PROFILE: Robbi - 5x Promoter of the Year

James Brown was the hardest working man in show business, Robbi is the hardest working promoter in house music. Don't call him a nu jack, he's been here for years. Forget AD, he's been promoting since BC – before Christ! How far back? Way back. When Shelter used to be at Club Vinyl, when Body & Soul used to be called Midas Touch, when Ian Friday used to do the Tea Party in Brooklyn. What follows is our annual interview with the man voted promoter of the year for the 5th time in a row. Here's Robbi:

DO THE WORDS “HOUSE MUSIC” MEAN THE SAME THING IT DID 10-15 YEARS AGO?

. . .I've just noticed too many people nowadays are just jumping into it just looking for a quick way to"be somebody" and/or to just show off.

WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE AS A PROMOTER?

Myself

IF YOU WERE ON THE COVER OF EBONY MAGAZINE, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT THE HEADLINE TO READ?

"Last Night A promoter saved my life"

WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY EXCITED ABOUT?

Alix Alvarez and Mr V seeing them and being a huge part of the road to success.

. . .the time I first met Alix outside of club vinyl selling mixtapes and the funny part is as I was walking towards him he gave me this look like he wanted to fight me . . .

BESIDES AMERICA AND EUROPE, HOUSE MUSIC GENERATES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPECT IN JAPAN – WHY?

I just think its a natural thing with them.

TELL US ABOUT THE MIAMI CONFERENCE 2007 – WHAT DID YOU LIKE MOST?

. . . I was impressed to see folks DJ Bruno (Utopia Boston,) Alix Alvarez + Mr. V (Sole Channel) The Martinez Brothers, The Melting Pot (Kervyn Mark, Kamala), Tommy Bones,Carlos Mena (Bembe) Andre Soul among a slew of other young DJs and organizations step up to the plate and made an impact among the veterans.

WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT MIAMI?

I would be glad if the two Denny's restauraunts reopen.

Here's the full interview:

TELL ME ABOUT BEING THE HOUSE MUSIC PROMOTER.

Its a whole lot of work and at the same time i do different things on a daily basis to keep it exciting for my self, I have evolved from just promoting parties to promoting websites, records, t shirts, DJs and anything else related to house music that needs the push.

I have been traveling alot lately along with being involved in more events in other states. I tend to bring alot of attention to myself from putting myself out there on an international level, the orthodox ways I promote along with who I promote which I guess is why I've been voted promoter of the year for the 5th time in a row

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN A HOUSE MUSIC PROMOTER?

14 yrs now

HOW IS IT DIFFERENT FROM THE DAYS WHEN YOU WERE A HIP HOP PROMOTER?

Well I've never actually promoted a hip hop party but, while working at Club Vinyl in 1996 I was part Roc-a- fella Records street team for just two or three weeks. All I did was put up posters in an around the city, giving out sampler cassettes and so fourth it was a good experience for me and thats actually were most of my mass marketing ideas came from.

WHAT ARE THE CHALLENGES YOU FACE AS YOU CARRY OUT YOUR WORK?

None that i could think of.

WHAT BRINGS YOU THE MOST SATISFACTION IN YOUR WORK AS A HOUSE MUSIC PROMOTER?

High numbers in clubs.

Keith Blackstone, Lola, Robbi

DO THE WORDS “HOUSE MUSIC” MEAN THE SAME THING IT DID 10-15 YEARS AGO?

It does on one hand, but on the the next I believe house music should be respected as an artform first then of course the business aspect, and I've just noticed too many people nowadays are just jumping into it just looking for a quick way to"be somebody" and/or to just show off.

HOW DOES YOUR APPROACH DIFFER IN PROMOTING A PARTY VS. PROMOTING A RECORD?

It was totally different years ago when I used to just goto clubs and offices and give promotional vinyl to djs and folks who write for magazines as opposed to promoting parties where I'm on the street constantly giving out flyers for parties.

In these times with the age of the internet theres no real difference in how I promote a record from how I promote a party.

WHICH RECORDS ARE YOU CURRENTLY PROMOTING?

I am currently pushing MR V-DA BUMP remixes by AME.

Also MR V-"WELCOME HOME" Album both out now on VEGA RECORDS.

CAN YOU GIVE PEOPLE A RUN DOWN OF PEOPLE, PARTIES AND PRODUCTS YOU HAVE PROMOTED IN THE PAST?

I started with

the Underground Network parties (Louie Vega),
the Afterlife(Kim Lightfoot, Kalim Shabazz),
The Wreck Room-now called Alibi lounge(Mike Dominico/Mondays
Danny Krivit Thursdays,
The Tea Party in Bklyn (Ian Friday),
African Blues(Ron Trent)
Club Shelter (Timmy Regisford)
Midas Touch ..name change to Body&Soul (Joe Clausell, Danny Krivit, Francois K),
Templo (David Morales &Lord G),
Touch Tuesdays (Wil Milton)
Jus Dance(myself and Benny Soto collab)(MrV ,MKL,Antonio Ocasio, Frankie Feliciano)
Langston(DJ Cameron)
Franks Lounge(DJ Disciple),
Underground Collective(Marlon D, Dave Tobon, Master Kev, Sean Diaz, Marco, Phil D, Kai, Frank Ojeda),
Temple@The Tunnel(Timmy Regisford)
The Collective Minds outdoor event-Baltimore

Current parties are

Roots(Louie Vega+Kevin Hedge),
Dance Ritual(Louie Vega),
Aint Nuthin But A house Party(Jellybean ,Marlon D),
Defected In the House NY-one offs(Simon Dunmore)

I also promoted a few websites including

THAISOUL.COM.,
DOPEWAX.COM,
VEGARECORDS.NET,
PLAZARECOORDS.COM just to mention a few.

I'm not even gonna get into the record labels I work with because I can go on for days.

I also promoted the Maestro Documentary.

Mr. V, Robbi, Alix @ Soul Channel

HOW DID YOU GET INTO PROMOTION?

Just a day after loosing everything in a house fire I heard a rumor that the 6 Hubert st had reopened as club vinyl and at that time the Underground Network were doing parties there. I had just a few bucks in my pocket and a walkman on me ...I went down there told the cashier that I'm homeless and I'm willing to leave my walkman at the door to get in ..and in another breath I asked him if theres anything available for me to do I don't care what it was..so he pointed out the Cedrick the Manager of The UN at that time. He then gave me a stack of flyers to go give out ...thats how it all started

WHAT DO YOU BRING TO THE TABLE AS A PROMOTER?

Myself

IF YOU WERE ON THE COVER OF EBONY MAGAZINE, WHAT WOULD YOU WANT THE HEADLINE TO READ?

"Last Night A promoter saved my life"

DESCRIBE THE CURRENT STATE OF THE NY CLUB SCENE?

Not even going there

WHO OR WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY EXCITED ABOUT?

Alix Alvarez and Mr V seeing them and being a huge part of the road to success.

It just cracks me up when dealing them two I take random moments to think about the time I first met Alix outside of club vinyl selling mixtapes and the funny part is as I was walking towards him he gave me this look like he wanted to fight me. Anyway after I bought the mix tape and listened to it I kept in contact with him.

MR V on the other hand used to give out flyers with me back in the days ...I in turn found myself literally wanting to fight him for constantly barking orders at me and trying to push me around ...then some how Alix and V both ended up working at the old MAW studio...and thats kinda how the three of us became close, shared ideas and

developed into a force to be reckoned with up to this day and beyond.

Danny Krivit, Ron Trent, Robbi, James Vincent

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO UP AND COMING PROMOTERS?

Put whatever you're promoting out to the world, promoting to the same 10 people who are all probably gonna end up being tired of your shit and or end up jocking you to get in for FREE is not gonna work for you.

Promote ONLY whatever type music you're into. Make sure you pick a DJ that you like or sit down and wait till you find one.

Idolize your DJ from even what he or she wears to how he or she spins and most important, have a mind of your own.

TRADITIONAL FM RADIO IN THE USA DOES NOT SHOW A LOT OF LOVE TO HOUSE MUSIC. WHY DO YOU THINK THAT IS? WHAT CAN BE DONE TO FIX THIS?

I think its because of the unfortunate fact that whoever runs major radio stations are not open minded to our music and because of that NOTHING can be done ...simple.

BESIDES AMERICA AND EUROPE, HOUSE MUSIC GENERATES A TREMENDOUS AMOUNT OF RESPECT IN JAPAN – WHY?

I just think its a natural thing with them.

TELL US ABOUT THE MIAMI CONFERENCE 2007 – WHAT DID YOU LIKE MOST?

Miami was good this year to me a lil more sane seeing M3 wasn't involved.

I was impressed to see folks DJ Bruno (Utopia Boston,) Alix Alvarez + Mr. V (Sole Channel) The Martinez Brothers, The Melting Pot (Kervyn Mark, Kamala), Tommy Bones,Carlos Mena (Bembe) Andre Soul among a slew of other young DJs and organizations step up to the plate and made an impact among the veterans.

I was even more impressed with Club Shine picking up the slack in being the hub for the dope parties especially with the demise of Crobar.

WHAT DID YOU LIKE LEAST?

The fact that no one no longer breaks GOOD records at the conference anymore,

all the good ones are shared/played to death a few months prior

WHAT WOULD YOU CHANGE ABOUT MIAMI?

I would be glad if the two Denny's restaurants reopen.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE INTERNET AND HOW ITS AFFECTED HOUSE MUSIC?

The Internet is a great thing, it has mad house music, more accessible, and helped a great deal by introducing droves of new people to the scene...but unfortunately because internet record sales will never be too high.

TELL US ABOUT THIS NEW LOGO YOU HAVE "POWERED BY ROBBI"

That was Actually Mr Vs Idea he designed it I ran with it...its currently floating around on flyers and at the back of the sole channel T-shirts right now ..and seeing that people seem to like it along with funny remarks people made towards it on message boards I'm may come up with some more ideas for it.

WHAT WOULD YOU BE DOING IF YOU WERE NOT A PROMOTER?

Lord knows

WHATS NEXT?

I plan to take my birthday party on the road this year as well as have one just another one in NY.