Jay Rock released his second album, 90059, earlier this month. The Watts, California rapper‘s first album, 2011’s Follow Me Home, was released in a partnership between Top Dawg Entertainment and Strange Music and allowed Rock to tour with Tech N9ne.
Four years later and with another project under his belt, Rock recalls how interacting with some of the Juggalos while doing shows with the “Speedom” rapper widened his perspective of music. The Juggalos are fans of Insane Clown Posse and are usually White. Tech N9ne has been featured on some of the group’s songs and has appeared at its “Gathering of the Juggalos” festival.
“I never expect those type of dudes to even listen to my music,” Jay Rock says to Home Grown Radio, “but for one of those Juggalos to come up to me like, ‘Man, that “All My Life” record, man you was talking to me.’ That struck me like, ‘Damn, maybe people, you never know who’s listening and who you might be touching with your music.’ I’m just a nigga out the projects just telling my story. To hear somebody saying they went through the same thing and they love that shit, I was like damn, I’m doing something good.”
Kendrick Lamar, Rock’s fellow Top Dawg Entertainment rapper, has said that he got connected with Dr. Dre because of Rock’s early touring days. Jay Rock says that even though he has just released an album after a four year hiatus, he was the pioneer for the success of K Dot and other TDE members Ab-Soul and ScHoolboy Q, who all have had significant albums since Jay Rock’s first project. Rock says that many people don’t know this history of the label.
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“They think this shit just came overnight,” he says. “Naw, trust me, this was a struggle. It was hard work and dedication. Even with the homie Dot, when we first, when we all started out together, Dot was with me, Soul, Q, they was all with me. Wherever I was at, they was at. We always knew what type of talent Dot had before he even blew up, we knew he was something special. So it was like, bam, I’m gonna kick these doors down.”
For additional Jay Rock coverage, watch the following DX Daily:
