Birmingham rap/hip-hop artist ROME: I need music to get me through life

ROME is a rap/hip-hop artist from Birmingham, and the CEO of Dynasty Enterprise Music Group. He discusses his writing, his flow, and who he would want to perform with if he formed a hip-hop supergroup.

How did you get started in rap and hip-hop?

When I was 12 I started dibbing & dabbing in music. Mainly on the production side. At that time I was more intrigued by the behind the scenes work because it fit my personality more. I still wrote a lot but didn't really understand the basics of making music. After high school, when I saw that the hood hoop dreams wasn't gonna be a reality, I had to make a decision. Either back to my old lifestyle or figure out a way to make any of my dreams a reality and music was always something I felt I was very good at aside from playing ball. At 18 I co-founded the label Dynasty Enterprise Music Group LLC with my friend Junior Houser and we've been grinding and establishing our brand ever since.

Describe your style for someone who has never heard your music.

Well throughout the past 5 years I went through a lot of styles. As you grow and mature as a person so does your music as an artist. It took me years to REALLY find my sound and style and the direction I wanted to go in as far as being a rap artist. I had to get comfortable and secure with what I do and what seperates me from others. I've never been a punchline "ooh" and "aah" rapper. I commend those who are because in some ways they keep the listener's ear but my main thing is metaphors and clever wordplay. Recently I've been digging deeper than the surface for inspiration to make music. Before, you could consider my style as hardcore southern music. Now I don't feel anyone can put me in a box or circle. After rapping/hearing the same topics/approaches for years, you start to miss the music that made you fall in love with music and that's the direction I had to go with my music. One thing that can't be mistaken and will always be remembered is the flow is 2ND TO NONE!

What inspires you to write?

When I 1st started writing as a kid, I had just jumped off the porch so I was fascinated with the street life. Early off in my career I used to write about things I saw and did, or what everybody else was rapping about that was listening to. After going through things in life that makes you look at life itself in a different light, then it doesn't feel right speaking about the same things anymore when there's more going on than those limited subjects or concepts. When I stopped rushing and writing music and I started letting it come to me when I feel it and stopped writing, I started to speak about what I felt and not so much what I've done or saw. And I needed music to get me through life and certain situations and I couldn't find any that hit me in my stomach so I had to start making that my forte. I got memory like an elephant so I've got 24 years of life experiences that I can revisit at any moment.

If you could write and perform a song with any one music artist, who would it be? Why?

If he was living Pac of course! He raised me along with No Limit, Face, Outkast, etc. His words got me through and still do to this day so that would be interesting to see. On stage his energy was phenomenal so that definitely woulda been one for the books.

If you are putting together an all-star band/group who do you get to join your band/group?

Well dayuum! That's the Wu ain't it? [Laughs]. Nah but I would say myself, Em, Tip, Dre, Face, my man POS and another me!

What would you be doing if you weren't making music?

I can't even pretend about not making music. IT'S ALL OR NOTHIN!

Follow ROME on Twitter.