Robbie G ready to open for Nelly

It may have been one of the most complete 180-degree turns in music history. A youngster named Robert Gruenbauer gets caught dealing drugs, does jail time for it, gathers his thoughts, and resolves to take on the world of rap.

That Guelph-born youngster is now a man named Robbie G, and his rap is aimed squarely at Barrie fans. He’ll be opening for the legendary Nelly at Mavricks later this month, certifiably, a hip-hopper’s dream come true.

“It was a jump-up-and-down-and-scream-at-the-top-of-your-lungs moment!" Robbie G emphatically tells BarrieToday. “I've been a fan of Nelly for years and being able to share the same stage with him is a blessing.”

Geographically, the tour with Nelly is a long way from Guelph; in the artistic soul, it’s just down the road.

“I think with the Internet now it doesn't matter so much where you're from but how deep down the rabbit hole on YouTube you want to go."

Introduced to the form at age 12, “I started rapping around 16 and I would say I picked up the skills by working with my peers and then traveling to places like Toronto early on in my career to participate in shows and watch how the emcees rocked the mic.”

What G values most about Nelly is “his versatility in music, his ability to crossover into different genres and still remain true to himself. He's achieved what few have which is superstar status and I (plan to) work hard to eventually be in his position.”

One of Robbie’s breakthrough albums is Fire, which contained a particularly personal track.

“I wrote a tribute called When I See You – to honour the life of my stepmother who passed away from cancer – with a vocalist from Peterborough, Missy Knott, who had also lost her father to cancer. It's the most personal song on the album and was the most difficult to record trying to hold back tears as I rapped.“

Another cut making the rounds nationally is Do What You Do, which has taken on a life of its own, it seems.

“We shot a video for it in Kelowna, B.C. and in my opinion it's my best video out!”

Robbie G is especially stoked about playing Mavricks, though not for the first time.

“I've played there before when it was called the Roxy opening for Philadelphia artist Freeway and I love the venue. It has a great sound system and the way the balcony is raised makes the room feel extra full. I'm very excited to perform there!”

And Barrie could become a hip-hop hub, in Robbie’s opinion, if the rap scene would just get out of its own way.

“There is a good scene in Barrie for hip-hop but I find there is a disconnect in the support that the local artists show each other. It's been a struggle to unite the artists towards a common goal and also very hard to find venues in the city that support hip-hop.

“Many of the places won't allow hip-hop to be performed which makes it difficult for new acts to practise their talents in front of an audience and develop their skills. I'd love to see more people like Jeff Sebben from Cabin Media taking initiative and booking large concerts in Barrie as it will help to nurture the scene and give more artists opportunities to showcase.”

Robbie G shares the stage with Nelly, on the All Work, No Play Tour, Wednesday, March 21 at Mavricks Music Hall, 46 Dunlop St. W. Doors open at 8 p.m., show starts at 9.

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