Going Places with Dina Guzzardo
Dina: Hi everyone, this is Dina Guzzardo for Shore Local Entertainment. Today we are talking to Shawn Rock, who has become an ambassador for Atlantic City with his new uber popular rap album called “Atlantic City”. Recently, Shawn also won at the Elephant Talk Indie Music Awards in the hip hop category.
Dina: Before we talk about some of your current projects, I’d like to know a little bit more about what inspired you to get into the music business.
Shawn: Actually, it was my mom. She used to write poetry when I was a little kid, and she kind of taught me how to write poems. And then in my pre-teen years, I started writing poems to music. At that time, rap was getting pretty big worldwide. And I just kind of mixed the two together.
Dina: I’ve heard of you referred to as the Don or the Kingpin of the Inkpen. How did you get those nicknames?
Shawn: Well, the Don is kind of like, I watch a lot of the old school, you know, not that I promote violence or crime, but a lot of the gangster movies. You always have the boss or in the Latino community, you have the El Patron. So I was like, you know what? I’m just going to be the Don of my music. I’m going to be the boss every song that I write. So, I actually own all my own material.
Dina: Wow. That’s pretty awesome.
Shawn: And Kingpin of the Inkpen, that was just a play on words like, you know, everybody wants to be the best or the greatest. It’s another word they use called the GOAT, which is the “greatest of all time”. I said, I don’t want to be none of the things. I’m just going to be the Kingpin of the Inkpen because my music is my product. So, how can I say this? I don’t want to promote drugs because I’m far from that. But if music is my drug and I move my music like a product and then I would be a Kingpin.
Dina: So, by now everyone has heard your rap “Atlantic City”. You were rallying to have this song adopted is Atlantic City’s official anthem. How’s that progress going?
Shawn: A slow, grueling one. But it’s getting there. I guess it’s just got to reach the right person, with the right power.
Dina: There’s a petition out there that people can sign.
Shawn: Yeah. It is online on my Facebook, which is www.facebook.com/shawnrock82. If you go on my profile and on my news feed, you’ll see me repost it every now and then, but it’s up there. You just click it and sign it and you know, hopefully I can get in a situation to take that down to city hall or wherever the powers may be.
Dina: That would be awesome. I love the video; I love the song. I can’t stop listening to it. So, why did you want to write your rap about Atlantic City?
Shawn: I knew we didn’t have an anthem, or at least a rap anthem, I heard other Atlantic City songs, but none of them were a hip hop anthem, and that’s the music that I create. So, I was like, well, let me create a song for the hometown, but make it clean where everybody can listen to it. So, of course, you see, there’s no cursing, it is really clean. There’s a lot of history about the city.
Dina: Nina Blue is your co-star in the song and she’s incredible. How did that come up? How did you meet her?
Shawn: Well, actually, long story short, real quick, I had “Atlantic City” done before I released it to the masses publicly. I had the song for about a year just sitting in my computer because I wanted to find the right singer with the right voice. So, the lyrics were already done. There was no hook on it, just my rap verses. So, one weekend I was up in Long Island and I was at a showcase just in the audience, watching other people perform. The person I was with grabbed me when she [Nina] came on stage and started singing. They were just like “Yo, do you hear her voice? It is amazing!” So, I’m like, all right, let me really listen…because I wasn’t really listening. I was there. But when he said that I had to focus in and after three seconds, I was like, that’s the one! We’ve got to get her information!
Dina: Yeah, she’s pretty incredible.
Shawn: Aw man, she came down to the studio and she started singing the hook. I just had my hair stand up and the goosebumps. I knew that was it. I knew that was the right decision.
Dina: Is there a certain artist or group that has influenced your journey as a musician?
Shawn: I’ve always been a huge Jay-Z and Nas fan and rap. But I’m influenced by anything. I grew up with my mom and my stepdad and they listen to a lot of Motown and R&B, stuff like that. You know, a lot of old school legends. Michael Jackson, of course, stuff like that. So, I’m influenced by anything good, to be honest with you.
Dina: Recently you released the songs “Church” and “Kingpin of the Inkpen”. Shawn, your lyrics are so incredibly creative and well written. How do you get the inspiration for these songs?
