you look, on the ‘net, all the verses I put out are clean. … We spoke but we didn’t speak about that. We spoke about something else. He’s on the official remix. I’m going to go ahead and tell y’all, this is a big enough platform, I’m going to go ahead and let it out. On the official remix, he’s got another verse. … Now y’all got something to really look forward to.” (“The Breakfast Club”)
This week, footage of Rocko covering his ears while a predominantly all-female crowd sang Ricky Rozay’s lyrics at a concert surfaced.
Rocko recently performed a show at Tuskegee University in Alabama. During his set, the controversial hit record “U.O.E.N.O” that he is currently trying to milk was performed and Rick Ross’ verse was played completely uncensored to the mainly female crowd. The women in the building were familiar with the song and very excited to recite Ricky Rozay’s verse word for word as Rocko covered his face in disgust as if he never gave the okay for the verse in the first place. We understand you got a few big name features on the remixes you been milking the last few weeks, Rocko, but to cover your face just because Ricky’s verse caused some controversy is disrespectful to the biggest boss in the game. Not only is he the one who truly made the original record hot with some help from Future, but the controversy isn’t really hurting your buzz at all neither. Watching you act like you don’t approve as the verse plays and covering your mug is flat out corny. (Rap Dose)
Last week, the ATL rapper denied killing off Ross’ original verse in light of its reference to date rape.
“Ross is on the record,” Rocko affirmed. “People like, ‘You took Ross off.’ No, I didn’t take Ross off of it. Ross is on the record. I got multiple versions of the record. If you know what multiple means — I got people that want to get on the record. It’s a good record. If I respect you and I respect your craft, I don’t mind you doing a verse on it. … Ross is going to always be on that record. Whenever I perform that record, Ross’ verse is going to play. … The First Amendment is freedom of speech and you’re entitled to say whatever you want to say as individuals. … That’s how the media tries to do it. … The homie’s always on that song and when you turn on your radio, you may hear his version or you may hear another version. Certain radio might not play that version. But I’m standing on that version. I’m staying on the original and every version I got.” (Shade 45)
Earlier this month, Rocko admitted the pressure of mainstream media made him come up with new, more radio-friendly versions of the record.
“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)
Check out Rocko’s interview:
