R. City

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Rock City

| image =

| caption =

| alias = {{flatlist|

2Ekwip (2003–2004)
Planet VI (2004–2008)

}}

| origin = Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. (members are natives of Saint Thomas, US Virgin Islands)

| genre = {{flatlist|

}}

| occupation = {{flatlist|

Record producers
singers
songwriters
rappers

}}

| years_active = 2003–present

| label = {{flatlist|

}}

| website =

| current_members = * Theron "Uptown AP" Thomas

Timothy "A.I." Thomas

}}

R. City (short for Rock City; and formerly Planet VI and 2Ekwip) is an American hip-hop recording and production duo, formed in 2003 by the brothers Theron "Uptown AP" Thomas and Timothy "A.I." Thomas. Primarily known as a songwriting and record production team, the duo amassed numerous credits for prominent music industry acts prior to signing with Kemosabe Records, an imprint of RCA Records in 2014 as recording artists. The following year, their single "Locked Away" (featuring Adam Levine), peaked at number 6 on the Billboard Hot 100 and preceded the release of their debut album, What Dreams Are Made Of (2015).

Earlier, the duo signed in 2007 with Akon's Konvict Muzik and KonLive Distribution, imprints of Geffen Records and Interscope Records, having received their first commercial songwriting credit for Akon. They released the mixtape series PTFAO (Put the F*ckin' Album Out). Their 2008 debut single, "Losin' It", failed to chart. The duo parted ways with KonLive in 2011 and continued their songwriting work. Since signing to Kemosabe, they often collaborate with label boss Dr. Luke.

While releasing solo material, R. City also wrote and produced for other artists including Sean Kingston ("Take You There"), Miley Cyrus ("We Can't Stop"), Nicki Minaj ("Only") and Rihanna ("Pour It Up"). The duo contributed to two Grammy Award–winning albums: Rihanna's Unapologetic (Best Urban Contemporary Album) and Jennifer Hudson's album Jennifer Hudson (Best R&B Album). R. City helped with Ariana Grande's My Everything album which was nominated for Best Pop Vocal Album. Theron won the Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for his credits throughout 2023.

History

=Early life and education=

Theron and Timothy Thomas are natives of Saint Thomas in the United States Virgin Islands.{{cite magazine | last=Checkoway| first=Laura| title =On Resorts and Islands with R. City| magazine = Vibe| date =October 2008 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=9CYEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22rock+city%22+%22Oswald+Harris+Court+Projects%22&pg=PA76| access-date =28 June 2015}}{{cite news | title =Twitter Q&A with Planet VI (aka Rock City)| publisher = American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers| date =8 May 2013 | url =http://www.ascap.com/playback/2013/05/features/twitter-q-and-a-with-planet-vi-aka-rock-city.aspx| access-date =28 June 2015}} As children, the brothers performed as dancers for a local all-girl rap group. They practiced a wide variety of music and received support from their parents.{{cite news | last=Smith| first=Dustin| title =R. City Returning Home for Reichhold Performance | publisher = St. Thomas Source| date =4 February 2009 | url =http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2009/02/04/r-city-returning-home-reichhold-performance| access-date =28 June 2015}} In 2000, the two left the Virgin Islands to pursue their music career in Miami. They initially performed under the name 2Ekwip.{{cite news | title =Register to Vote Yet? Deadline is Sunday | publisher = St. Thomas Source| date =30 September 2004 | url =http://stthomassource.com/content/news/local-news/2004/09/30/register-vote-yet-deadline-sunday| access-date =29 June 2015}} They had limited success on the Miami nightlife scene. During this time, Theron worked for Kroger and Timothy for Party City while in Atlanta.{{cite news| last =McCarthy| first =John| title =V.I. rap duo inspires St. Croix young men| newspaper =Virgin Island Daily News| date =12 February 2015| url =http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/v-i-rap-duo-inspires-st-croix-young-men-1.1831803| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20151014202826/http://virginislandsdailynews.com/news/v-i-rap-duo-inspires-st-croix-young-men-1.1831803| url-status =dead| archive-date =14 October 2015| access-date =29 June 2015}} They moved back to St. Thomas in 2005.

=Career beginnings and record deal (2006–09)=

In 2006, the duo sold their first song, "The Rain," which appeared on American singer-songwriter Akon's triple Platinum–selling album Konvicted.{{cite news | last=Tukes| first=Timothy| title =Exclusive Interview: Rock City on the 57th #GRAMMYs, Growing Up Poor and #WhatDreamsAreMadeOf| work = The Huffington Post| date =10 February 2015 | url =http://www.huffingtonpost.com/timothy-tukes/exclusive-interview-rock-city-on-the-57th-grammys_b_6649806.html| access-date =28 June 2015}} By October 2007, R. City had written songs for performers including Usher, Sean Kingston, Ashlee Simpson, Nicole Scherzinger, and Mary J. Blige.{{cite magazine | last=Mitchell| first=Gail| title =The Akon Empire| magazine = Billboard| date =6 October 2007 | url =https://books.google.com/books?id=lQ4EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22rock+city%22+%22benny+d%22&pg=PA23| access-date =28 June 2015}} Early songs that saw chart success included "Take You There" by Sean Kingston (number 7 on the Billboard Hot 100), "When I Grow Up" by the Pussycat Dolls (number 9 on the Billboard Hot 100), and "Replay" by Iyaz (number 2 on the Billboard Hot 100).{{cite magazine | last=Cantor| first=Paul| title =10 Industry Songwriters You Should Know| magazine = Complex| date =11 July 2014 | url =http://www.complex.com/music/2014/07/10-industry-songwriters-you-should-know/planet-vi| access-date =27 June 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://acharts.us/song/29208 |title=Sean Kingston - Take You There|author= |website=www.acharts.us|publisher=ACharts|access-date=27 June 2015}}{{cite magazine|url=http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1044966/katy-perry-scores-1000th-no-1-hit-of-rock-era|title=Katy Perry Scores 1,000th No. 1 Hit Of Rock Era|last=Cohen|first=Jonathan|date=26 June 2008|magazine=Billboard|access-date=27 June 2015}}{{cite web |url=http://www.billboard.com/artist/303959/Iyaz/chart?f=379|title=Iyaz - Chart History|author= |website=www.billboard.com|publisher=Billboard|access-date=27 June 2015}} R. City signed a recording contract with Interscope Records, Geffen Records and Akon's Konvict Muzik and KonLive Distribution in 2007. During this time, Theron was known by the stage name "Da Spokesman" and Timothy was known as "Don't Talk Much." They were set to release their debut album, Wake the Neighbors, some time in 2008.{{cite magazine | last=Platon| first=Adelle| title =Miley Cyrus Asked For A 'Black' Sound For Single, Says Songwriters Rock City | magazine = Vibe| date =12 June 2013 | url =http://www.vibe.com/2013/06/miley-cyrus-asked-black-sound-single-says-songwriters-rock-city/| access-date =29 June 2015}}

= Label issues, Wake the Neighbors and Planet VI era (2008–13)=

R. City created 15 self-released mixtapes between 2008 and 2012, many of which contained the acronym "PTFAO" (or Put the F*ckin' Album Out) in reference to the fact that the label had not given them a release date for their album. In 2011, the duo parted ways with KonLive and founded their own label imprint, Rebelution Records. They intended to release their debut album, Free At Last, on their own label,{{cite news | last=Casteel| first=Jay| title =R. City Leaves Akon's Konvict Muzik After Two Year 'PTFAO' Campaign | publisher = Baller Status| date =13 May 2011 | url =http://www.ballerstatus.com/2011/05/13/r-city-leaves-akons-konvict-muzik-after-two-year-ptfao-campaign/| access-date =29 June 2015}} but the release date was later pushed back to 2009.{{cite news | last=Godfrey| first=Gavin Phillip| title =Rock City Talks Akon, Obama and Their Debut Album| publisher =Rolling Out| date =13 November 2008 | url =http://rollingout.com/music/rock-city-talks-akon-obama-and-their-debut-album/| access-date =29 June 2015}} Despite the tumult with their record labels, Rock City continued writing songs for other artists during this period. They penned Rihanna's "Man Down" and Justin Bieber's "Run Away Love."{{cite news | last=Winn-Afeku| first=Bessie A.| title =Rock City: A Creative Movement and a Clarion Sound| work = The Huffington Post| date =19 July 2011 | url =http://www.huffingtonpost.com/bessie-a-winnafeku/rock-city-a-creative-movm_b_903671.html| access-date =29 June 2015}} In 2013, the duo wrote numerous Billboard Hot 100 songs, including Miley Cyrus' "We Can't Stop", Rihanna's "Pour It Up", and Ciara's "I'm Out."{{cite news| last =Biggaveli| first =Vinny| title =Interview With Grammy Award Winning Rock City| publisher =Vinny Biggaveli| date =4 February 2015| url =http://vinnybiggaveli.com/2015/02/04/interview-with-grammy-award-winning-rock-city/| access-date =29 June 2015| url-status =dead| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20150707025719/http://vinnybiggaveli.com/2015/02/04/interview-with-grammy-award-winning-rock-city/| archive-date =7 July 2015}} "Pour It Up" appeared on Rihanna's album Unapologetic, which won Best Urban Contemporary Album at the 2014 Grammy Awards.

