Rising Stars: Meet Rich Robbins of Chicago

Today we’d like to introduce you to Rich Robbins.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My relationship with writing began in my high school’s Spoken Word poetry program. I was a Sophomore and just moved to the area. I had also lost an important person in my life right before entering high school. Poetry became a way for me to build community and heal. Writing and performing poetry evolved into becoming a fan of rap. I listened to a lot of Outkast, T.I., Drake, Lil Wayne, and eventually Chance and Pivot Gang. A couple homies and I formed a lil rap collective called “Check the Label”. We were young and misguided but the talent was there. We put out a couple tracks and got the hallways talking. I entered college on a 4-year full-tuition Hip-Hop scholarship called First Wave at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Rap and poetry went from a hobby to the reason I have a college degree. I started facilitating writing workshops for youth and got better at my live performances. Around 2018 I moved back to Chicago and started releasing a lot of music, doing shows, and reconnecting with the scene I had left while I was away at school. Now I’m a rapper/songwriter, recording artist, touring performer, host, curator, and mentor. I started a long-running open mic, created an amazing talk series centered on Black fatherhood through stories their sons’ stories, and have put out music as an independent artist since 2015. I’m also very invested in Chicago’s creative youth development.

Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
At the beginning of my career the biggest challenge was convincing my family that being an artist was the right move for me. I’ve always moved at my own speed. I also come from a family with traditional school expectations: high school, undergrad, grad school, and eventually long-term job security. I took a very different route than what was expected of me. That’s kind of always been my way of doing things. Even my music bends the rules sometimes. I can’t tell you how many people have struggled with finding ways to define my sound. It’s rap, but it’s also storytelling, poetry, musicality, familiar, and new at the same time. But my family isn’t the biggest challenge anymore. The toughest thing is staying true to my path now that I’m more established. I know where I want to go. Social media and comparisons that come with it can be distracting. I’m just trying to stay as authentic as possible in a digital, dopamine-addicted world. I’m trying to challenge listeners to still sit and be patient with the music – let it find you in multiple moments in your life to get the full picture.

As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
Above all else I’m a writer and a communicator. Those titles manifest themselves into being a rapper, songwriter, host, and educator. My music has been compared to a rap “hug” which I interpret to mean that it’s warm, familiar, nostalgic, and Hip-Hop in nature. If J. Cole, Noname, and Childish Gambino had a baby, I’d be him. But the work doesn’t stop at the music. I like thinking of ways to lifestyle the music. I make music for the soundtrack of people’s lives. I transformed my song “Soft & Tender” – a song about my relationship with my father – into an interview conversation series about Black fatherhood. I’ve lead workshops and masterclasses on ways to incorporate vulnerability in curriculum and work spaces. My next project is all about “good taste”. I’m building a world around all things tasteful from the clothes you wear to the love you choose to the taste we inherited from our lineage. For me, music isn’t just something to stream, it’s a vehicle to bring people together. At its best, my art is a tool of communication.

Alright so before we go can you talk to us a bit about how people can work with you, collaborate with you or support you?
I’m always looking to connect and find creative ways we can collaborate. Right now Instagram is the best way to casually reach me. If you’re looking for a feature, to chop it up about sustainability for artists, how to get involved with the open mic, etc, social media or email is great. Beyond that, supporting by sharing work, engaging on social posts, streaming music, and buying merch is always appreciated. Soon I’ll have a website that’ll be a landing spot for all things Rich Robbins. And look out for a new album from me summer of 2025.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://linktr.ee/richrobbins
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/richrobbins/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@RichRobbins

Image Credits
Pics by Felton Kizer and @jayypeg_