One2One With 'JoRob'.

“I tell you the past is a bucket of ashes, so live not in your yesterdays, nor just for tomorrow, but in the here and now”
-Carl Sandburg

Sometimes the darkness of our yesterdays can cast clouds on our tomorrows. People who endure unusual hardships early in life have two choices: to live bound by the tragedy of their circumstances, or to rise above and break free. Singer JoRob could have easily chosen the first option, having lost his father to a violent crime and being raised in a modest single parent household. Fortunately for the music lovers of the world, he rose above.

More impressive than his remarkable life story, is JoRob’s music. It takes you back to 90’s R&B; remember Jodeci, Dru Hill, and Boyz II Men? Whether he’s singing a ballad or a club banger, the “soul” never leaves his voice. Speaking of club bangers, the song “I’m Your Man Tonight” has chart topping potential. The up-tempo track plays well to hip hop and pop audiences alike. Slower numbers like “You Got My Heart” will appeal to R&B purists (he even goes shirtless in the video, watch out now!).

As JoRob discussed with One2One, DVM is a notoriously difficult market to break into.
The competition is stiff, and the critics are relentless. Despite the odds
being stacked against him, I predict great things in this young man’s future.
JoRob has a diverse repertoire, great stage presence, indomitable work-ethic,
and….he gives great interviews. Read on for One2One’s one on one with JoRob.

O2O: Which song that you've recorded is your favorite? Why? What is the
meaning behind it?
J.R.:Hands down my favorite song of all time is “I Wonder” There was a
lot going on in my life at the time. I really didn’t have a lot of people to talk to about the things that were going on in my life; the only way to really let things off my chest was to write. This song is about a girl who was different from the rest. We eventually split up…Everyone of my songs touch on the real life experiences that everyone has probably had to deal with at least once in their lives.

O2O:Describe a normal day?
J.R.:It seems like everyday is different for me. As of now I’m on my “solo dolo” until I find someone who is really about making change and trying to make major moves.

O2O: What do you consider to be your greatest musical accomplishment so far?
J.R.:I think my greatest musical accomplishment is just being able to change young artists’ lives. I get a lot of artists hitting me up asking me for advice. My goal is to help change lives. There is so much to do…My next goal is to get these older, more experienced people to start helping younger talents as well.

O2O:I know your childhood was rough. When did you know that you wanted to become a singer?
J.R.: I got sick of having so many ideas and dreams, with many people telling me “it’s never going to happen” and looking at me crazy.. I was shy when it came to my singing abilities for a longtime. After awhile singing was an involuntary act for me. Music was probably the only thing that kept me together when I was in school. I could put on some head phones and drift into a different world. When I was in high school I really didn’t know a normal teen’s life. I honestly felt like I was a 30 year old man because of all the responsibilities I had. I know it might sound crazy but I wrote the words “Change the World” on some notebook paper and taped it to my wall so that everyday I woke up it would be the first thing I saw. Becoming a singer is not even one percent of what I want to do. I want to literally change the world and change lives.

O2O: With everything that has happened to you and your family, what kept you on the sane side of life?
J.R.: With my pops getting murdered, moving at least 2 times a year to find reasonably priced places and traveling from DC or MD to go to school in VA; having to live in a constant struggle for quite sometime, I used this to fuel my passion for music. I guess staying busy keeps my mind off of everything. The entertainment industry is nothing close to what you see on TV. It kills you soul and the way you look at a lot of the people in the industry. Being from the DMV area makes things 110 times harder because we get no respect. One of the main problems with this area is that the people who have the answers don’t want to help. I created a network for DMV artists but all are welcome. The URL is http://yourdmv.ning.com

O2O:What is your most memorable show that you've performed, and why?
J.R.: My most memorable show is when I was attending Morgan State and got to perform for the king of Zimbabwe with the Baltimore Symphony. There was a brand new historical museum about to open up in Baltimore for African Americans. I have never seen so many people in my life come to a show. Just to experience something like that took my breath away.

O2O: If you could meet a musician living or dead, whom would it be and why? What about them made you admire their music?
J.R.: If I could meet any musician it would Michael Jackson. You see, Michael Jackson was more than just a musician or artist. Mike was an entertainer. Mike literally changed lives. I would have loved to spend a day with Mike just to take in all of the knowledge this man had.

O2O: What is your best quality? What is your worst?
J.R.: I think my best quality is that I’m going to tell you the truth. I’m about helping those who need it. One of my biggest dreams is to open a mall for small minority business owners. I think my worst quality is I can be too nice at times. In the past I gave people too many chances. I had people use my talent to make them look good. I look at it and it’s kind of funny because they have a lot of people fooled. Another quality I might need to change is not sleeping and working too hard. I probably sleep five hours a day and on the weekend five hours combined. I figure I can sleep when im in my casket.

O2O: How do you deal with disappointment?
J.R.: One way I deal with disappointment is by working harder. At the end of the day I got to keep it moving and not let anyone or anything stop me.

O2O: What’s next? What projects are you currently working on?
J.R.: I’m currently working on a New Album that should be released Mid January. This Album is going to be different from most of my songs. I have Producers like Donnie Brasco, Jonathan Jordan, and Nick baker. There is also a new producer named Marc Anthony. I just got done working with a new clothing line based out of Washington DC called Stocks&Bonds Apparel (http://stocksandbondsapparel.com/), and Celebre Clothing (http://thecelebrecollection.com) you can see their clothing on the I Wonder Music Video. I’m also working with Measurable Odds PR who has played a major roll in my music career. I just shot a video for the I Wonder Sound Track (http://www.JoRobIsMusic.com). I’ve also been reading scripts and putting a new performance package together for the upcoming year. I have a lot on my plate.