{{cite news | title =Rihanna teams up with Rock City, Mike WiLL Made It on new single 'Pour it Up'| publisher = Hamada Mania| date =29 November 2012 | url =http://hamadamania.com/2012/11/29/rihanna-teams-up-with-rock-city-mike-will-made-it-on-new-single-pour-it-up/| access-date =29 June 2015}}{{cite news | title =Grammy Awards 2014: List of winners in full | newspaper =The Independent| date =27 January 2014| url =https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/music/news/grammy-awards-2014-list-of-winners-in-full-9086683.html| access-date =29 June 2015}} The following year, Rock City contributed to three separate albums that received Grammy nominations — Miley Cyrus' Bangerz, Ariana Grande's My Everything (both were nominated in the Best Pop Vocal Album category) and Iggy Azalea's The New Classic (nominated for Best Rap Album).{{cite magazine | last=Lynch| first=Joe| title =Grammys 2015: And the Nominees Are…| magazine = Billboard| date =5 December 2014 | url =http://www.billboard.com/articles/6363565/grammys-2015-nominations-57th-annual| access-date =29 June 2015}}{{cite magazine | last=Donahue| first=Ann| title =Jennifer Hudson: The Triple Threat| magazine = Billboard| date =24 September 2008 | url =http://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1043990/jennifer-hudson-the-triple-threat| access-date =29 June 2015}}{{cite news|title=Jennifer Hudson wins at marathon Grammys show|author=DeRogatis, Jim|work=Chicago Sun-Times|url=http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/1420258,grammys-jennifer-hudson-winners-020809.article|date=8 February 2009|access-date=29 June 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101208091739/http://www.suntimes.com/entertainment/1420258,grammys-jennifer-hudson-winners-020809.article|archive-date=2010-12-08|url-status=dead}}

= ''What Dreams Are Made Of'' (2014–present)=

In 2014, the duo signed with RCA Records and Dr. Luke's Kemosabe Records.{{cite web|url=http://urbannetworkdigital.com/rock-city-a-dollar-and-a-dream-fulfilled/|title=Rock City – A Dollar and a Dream Fulfilled - Urban Network Digital|access-date=2016-02-22|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150926095058/http://urbannetworkdigital.com/rock-city-a-dollar-and-a-dream-fulfilled/|archive-date=2015-09-26|url-status=dead}} Their debut studio album, What Dreams Are Made Of, contains themes of struggle relating to the brothers' often difficult upbringing in Saint Thomas. In 2015, they released singles titled "I'm That..." featuring 2 Chainz and "Locked Away" featuring Adam Levine.{{cite web |url=https://music.apple.com/us/album/locked-away-feat-adam-levine-single/1009559990|title=Locked Away (feat. Adam Levine) - Single|author= |website=iTunes|date=29 June 2015 |access-date=30 June 2015}}

Theron Thomas won the Grammy Award for Songwriter of the Year, Non-Classical at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards for his work on songs by Lil Durk, Tyla, Chloe Bailey, Ciara and Chris Brown, Cordae, Big Boss Vette, and Jungkook.{{Cite web |title=2024 GRAMMY Nominations: See The Full Nominees List {{!}} GRAMMY.com |url=https://www.grammy.com/news/2024-grammys-nominations-full-winners-nominees-list |access-date=2023-11-12 |website=www.grammy.com}}

Discography

The discography of R. City contains numerous singles, mixtapes, and one album. The group has released one compilation album exclusively in Japan (Songs That We Wrote) and has also released numerous mixtapes and singles.