Rob Vasquez, professionally known as Who?, from Newport News, VA, has multiple titles: rapper, producer, and artist. He grew up in a split household that involved both parents, but his brother, who inspired him to rap, had a different father. With Who?’s father being a detective and the young child’s brother being involved in the streets, he was exposed to multiple realities that have come to define his music and who he is as a person.
Who?’s appetite for music came early on. He became accustomed to the musical tastes of his household: his mother preferred Spanish music by artists such as Marc Anthony while his father preferred the old school rap of acts such as Run DMC and LL Cool J. Who?’s older brother listened to heavy-hitters like Jay-Z, Eminem, and Nas. Who? learned from everyone’s favorites and started listening to his own cast of artists such as N.E.R.D., Pharrell, and Missy Elliott.
At the encouragement of his brother who was a battle rapper, Who? started making music as a teenager, releasing his first song, “Rockstar Life,” in 2009, recording the effort at a friend’s studio. Excited at the prospect of pursuing rap, he grew to love the profession, pressing the song onto CDs and then passing them around at the local mall. Over time, he became enamored with more artists and began to formulate a cast of inspirations that would define his thematic approach to rap that centers around the existence of God and creating concepts for listeners to immerse themselves in: Pusha-T, Jay-Z, and Red Hot Chili Peppers.
Who? would go on to release strings of early music before a complete rebranding in 2018 that saw him redevelop his sound, style, and aesthetic from the ground up. He released the project Thank You, Come Again that year and has followed up its release with records that are colorful, tenacious, and always intriguing. In 2019, songs like “KAYLA” and “EMOTIONS” were released with aesthetically-appealing covers while “REAL WITH ME,” “OCEAN WATER,” and others arrived in 2020. All in all, 12 new songs have been released in the time since Thank You, Come Again came out.
Even with a sparse amount of music available, Who?’s success is proof of his alluring and endlessly creative artistry. His 2019 song, “Not Us,” was premiered on Beats 1 Radio on Apple Music and his songs have been recognized by both Missy Elliott and Pusha-T, the latter of whom included him on his Heir Wave Radio playlist that’s sponsored by his record label. He’s currently being mentored by successful publicist, entrepreneur, and Recording Academy member Quinelle Holder and is preparing to elevate his career to the next level and Who? has also opened up for Lil Baby.
As Who? continues to grow bigger than ever before, he wants his music, and his success, to speak to the people that find it hard to speak up to the world. Who? wants to serve as inspiration to them and, at the same time, use his platform to showcase his adoration for God who motivates him. At the end of the day, Who? wants his words to matter to everyone who gives his music, and message, a chance.
Connect with Who?:
@whogotnow on Instagram
https://siteid-1159713.onuniverse.com/
Check out Who?'s latest release:
https://open.spotify.com/album/7s5Zt8SzmxUTZYDDyiaGCu?si=dhFM0a7eSYOz8nI-PZuwEA&nd=1
Connect/listen to Frame This:
https://linktr.ee/framethispodcast
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