Chubb Rock Digital Biography
Born Richard Simpson, 28 May 1968, Jamaica, West Indies. The cousin of Hitman Howie Tee, with whom he collaborated at the beginning of his career, Simpson moved to New York at an early age. A rap colossus, his ample frame and smooth style has seen him compared with Barry White. He started his own band in New York, but after dropping out of medical college elected to set out on a solo career. Chubb Rock first appeared on the national scene with his 1988 self-titled debut "Chubb Rock" and 1989's "And the winner is..." The latter produced the minor hit "Ya Bad Chubbs" which garnered air play on Yo! MTV Raps during that time.The first results of this were a debut album that sank without trace. A remixed version of "Caught Up" secured the public's interest, however, and introduced them to And The Winner Is ..., on which humour and reflections on urban violence sat side by side. By the dawn of the 90s interest in Rock had escalated to the point at which he was achieving regular Billboard hits with singles such as "Treat 'Em Right", "Ya Bad Chubbs" and "Just The Two Of Us", but he fell from commercial grace following the release of The One. Rock remained quiet for several years, although in the interim his production team the Trackmasterz rose to prominence in hip-hop circles.
His stage name is thought to be inspired by the name of “Chuck Robb”, although this is most likely more of a clever play on words than a tribute to the politician.
His 1991 release entitled The One, reached #13 on Billboard’s “Top Hip-Hop/R&B” chart for that year. Three singles from that release made it to #1 on Billboard’s “Top Rap Single” chart list for the same year.
The following year saw the release of I Gotta Get Mine Yo, a release which features guest performances from Grand Puba Maxwell, Poke, and Rob Swinga. This release also helped fledgling music producers Trackmasters, on their rise to prominence, as they handled production duties on the recording.
Chubb Rock was also a member of the 1995 incarnation of the Crooklyn Dodgers, a rap act that also featured O.C and Jeru The Damaja. The Mind was his 1997 comeback, but despite the rapper gaining critical respect for his endearing lyrical style the album's sound was too old school to make much of an impact.
Death of Wife Carla Taylor-Simpson
Chubb Rock dedicated his album 'The Grown and Sexy Theory' to his late wife who died in 2006, after battling cancer. The New York-based rap star - real name Richard Simpson - says new album The Grown and Sexy Theory fulfills a promise he made to his wife before she passed away - and he doesn't care if it is a commercial success. He tells Allhiphop.com, "It was actually made because of a promise I made to my wife."She passed last year from cancer. It makes you not take life for granted. She was younger than me, in perfect health. "She didn't like how music was going. She was a hip-hop fan to the fullest. But she'd turn on he radio and be like 'What's this'. So I'm doing this for her. I don't care if this record sells."
He is currently married to KeKe "Diamond" Rock. The pair appeared on the now cancelled NBC television show "The Marriage Ref" in July 2011.
Chubb Rock's work in the 2000s has been limited to only a few songs. He appears on a song for Raptivism Records' "No More Prisons" project with Lil' Dap of Group Home and Ed O.G., and also worked with Mr. Len on the song "Dummy Smacks", where he says, "Some people thought I was gone... never that!" He made an appearance alongside Vast Aire on the 2007 Zimbabwe Legit album House of Stone with the song "Wake Up". In 2001 he appeared in the soundtrack for Wet Hot American Summer on the song on the song Summer in America.
In 2008, his single "Treat em right" was ranked number 82 on VH1's 100 Greatest Songs of Hip Hop. Chubb Rock also released Obama We Believe in support of President Barack Obama. His most recent appearance was on the K'naan single "ABC's". He also collaborated with Polish rapper eMCeeM on a track for his album To dopiero poczatek.
February 2009 Chubb Rock can be heard on his new single "Back In" featuring Wordsmith and Kimia Collins.
His latest album "Bridging The Gap", a collaboration with Wordsmith, was released on July 14, 2009.
Chubb Rock is featured in the new single "Summertime Anthem" by Eric Roberson in which they filmed the video on the streets of Bed-Stuy, Brooklyn, New York where he credited his wife and manager, KeKe Simpson, for putting the duo together.
Chubb Rock also released a new EP in September 2011.
(sources: music.us, last.fm, femalefirst.co.uk, wikipedia.org)