Shawn: Oh, this is the million-dollar question that I never have a right answer to. I go in the studio, I hear the music, which is just the instrumental or whatever the guy makes me – the producer. I tell him I want a beat that’s mid-tempo, fast tempo, slow tempo. So, at this point I’m in a studio. I have no words. I have no idea what’s going to happen. I just hear the beat. If the beat moves me, normally within the first a minute of listening to it, the words just start coming. The sentences start forming in my head and I have to hurry up and grab a pen and paper and start writing it down, so I won’t forget them.
Dina: What is your ultimate goal? Where do you see yourself in like five years, ten years?
Shawn: Hopefully, in five years, because it’s the sooner of the two, I hope to be at least, maybe if not a worldwide name, maybe a mega superstar. I don’t know. But I’m trying and the way it is going, if I keep working and keep focused and stay positive, it can happen.
Dina: Are you pursuing record deals?
Shawn: I mean, right now, I’m just doing everything on my own, and the buildup, which is what we call the buzz. I’m pretty much, in the world of business, I’m building my resume, so to speak. So, I can take it to these labels and they can see my body of work, my you know, my resume.
Dina: They do say that music is in the genes, and your son is starting to get into the music business as well?
Shawn: Yeah.
Dina: What is his involvement with your current projects, and does he have any projects of his own?
Shawn: Well, he started out, he just came to me one day and was like, “Dad, I want to make a song.” I’m like, “What? I’ve never seen you write a lyric in your life!” So, I said, OK, and I went and bought all the studio equipment, and he’s been learning. He’s been teaching himself how to record and everything. So, he is working on a project, and we actually have done a little something special for him. He asked me to do a song with him, so I’m working on that with him too. But I’m just excited because I never forced him to do anything, he did it on his own.
Dina: So, the project you’re working on with him, did he write those lyrics?
Shawn: Yeah, he writes all his own lyrics, which is pretty amazing to me. At fourteen years old, he is writing better than I did at fourteen.
Dina: Smoking a cigar allows people to relax. For some, it inspires creativity. For others, it’s a symbol of status. What does smoking cigars mean to you?
Shawn: I like it. Well, OK, let me be honest. Growing up as a kid, I always thought it was cool. First and foremost, it was. It was like all the cool guys, my uncles, my grandfathers, all the cool guys in my family. Then I used to smoke cigarettes and I had to get away from that. It was messing up my vocal cords. So, I was like, well, let me try a cigar. Let me get into that. So, it really is really like a calm, relaxing thing. You know, it helps me vibe out. I write some of my music while I’m smoking it because it helps me think better. I just love the thrill and, you know, it’s just relaxing, and it takes me away from everything that’s going on, on the outside.
Dina: What’s your favorite smoke?
Shawn: Right now, I would probably say, because I’m into the flavored cigars a lot. So, I would say it has to be the Fat Bottom Betty by Drew Estates is my number one. I probably have 50 those things in my humidor.
Dina: Oh you are?! So, I know things have changed since COVID, but now the venues are opening up slowly, where can your fans catch you live?
Shawn: Let me see. I don’t have a show lined up yet. I do have some appearances coming up. I have two award ceremonies coming up. I don’t know the exact location of them yet. I’m still waiting for the information.
Dina: Where can your fans download your music and videos?
Shawn: Well, it will be on Instagram, everything is funneled through there and is mr_shawnrock [on Instagram]. On Facebook it is www.facebook.com/shawnrock82. I’m on Tidal, Spotify, Youtube, iTunes, Google Play, Amazon music. I’m everywhere. So whatever service that you use to stream your music or download you’ll find me there.
To learn more about Shawn Rock, follow him on Facebook. You can also pick up your copy of Shore Local Magazine to find out where your favorite local bands are performing. This is Dina Guzzardo reporting for Shore Local Entertainment. Tune in each week as I interview some of the hottest artists and bands in our local area.
Dina Guzzardo is the President and Executive Promoter of Dina Media Group LLC. Dina Media Group is an innovative cutting edge event production and marketing company that produces and promotes large events as well as a talent agency that manages some incredible talent.www.dinamediagroup.com
