Rockness Monsta

While 2017’s Rockness A.P. may have been his only solo effort up to that point, Rock‘s place in Hip-Hop history had already been cemented. Also known as the Rockness Monsta, the proud Brownsville, Brooklyn, New York native first exploded onto the scene in the mid-’90s and continued to make his mark through the early aughts as a part of the legendary Boot Camp Clik and one half of rap duo Heltah Skeltah.

Fans of the golden age of Gangsta Grillz mixtapes have more reason for celebration; this week’s edition of New Music Friday is dominated by the sounds (and adlibs) of the esteemed DJ Drama. The Philadelphia-born DJ is all over this list, from his contributions on Jeezy’s latest album, SNOFALL, to Snoop Dogg’s Gangsta Grillz: I Still Got It. Those two albums are enough for any reasonable Hip Hop Head to be satisfied through the weekend, but this Friday packs a special punch.

Seth Barmash December 17, 2021 Photo credit: Walter Winrow Rockness Monsta of the legendary Boot Camp Clik and rap duo Heltah Skeltah is gearing up for his sophomore solo album Ether Rocks, produced entirely by Ron Browz (Nas‘s “Ether,” Jim Jones‘s “Pop Champagne”).