Black Rob

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Black Rob

| image = Black Rob (rapper).jpg

| alt =

| caption =

| birth_name = Robert Ross

| birth_date = {{birth date|1968|06|08}}

| birth_place = New York City, U.S.{{Cite news|last1=Jiménez|first1=Jesus|last2=Coscarelli|first2=Joe|date=April 18, 2021|title=Black Rob, Rapper Known for His Hit Single 'Whoa!,' Dies at 52|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2021/04/18/arts/music/black-rob-rapper-dead.html|access-date=April 21, 2021|issn=0362-4331}}

| alias = {{hlist|Rob Marciano|Robbie O|Blanco Pop}}

| death_date = {{Death date and age|2021|04|17|1968|06|08}}

| death_place = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

| occupation = {{hlist|Rapper|songwriter}}

| genre = East Coast hip hop

| label = {{hlist|Arista|Bad Boy}}

| website =

| years_active = 1989–2021

}}

Robert Ross (June 8, 1968{{cite web|last=Bosselman|first=Haley|title=Black Rob, Rapper and Former Bad Boy Artist, Dies at 52|url=https://variety.com/2021/music/news/black-rob-dead-bad-boy-records-1234954077/|website=Variety|date=April 17, 2021|access-date=April 18, 2021}} – April 17, 2021), known professionally as Black Rob, was an American rapper who was signed to Sean "Puffy" Combs' Bad Boy Entertainment. He was best known for his 2000 single "Whoa!", which peaked at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/288495/black-rob/chart|title=Black Rob Chart History|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 16, 2017|archive-date=August 16, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180816061723/https://www.billboard.com/artist/288495/black-rob/chart|url-status=dead}}

Career

Ross grew up in East Harlem and began rapping between the ages of 11 and 12.{{cite web|url=http://www.unkut.com/2013/02/black-rob-the-unkut-mini-interview|title=Black Rob, The Unkut Mini Interview, Part One|work=Unkut.com|date=February 28, 2013|access-date=February 16, 2017}} He was inspired by the artists he listened to regularly, including Spoonie Gee, Doug E. Fresh, and Slick Rick.{{cite web|url=http://www.unkut.com/2015/04/black-rob-the-unkut-interview-volume-two/|title=Black Rob, The Unkut Mini Interview, Part Two|work=Unkut.com|date=April 13, 2015|access-date=February 16, 2017}} When he was 22, he joined his first rap group, the Schizophrenics, though they did not release any albums. He initially rapped under the alias "Bacardi Rob".

He began associating with the Bad Boy label as early as 1996, appearing on the Bad Boy remix to 112's "Come See Me". He was then featured on several Bad Boy releases, including remixes to Total's "What About Us" (1997) and Faith Evans's "Love Like This" (1998), the song "24 Hrs. to Live" (1997) from Mase, and albums by Puff Daddy & the Bad Boy Family (1997) and The Notorious B.I.G. (1999). He also made two appearances on Cru's 1997 album Da Dirty 30, as well as albums by Channel Live, Benzino, Tony Touch, and others. These guest appearances earned him media buzz.{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/black-rob-bad-boy-records-rapper-behind-whoa-dies-at-52/|title=Black Rob, Bad Boy Records Rapper Behind "Whoa!," Dies at 52|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 20, 2021 }}

In his earlier years, Black Rob headed the street rap team which he named "Alumni". His debut album Life Story{{cite web |url=http://hiphopdx.com/news/id.27150/title.black-rob-addresses-diddy-g-dep-sean-price-ny-rap-in-ama |title=Black Rob Addresses Diddy, G-Dep, Sean Price & NY Rap In AMA |work=Reddit.com |date=January 21, 2014}} was released in 2000 through Arista Records and Bad Boy Entertainment and rose above platinum sales. In early 2000, he released the hit single "Whoa!". Produced by Diggin' in the Crates Crew member Buckwild, "Whoa!" became his biggest hit. The song peaked at number 43 on the Billboard Hot 100 and reached the top 10 on both the R&B/Hip-Hop{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/288495/black-rob/chart?f=367|title=Black Rob Chart History: Hot R&B/Hip-Hop Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 16, 2017|archive-date=February 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217073117/http://www.billboard.com/artist/288495/black-rob/chart?f=367|url-status=dead}} and Rap{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/288495/black-rob/chart?f=1222|title=Black Rob Chart History: Hot Rap Songs|magazine=Billboard|access-date=February 16, 2017|archive-date=February 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217073355/http://www.billboard.com/artist/288495/black-rob/chart?f=1222|url-status=dead}} charts. It was Rob's only solo single to reach the Hot 100.{{cite web|url=https://www.cheatsheet.com/entertainment/rapper-black-rob-net-worth-at-time-of-death.html/|title=What Was Rapper Black Rob's Net Worth at the Time of His Death?|website=cheatsheet.com|date=April 18, 2021 }} Black Rob's verse in the song "By a Stranger", was featured in the in-game radio station "Game Radio" from Grand Theft Auto III.{{Citation|title=Grand Theft Auto III - Game FM (No Commercials)| date=January 7, 2012 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TaktVddpM1I |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211221/TaktVddpM1I |archive-date=December 21, 2021 |url-status=live|language=en|access-date=May 16, 2021}}{{cbignore}}

