Meet Artist Young Rog, The Self-Proclaimed ‘Boy Next Door,’ Making Funkadelic Kitchen Music For The Soul

Source: Courtesy / Courtesy

When people think of the boy or girl next door, they imagine a pleasant, respectable, and likable individual. Someone who is dependable, straightforward and ultimately, the “good guy.” Fans will enjoy meeting one of music’s rising voices, artist Young Rog, the self-proclaimed “boy next door.”

The Hampton, Virginia-raised musician was recognized by Shelley FKA DRAM’S after gaining momentum in their hometown. Legend has it, Young Rog snuck backstage at a show, and offered to sing for DRAM in the middle of the packed out green room. His first video for his hit single “The Road” acuumlated 300,000 views in the first few weeks of the release.

Young Rog is making serious waves signing with DRAM’s label Waver through LVRN and Interscope Records. He released his latest project Boy Next Door on June 25, featuring LVRN label mate Summer Walker on one of his leading tracks “B******t.” Most of the project features Young Rog himself, but he does extend two more features from his label mate 6lack and rapper Freddie Gibbs, who join him on “Organized Chaos.”

Though Boy Next Door is categorized as a R&B/Soul project on streaming platforms, Young Rog’s music is a culmination of sounds that can’t be defined by one particular genre. He took some time to share more about his flourishing journey with us discussing his sound and what he described as “kitchen/cooking music,” his continuous elevation, and the significance of “Medium Ugly.”

Check out our Q&A with your favorite Boy next Door and discover what else he has in store this year:

Virginia birthed some of the greatest artists from Pharrell to Missy Elliott, talk about how your hometown and how your culture and upbringing has influenced your sound?       

Just coming from Virginia and knowing a lot of greats came from here influenced my sound. I get influenced by people who are inspiring just by being their authentic Virginian selves.

Your debut project, The Boy Next Door is lovely. What was the inspiration for the title? Are you really the boy next door?                   

Yeah I’m definitely the ‘boy next door.’ Insecure as f*** but not in a bad way. Just only because you really don’t know what’s going on and what life has taught you. The Boy Next Door is the way life tells you how to handle life by the horns.

Which song was the most memorable to make from the project?

“On The Road” because it changed me as a person. Making that record, I went all in and didn’t hold back on anything.

How was it linking up with the original Roger (Marques Houston) in your visual and digital content?

He gave a lot of good pointers that I’ll always remember. Some of the pointers he gave were to — Let love come to you and work on yourself in the process. When you know it’s time and you talk to God about it, you’ll be able to get the love that you’ve worked for. You gotta work on yourself to receive love and know what love is.

The visual for your single “Destiny” showcases your stellar skating skills. How often are you on the rink?

I’m always at the rink. Peninsula Rink to be exact.

Something supernatural happens at the end of the video, care to explain what happened? You guys left us hanging with that one.

She went into another dream that I had. It was two dreams I was about to wake up to and that’s why the dream ended like that.

You received a lot of success on the record “B*****t” with label mate Summer Walker. Can you tell us the inspiration for that song? What incident happened where you were like “I’m just so used to the bullsh*t?”

The inspiration for that song was my ex didn’t pick up the phone when I really needed her, so I was like “i’m just so used to the bull****.”

How has your career been impacted since signing to Waver/LVRN?

My life changed for the better. Everything’s the way I want it, even before I knew what I wanted. I already thought my life changed when I got signed and now that I’m working and chasing my dreams, it’s amazing. I don’t know too much about what the future holds, but life has definitely been a rocket ship.

In five words, how would you describe your music to someone who’s never heard it?

Energetic, funkadelic, kitchen/cooking music.

Your sound is ever-changing, there’s mixes of Funk, R&B, Gospel and Caribbean which can be attributed to your Bajan roots. Would you classify your music under a specific genre? Even if you had to make up a genre that doesn’t exist – what would it be?

There’s no specific genre. There’s just one genre which is just vibrations. Original vibration music, my own sound.

Significance of “Medium Ugly?”

The boy next door that doesn’t get the girls because he’s not that ugly but he’s a little bit ugly. He does get some of them, but it always turns into a best-friends situation. That’s the ‘Medium Ugly’ dude. Always gets friend zoned.

How does the debut album compare to what’s forthcoming?

Compared to what’s forthcoming is ‘Boy Next Door’ vibes, but this time just a quest for love and just trying to find myself in the mix.

What’s next?

I’ve been working on the guitar and the piano and I’m ready for anything. I also got to shoot a few videos for some tracks.

His latest video for single “Calling Calling” is out now.

Be sure to stream Young Rog’s latest project Boy Next Door, and look forward to new music, videos and upcoming from him.