Today we’d like to introduce you to Rob Ball.
Rob, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
I was born and raised in New Jersey.
1999 – 2003, I went to Plymouth State University on a partial scholarship to play collegiate soccer. I played four years and graduated cum-laude.
I graduated with a BA in drawing and graphic design.
Upon graduating, I traveled cross country 26,000 and began the practice and art of freestyle rap as my best friend and I traveled countless hours in a van.
2004 – 2007 Moved to Winter Park, Colorado and taught snowboarding for 4 years and began mural painting as well as working on canvas.
Taught English in Thailand, and while there recorded my first song with a Thai Hip Hop group.
2008 – I moved to the Bay Area, California and began to record songs, but always treated it as a hobby. I also stopped drinking alcohol this year.
Began studying Theta Healing and received my Masters in Theta Healing in 2010. Taught classes throughout the country as well as India and Japan.
During this time, I also spent four months living and practicing in a traditional tantra yoga studio.
Throughout this time of consistently practicing transformational healing work, I became more and more inclined to record and write songs.
From the age of about 15 – 32, I regularly smoked marijuana and it was an integral part of my lifestyle.
In 2013, at 32 years old, I moved to Santa Cruz, where I currently live, stopped smoking marijuana, and began to really focus all my efforts towards music, I stopped paining as a regular artistic practice and focused solely on music.
Since 2013 to the present day, I’ve released 5 mixtapes, one EP, and a number of singles.
I also started the non-profit/for purpose project called Tap the Flow 24. Tap the Flow 24 is an ongoing project where I curate groups of artists, musicians, and a videographer – and within a single 24 hour period, we conceive of, create, and complete an original song, music video, and visual art piece. We then take 100% of the profits from selling the music, fundraising, and selling prints of the artwork created and donate it to non-profits that bring clean water to those who are in need globally. I have completed 10 of these sessions thus far, and our latest efforts brought a clean water system to 300 children in Nepal through our partners at Gravity Water.org. We will be releasing our latest project this October 2019 with the goal of getting 1000 children clean water in Indonesia.
I have been regularly performing as a solo artist as well as accompanying many live acts as a guest MC. I have performed a number of top California festivals and venues and continue to hone my craft and put out songs and videos.
Over the last four years, I transformed my Theta Healing practice into a high-performance coaching business where I support creatives in turning professional and excelling in their chosen craft. This is my main source of income.
I am sitting on 4 albums worth of music that is completed and will be strategically released over the next year.
I am equally passionate about making music videos and continue to push my creative path in this medium by working closely with my videographer collaborators.
The most exciting upcoming gigs are opening for the Rhymesayer’s recording artist, SA-ROC this November in Santa Cruz, as well as a speaking gig at a 3-day live event called Rock Your Gift where I will be sharing the stage with the motivational leader Les Brown and talking about my artist path and the integration of Tap the Flow into my creative passions I share with the world.
I am deeply committed to my path as a Hip Hop MC, sharing my gifts through recorded music, videos, and the Tap the Flow 24 project – and, supporting committed creatives to become professional and take their gifts to the next level.
I live on a 10-acre retreat center in the mountains of Santa Cruz and spend about 1/2 my time in Grass Valley, California with my partner.
I wake up daily with inspiration and keep many daily practices to stay in alignment with my path, and fueled to keep a thriving and extremely blessed lifestyle.
Can you give our readers some background on your music?
I’m a Hip Hop MC.
I make Hip Hop music through the language of my soul.
I work with a plethora of producers who make the music I rhyme over. Some are strictly internet connections that I have never met in person, and many are in-person sessions where we create together.
I have a home studio where I record the majority of my vocals myself and then have a mixing and mastering partner who polishes my final sound.
I regularly collaborate and record other recording artists, mostly female because I love the dynamic of male/female voices and perspectives on a song.
My main messages are the guiding life forces that I live my life by:
– Know yourself
– Give your all to everything you love
– Be focused and diligent
– Focus on our universal connection as humans who are sharing the miracle of life together
– Be grateful
– Stay true to yourself and your path
– BE DOPE
– Love yourself and everyone
– Keep light and humorous – don’t take anything too seriously
– craft your life to be the most epic it can be – why would you do or settle for anything less?!
My hope is that people take away a feeling of connection: to themselves, to their deeper truths, to their path, to that which they love and support, to the blessing of life and the opportunity to make a difference in the world, and to celebrate all of this in being their true, quirky, and unique self.
My work is rooted in the inspiration of growing up just outside of New York City during the “Golden Era” of Hip Hop. I consider this a massive blessing to be a teenager during this time and for it to shape how I listen to, write, and perform my music.
I’m highly influenced by west coast electronic music and though some label me as a conscious rapper – I don’t limit myself to just that title – I’m an MC with a lot of love, challenges, high vibes, heartbreak, and conscious observer of the world we share – to share through my music.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
I think that there’s more access to finding mediums that one connects to through the internet than ever before. To “find” mediums that you love has never been better. It’s actually overwhelming how much information is out there. We also have access to incredible teachers, mentors, and resources at our fingertips and through online classes. One can also build a community around the world which is incredible and so supportive of the creative process.
I think that if you want to pursue a particular craft, the main obstacle is going to be oneself and your ability to be resourceful.
The ability to share your art through social media and online platforms is incredible and offers a way to connect to the global community that most resonates with your work. There is a lot involved with doing this well, but the tools of connection are there and change lives every day.
Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years?
I think this could be argued either way depending on who you talk to and what aspects you are focusing on. For me, as an artist, the heart of why I do what I do is because simply – That is what I am here to do. It’s what I love and what my soul craves every single day – to create and grow through the process. This is not exactly an easy path, but it’s the one that I chose and the one that I feel was chosen for me because it is where I feel most aligned in my spirit and actions that are inspired through my path as an artist.
One can simply “create art”- but for me, that’s not the point. Rather, it’s to create art that you are connected to, that moves you, that challenges your edge of who you are as a person, and at the end of the day means something to you. It’s an integral part of your well being, mental and spiritual health, and truly a blessing to be an inspired person. It’s my hope that the art/music I create makes the world a more beautiful, inspiring, and overall connected environment – and just way more DOPE and FUN!! I also really believe in art as a catalyst for major globally important impacts like social injustice, getting basic human needs met, and keeping our planet thriving.
The answer to the question, “Has life become easier or harder for artists in recent years?” is so relative to the individual because it’s a deeply personal path and only the individual can answer this for themselves…
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-Qmbq4Rd89z9nLA9Ib9TcA?view_as=subscriber
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rabethreethrirtythree/?ref=bookmarks
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rabethreethirtythree/
website: www.rabe333.com
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3cOOuV25ozNWauwGrkYjnV?si=mwTxQKDWS0O0kX6puWcM0w
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/ra-be-333
Contact Info:
- Address: Rob Ball
2965 Fern Flat Rd
Aptos, CA 95003 - Website: www.rabe333.com
- Phone: 19733496360
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @rabethreethirtythree
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rabethreethrirtythree/?ref=bookmarks
Image Credit:
Daniel Lesser, Julia Miho Nakamura, Gabrielle Gottschall, Mollie Hull
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