Despite subsequently appearing on releases by P. Diddy and G. Dep, he did not make another hit single. His second album, The Black Rob Report (2005) failed to perform as strongly as his debut and quickly fell off the Billboard 100 charts. In 2005, Jemal Mosley from Off the Block Entertainment started managing Black Rob's career. In 2010, he parted from Bad Boy and signed to independent label Duck Down Records. In 2011, he released Game Tested, Streets Approved, which peaked at number 44 on the Billboard Top R&B/Hip-Hop Albums. Black Rob also started his own independent label, Box in One, with Jemal Mosley.{{cite web|url=http://aboveaveragehiphop.com/interview-with-black-rob/|title=Interview with Black Rob|website=aboveaveragehiphop.com|date=June 22, 2015 }}

In 2013, he joined the reality series Come Back Kings with Ed Lover, Calvin Richardson, David "Davinch" Chance (of Ruff Endz), Jeff Sanders, Jameio, Mr. Cheeks and Horace Brown.{{cite web|url=http://www.comebackkings.net|title=Come Back Kings|access-date=March 9, 2015|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109133107/http://www.comebackkings.net/|archive-date=November 9, 2013}}{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/ComeBackKingsTV|title=Come Back Kings|access-date=March 9, 2015}}{{cite web|url=https://www.facebook.com/comebackkingsTV|title=Come Back Kings|work=Facebook|access-date=March 9, 2015}} In 2014, he appeared on the song "Take 'Em Off Da Map" on Diamond D's album, The Diam Piece. In 2015, Black Rob released his fourth studio album, Genuine Article{{cite web|url=https://twitter.com/TheRealBlackRob/status/287899669323972609 |title=Twitter / TheRealBlackRob: Official Notice: my new album |publisher=Twitter.com |access-date=February 18, 2013}} on Slimstyle Records, which he produced with Jemal Mosley. Guest emcees include Sean Price, Tek, battle legend Murda Mook, and Quas Amill. Ron Browz, former Bad Boy label-mate Q. Parker (112), Kali Ranks, and Quan all sing choruses on the album. Producers include Easy Mo Bee, Coptic, Big French, and others.{{cite web|url=https://therealhip-hop.com/black-rob-genuine-article/|title=Black Rob: Genuine Article|website=The Real Hip-Hop|date=May 25, 2015 }}

Legal issues

Black Rob was sentenced to over seven years in prison in 2006 after failing to appear in court for his sentencing (which was set to be two-to-six years initially) on a charge of grand larceny from 2004, in which he pleaded guilty to criminal possession of more than US$6,000 worth of jewelry stolen in a hotel.{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/58876/black-rob-sentenced-to-jail-for-robbery|title=Black Rob Sentenced to Jail for Robbery|magazine=Billboard|date=April 3, 2006|access-date=March 9, 2015}} He was released from prison in May 2010, and was interviewed by BET two hours later.{{cite web|url=https://www.bet.com/article/l5txr0/black-rob-released-from-prison-no-longer-signed-to-bad-boy-records|title=Black Rob Released From Prison, No Longer Signed To Bad Boy Records |website=BET |access-date=March 9, 2015}}

Later life and death

Towards the end of his life, Ross struggled with homelessness and health issues. A GoFundMe page was created to help him "find a home" and "pay for medical help". Over his last five years of life, he suffered four strokes.{{cite web |url=https://www.billboard.com/music/rb-hip-hop/black-rob-dies-dead-obit-9558262//|title=Black Rob, Former Bad Boy Rapper, Dies at 52|date=April 18, 2021|last=Iasimone|first=Ashley|accessdate=August 9, 2022|website=billboard.com}} On April 17, 2021, Ross died of cardiac arrest at age 52.{{cite web| url = https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2021-04-20/rapper-black-rob-known-for-hit-whoa-dead-at-52| title = Rapper Black Rob, best known for hit song 'Whoa!,' dead at 52 - Los Angeles Times| website = Los Angeles Times| date = April 20, 2021}}{{Cite web|title=Black Rob, Rapper Formerly of Bad Boy Records, Has Died at 52|url=https://pitchfork.com/news/black-rob-dead-at-52/|access-date=April 18, 2021|website=Pitchfork|date=April 18, 2021 |language=en}}{{Cite web|last=Thorpe|first=Isha|date=April 17, 2021|title=Black Rob passes away|url=https://www.revolt.tv/news/2021/4/17/22389557/black-rob-passes-away|access-date=April 17, 2021|website=REVOLT|language=en}}

Discography

;Studio albums

Life Story (2000){{cite web|url=https://www.avclub.com/black-rob-life-story-1798192312|title=Black Rob: Life Story|website=AV Club|date=March 7, 2000 }}{{cite web|url=https://swaysuniverse.com/happy-20th-anniversary-of-black-robs-album-life-story/|title=Happy 20th Anniversary of Black Rob's Album "Life Story"|website=swaysuniverse.com|date=April 2, 2020 }}
The Black Rob Report (2005){{cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/reviews/id.577/title.black-rob-the-black-rob-report/|title=Black Rob - The Black Rob Report|website=hiphopdx.com|date=October 26, 2005 }}
Game Tested, Streets Approved (2011){{cite web|url=https://hiphopdx.com/news/id.14910/title.black-rob-reveals-tracklist-cover-for-game-tested-street-approved/|title=Black Rob Reveals Tracklist, Cover For "Game Tested, Street Approved|website=hiphopdx.com|date=June 30, 2011 }}
Genuine Article (2015){{cite web|url=https://www.bet.com/article/2m5uxs/black-rob-had-a-stroke|title=Black Rob Had a Stroke|work=BET.com|date=April 8, 2015|access-date=March 9, 2019}}
Life Story 2 (2023)