VERMONT VOICES : VERMONT ’ S YOUNG & GIFTED
Chapters , on SoundCloud and Bandcamp in 2018 , Robscure attended the University of Vermont for a year in 2019 . He then began collaborating regularly with up-andcoming artists who were active in the Burlington scene , including rivan , Eva Rawlings , Cam Barnes , and FOZ , among others . “ We were all on the same wavelength . It was a great time to be there .” Robscure says that Justin Boland , a contributing writer for Seven Days and the founder of the active online music webpage , Vermont Hip Hop , played a formative role in his career trajectory . “ He ’ s been an incredible proponent of everyone in the scene . Getting some positive writeups from him and being interviewed by him has been hugely helpful . Vermont Hip Hop is a community that spans generations and a bunch of different styles , and he provides a platform for all of us .”
Robscure fondly remembers his first Vermont performances at Montpelier venues , such as the now-shuttered Sweet Melissa ’ s , which was located on a property that now houses the popular Bent Nails Bistro . “ Sweet Melissa ’ s will always hold a close place in my heart ,” says Robscure . “ They had an open mic every Tuesday . It ’ s the place where I went from being incredibly stage shy to getting more confident in front of crowds . Positive Pie was also always a great place for Hip Hop in Montpelier , and Orlando ’ s in Burlington and Monkey House in Winooski .” Robscure is also grateful for the continued promotional efforts of Love , Kelly , a prominent member of the Vermont music scene who is well-known for bringing high-profile artists to City Hall , Arts Riot , and Higher Ground . “ He ’ s really elevated the presence of Vermont ’ s Hip Hop community ,” says Robscure . “ It ’ s exciting to see it take off at all levels .”
After sharpening his craft through subsequent releases such as 2020 ’ s Adolessons , The Unsung Songs , and collaborative projects that included Long Night I New Day with Mentalien & Space Cap and Channel 01 with Tucker odum ,
Robscure embarked on an ambitious campaign of beautifully-orchestrated concept albums , including 2021 ’ s EARTH and 2022 ’ s AIR . Inspired by his deeply-rooted connection to nature , his surrounding environment , and its impact on his creative development , Robscure chose to highlight each of the four elements : earth , air , water , and fire , through production and lyrics that captured their primary essence through music . Standout tracks include “ Rolling Boulders ” and “ nature // notyours ” from EARTH and “ Pilot ” and “ Echo ” from AIR , the latter two of which respectively feature fellow Vermont artists rivan and Eva Rawlings .
With each subsequent release , Robscure elevated his craft and strengthened his connections to the burgeoning Vermont Hip Hop community . In 2022 , Robscure moved from Vermont to New York City . He now shares an apartment there with fellow Vermont rappers Jarv and Nahté Renmus . “ I ’ ve been influenced and inspired by New York Hip Hop for my whole life . New York is a place where all people , including musicians , are looking for a way to cut through the noise . I think holding true to the unique style I developed in Vermont gives me a better chance of standing out .”
At a recent show in New York , Robscure ’ s creative journey came full-circle . He walked into a club where the Vermont duo NasteeLuvsYou and Konflik were performing alongside New York Hip Hop legends , such as Grandmaster Caz . “ It was cool to see them sharing the same stage ,” says Robscure . Robscure is also grateful that Vermont is starting to get recognized as a legitimate scene in the national Hip Hop conversation . “ It played a big role in birthing the artistic style I have , and I ’ m proud to represent it .”
As Robscure ’ s career continues to take flight , he is gearing up for the release of the third project in his element themed series , WATER , set to be released in December 2023 . He has leveraged his momentum to secure features with
conscious Hip Hop arbiters , including Pro Era ’ s CJ Fly , who was featured on the recent single , “ R & R .” The song was released several weeks after the project ’ s first video single , “ Stream of Consciousness ,” which finds Robscure floating in a literal stream while waxing poetic about his personal journey through life ’ s metaphoric ebbs and flows . Reflecting on his musical trajectory in the Green Mountain State and beyond , Robscure offers the following advice for young Vermont artists : “ Utilize Vermont ’ s accessible music community to make your own opportunities . You can put on your own shows at a lot of venues , and the scene is not overly exclusive or competitive . I learned a lot from the people around me , like Charlie Mayne ; Juni The Wiccan ; Love , Kelly , the Street Religion crew and Yung Breeze ; Konflik ; and Boomslang — just to name a few . Vermont ’ s scene gave me the opportunity to work with other people building their careers on all levels . It ’ s an open and welcoming scene , and I ’ ll always be proud to be part of it .”
Patrick Sargent Music
Patrick Patrick Sargent is a skilled multi-instrumentalist , singer , and songwriter with a compelling story and musical background . Born in Arizona , Sargent relocated to Concord , New Hampshire after being adopted at a young age . He began expressing an interest in music in his formative years , and first
40 VERMONT MAGAZINE