In an era when every rapper claims to be a hustler, you’d be hard pressed to find an MC who actually defines every characteristic of the word like Yung Joc. Aside from soliciting over one million customers to buy his platinum debut, New Joc City, the 24-year-old Atlanta native possesses the type of ingenuity rarely seen today.
With two No. 1 hits to his credit (“It’s Goin’ Down” and “I Know You See It”), Joc was by far the most accomplished new hip-hop artist of 2006 – earning nominations from the Grammys, American Music Awards, BET Awards, and Billboard Awards. “It’s Goin’ Down” was also the 1-selling ring tone in all of the Warner Music Group. Joc is determined to continue his winning streak with his new album, Hustlenomics, and to prove his success is more than just a flash in the pan. “I make fun music but don’t get it twisted,” says Joc. “I’m a hustler. That’s why I’m in the position I’m at.”
Splitting his time between the Westside of Atlanta where his mother lived and the Southside where his father lived, Yung Joc (born Jasiel A. Robinson) learned how to turn a little bit of nothing into something at a young age. With 11 brothers and sisters, Joc had to be extremely resourceful with whatever he was given.
When he was just 10 years old, Joc received an old stereo that would end up becoming the best present he would ever get. “My stepfather bought me an old boombox from a junk yard and told me it had a little mic on it,” he remembers. “The first tape I had was Run-DMC’s Tougher Than Leather, and I realized I could do the same stuff. So the first thing I recorded was to an instrumental section of [Zapp’s] ‘Computer Love.’” It would only take Joc one year to form a group of his own and get into the studio. At the age of 11, he was part of a five-person crew called Envy, but unfortunately they suffered from poor management and were never able to catch a break.
Joc literally hustled his way through high school, changing schools twice and finally ending up in an alternative school before dropping out in the 12th grade. After numerous scrapes with the law, Joc started to take music more seriously and in 2005, recorded “It’s Goin’ Down” for an independently released mixtape. The song was an instant smash and after performing it live at Atlanta’s Royal Peacock club, he caught the attention of local media mogul Block, who helped introduce Young Jeezy and Boyz N Da Hood to the world. Two days later, Joc signed with Block, who had just secured a joint deal with Diddy’s Bad Boy South. “A lot of people thought that I would sell about 300,000 albums,” says Joc of his debut, released in the summer of ‘06.
Surpassing his own expectations, New Joc City sold more than a million copies and earned him his first platinum plaque – a huge feat for any new artist given today’s climate. Before dropping his follow-up album, Hustlenomics, Joc made the Forbes list as one of the country’s highest-earning rappers and appeared on yet another No. 1 song, “Buy U A Drank (Shawty Snappin’)” with Tallahassee Florida’s own T-Pain.
When it came to setting off his own album, Joc decided to combine all of his hit-making assets and release the highly addictive first single, “Coffee Shop” featuring the newest member of Boyz N Da Hood, Gorilla Zoe. Together the ATLiens crafted a catchy ode to serving the streets a dose of unfiltered Yung Joc.
Hustlenomics proves that Joc can stretch beyond what is expected of him. The album’s diverse track listing offers a deeper look into the psyche of an artist who tasted fame fast but not without reason. On “I’m A G,” Joc proves age ain’t nothing but a number as he professes his gangster over producer Chris Flash’s emotive track. The Cool & Dre-produced cut, “Play Your Cards,” finds Joc declaring his dedication to his craft and the all of the thought that goes behind being a chart-topping MC. Snoop Dogg and Rick Ross jump on “Brand New,” where the three rappers brag about all the spoils of their success. On “B.Y.O.B.,” Joc experiments with a completely new flow over a futuristic Neptunes beat, and on “Bottle Poppin’,” he brings a melodic sensibility to the supremely produced 808-based track.
“This album shows growth and maturity,” says Joc. “I’m just expressing myself with different types of songs and different types of flows. A lot of cats think once you get on you get to make money, do shows, go to all the parties, and all this. There’s a lot more to it than that.”
