Located in the heart of Circle City, you may find local neighborhood artist Grayson Pitts — better known as Robin Raps.
Pitts was born in Chicago and moved to Indianapolis as a child. He studied English at DePauw University, and during his time in college, he learned a variety of writing styles, from playwriting to journalistic writing, but what stuck with him the most was his roommate.
Pitts’ roommate introduced him to the world of music creation. His writing skills worked in tandem with his roommate’s knowledge of music production to make for a fun college hobby, Pitts said. After graduating, they both found themselves in Indianapolis, where they continued their musical outlet while trying to make ends meet elsewhere.
“We both would meet up once a week and choose a beat and write something to it, just to stay sharp creatively,” Pitts said. “During that time, I was trying some other things. I had a blog, I was doing some freelance journalism, I wrote a short memoir and then I was writing music at the same time, and then, I just decided I liked that one better than anything else, so I stuck with it.”
Having an artistic side that ranges from playing trumpet in his middle school band to a long photography stint to creative writing has helped influence his music, Pitts said. Though he lacks the classical training other musicians may hold, Pitts said this has helped his works pull from contemporary influences. He credits a lot of his inspiration, especially when first starting out, to local musicians and producers who have a very brass-heavy, happy rap that can create a “neighborhood rap” sound.
But now, six years into pursuing music, Pitts’ style is evolving. With the release of his latest single, “IMF,” Pitts is ready for change. While still maintaining a neighborhood sound feel, he hopes to create more authentic, grittier songs that are more down-to-earth.
“I think at first it [Pitts’ music] was very happy, sort of pop-rap, trumpet section, a little more PG sort of way of giving people my message,” Pitts said. “And over time, it’s gotten a little more complex. I think I’ve just allowed different influences to come into the sound and the way that I do my cadence and my lyrics … I’m enjoying exploring my limits and different sounds and influences. So it definitely is evolving in a way that really keeps me curious about it.”
Following sounds and topics that are interesting at the moment has been how Pitts has shaped his newest album, he said. “IMF” was a beat he heard and loved, he said, and he wanted to find a way to make it something that works for Robin Raps. Creating a music video for the song was something different from other processes Pitts works on. Compared to another recent song and video, “Raspberry Jam,” creating the video for “IMF” was done in New York City the day before filming with local visionary artist Halo, a friend of Pitts. It is all a part of a long and bigger process, as Pitts said he will be releasing a music video for every song in his new album coming out in May.
Pitts said that being a part of the music scene in Indianapolis comes with its challenges but has also been a great way of promoting his name. The small community is supportive, but getting by as an artist has been taxing at times. Having a faithful group of friends who come out to every show, a wide network of connections in the city and maintaining the passion to continue pursuing his dream has led to Pitts’ success so far. Selling out shows, booking big venues and collaborating with bigger artists have been some of the stand-out moments of Robin Raps’ career so far.
Pitts said he hopes to continue to grow as a professional artist, eventually reaching the point where he will not have to use side hustles to fund his artistic projects. There are lots of things in store for his upcoming music, shows, collaborations and projects, Pitts said, all driven by his passion and aptitude. He said he hopes his fans will listen to his upcoming album in May from beginning to end, to ingest the album to its full extent.
“I hope that it is a vibe for them, that some of the lyrics will peak through,” Pitts said. “I come from a writing background, and I’m always really intentional about my lyrics… so if you’re interested, come vibe. I’d be happy to have whoever.”
To follow his journey as an artist and learn when to catch some of his shows, visit “@robinraps” on Instagram.
