Roscoe Dash looks to stand outside the box

Contrary to conventional wisdom, there is more to Atlanta hip hop than the clubs anthems and provocative dances that seem to pop up nearly as often as the nightclubs that promote them. In a city where most rappers strive for the title of one hit wonder, rather than a solid album that will land them an actual career, there are still some cats out there that prefer the latter. The problem with the system is figuring out how to pull the listeners in and then keep them coming back without losing your dignity.

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20-year-old native Roscoe Dash thinks he has the system figured out and the local rapper seems to have all the necessary ingredients to make the jump from local act to mainstream attraction. Just look at his track record for proof. In a short time Dash has already accumulated a solid buzz thanks to a hit single, a major label to back him, and even a little controversy thanks to confusion regarding himself, Atlanta group Travis Porter, and who owns the rights to the song none of us could escape this year, “All The Way Turnt Up”. Next up for him is to deliver that somewhat mythical solid album that actually capitalizes on all the hype from the singles.

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CL: So you were born and raised in Atlanta?

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RD: Yeah I was born in Atlanta and raised here. I grew up in Capital Homes until about seven and then moved down the road to the Eastside of Atlanta when I was about 10 years old.

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CL: How would you say the city has influenced your music?

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RD: I’ve been here my entire life so this is really all I know. I’ve seen everything that’s been going on in Atlanta from a fan’s standpoint music wise. I just try to base myself and my music around things that have happened in Atlanta already and I try not to make the same mistakes that a lot of these rappers make, which is getting caught up in that Atlanta market and getting put in that box as an Atlanta rapper. For me it’s just bigger than that, I’m trying to do something different. I want to make all different kinds of music so I don’t get stuck in that box, that’s really what my goal is.

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CL: Describe the typical Atlanta rapper?

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RD: The easiest way to get on in Atlanta is through the clubs, so a lot of people make club music, dance music or what not, and they never really have a follow up. The first thing people do when they hear a song from Atlanta is try to put the artist in that Atlanta Rapper box and I just feel there’s really more to it than that. You have to stray from taking the easy route and put in effort to try and make something that people are going to love and is going to allow you to have longevity, instead of just being one of those in and out type of songs. For me it’s about sticking to your craft and finding a formula that works.

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CL: How big of a deal was it for you to be able to perform at this summer’s Birthday Bash?

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RD: With me being in Atlanta my whole life, when I was growing up that’s all I was ever around. The Freakniks, the Birthday Bashes and all the other events like the Jingle Bash and whatever else the case may be. So for me to actually be able to come in and be a part of it and be able to perform to a live audience full of the city of Atlanta and all the other people who come in to town for it is epic for me, it’s something that I always wanted to do ever since I was little.

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CL: Are you ready for your debut to be released?

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RD: I’m really excited, I’m really ready to get this album out and give them a little introduction so then I can take it to the next level. The stuff that on right now is so above anything and everything I’ve ever heard before and I’m sure it’s going to be the same for everybody else when they hear it.