Each Wednesday, Rocks Off arbitrarily appoints one lucky local performer or group "Artist of the Week," bestowing upon them all the fame and grandeur such a lofty title implies. Know a band or artist that isn't awful? Email their particulars to [email protected].
Several months ago, while looking for rock samples utilized to make rap beats for no real reason at all because that's the type of shit you do when you've really won at life, we happened across a video by Bobby Earth, a tiny Asian kid auspicious enough to rap over an "Iron Man" redub. He was good and confident and almost glowing. We were immediately impressed, if not altogether dumbfounded.
This past weekend, Earth was a contestant in the latest edition of the highly acclaimed Space City Beat Battle. We did not know he was from Houston, so there was lots of OMGOMGOMGIT'SBOBBYEARTHOMG-guffaw. We spoke with him for a few minutes after he was eliminated. Turns out in addition to rapping, he also sings, produces, works on a hip-hop TV show and is just generally a better human than you or us. Oh, and he'll be a junior this year at HSPVA*.
So we secured an interview with him. In it, there is talk of "the human condition," mammoth facial hair and swagging out at SCBB. Keep it moving.
Rocks Off: Opener: Tell everyone everything they need to about Bobby Earth in exactly six words?
Bobby Earth: Youthfulness is a force in art.
Bobby Earth, "Take My Jacket (The Date Song)"
RO: Why Bobby Earth? Why not Bobby Jupiter (way bigger) or Bobby Saturn (it already has jewelry) or Bobby Mercury (mercilessly hot)? Also, are you in any way related to Bruno Mars?
BE: Well, my real name is Robert Claveria. Robert. Bobby. Nickname. That's where "Bobby" comes from. I coined the name "Bobby Earth" two years ago because of what I stand for ultimately as an artist. I know it's a clichéd idea and all, but the era of music we live in today is just so entirely commercial. Don't get me wrong; I like a lot of the stuff that's going on today, but most of it is manufactured conformism for record sales.
True art is a reflection of life and the human condition. I wanna show people it's okay again as a music artist to be an actual human being and not a stereotypical puppet of Hollywood. Everything I say in my music is genuinely a glimpse into who I am as a person, from my youthfulness to my swag-full-ness.
Folks don't really just wanna make music for the love of making good "down to earth" music anymore, and that's what I'm here for. And I'm not on any "real hip-hop stuff" either, dawg; I'm on some genuine self-expression stuff, you feel me? That's what "Bobby Earth" is. I didn't just pick a cool planet out of the solar system to make a catchy name [laughs].
And no, I am not related to Bruno Mars. He has cool hats though.