Local Pittsburgh hip hop artist AF Rome looks to break the mold of the traditional hip hop stereotype of thug-turned-musician.  On October 18, 2013 AF Rome, a hip hop artist representing R.A.R.E. Nation, a newly formed Pittsburgh music entertainment company, will be releasing his debut mixtape “The Application.”  With features from prominent Pittsburgh hip hop artists The Come Up and Palermo Stone, Rome has assembled a great guest list on the project, but it’s his back story that makes the mixtape worth a listen.
While the traditional sense of hip hop dictates that an emcee revert to rhyming to make it out of the struggle, AF Rome did that on his own.  A successful corporate job holder, Rome boasts a college degree as well as the discipline and work ethic necessary to flourish in any environment.  After providing a platform for his family, AF Rome metaphorically exchanged his tie for a chain, turned his attention away from climbing the corporate ladder and focused his efforts on his true passion: hip hop.  His message emphasizes a life of luxury and fashion, but not in the disillusioned sense most artists fall for.  He stresses that everything you want in life, you have to work for yourself to create.
“For my debut project, I know nothing is given to me; I have to earn the respect of the fans and the city,” says AF Rome when asked about the name of the project.  “That’s why I named it ‘The Application.’  Then I locked myself in a studio, did my research, poured endless energy into these records and in four months I had a project ready for evaluation.  I didn’t get the job in this hip hop world yet; I have to be approved first.  And I’m ready for that.”  AF Rome’s debut will be released for free via hard copies at local outlets as well as digitally at RareNation.com/af-rome.html.
AF Rome has an impressive resume despite his recent emergence.  After appearing on the annual S.H.O.W. Time mixtape hosted by TreeJay (of Mac Miller’s MostDope group), Rome shared the stage with Machine Gun Kelly at Bethany College and currently represents R.A.R.E. Nation, a Pittsburgh-based music entertainment company.  R.A.R.E. stands for “Revitalizing Art; Reinventing Emotion,” and the label’s primary goal is to bring the life and musicality back to hip hop.  Through their unique artists and their music, they aim to paint a picture of life’s ups and downs and instill individuality, self-motivation and self-confidence in listeners in the hopes that it can help improve their lives and the communities they reach.

 

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