Rob49 Rides WTHHELLY Surge, Stays Grounded amid Lil Wayne and Cardi B Co-Signs
Rob49 steps into Invite Only Studios just off St. Charles Avenue in New Orleans, greeted by the AllHipHop crew. Known for his raw delivery and magnetic stage presence, he sat down for a candid conversation about life before and after his breakout single “WTHelly.” The rapper touched on collaborations with Lil Wayne, Cardi B, and Birdman, recalled growing up in the projects, and laid out plans for a series of upcoming releases.
Chuck Creekmur from AllHipHop opened the chat by praising “WTHelly” for its sudden surge. Rob49 flashed a confident smile and said, “Appreciate it. It feel good ‘cause I believed in it. It gave me confidence for the next one.” He revealed he cut the record in New York last June after friends told him it was special. When asked about the NBA star Tyrese Haliburton catching fire after being mentioned, he laughed, “Blame me! It’s my fault!”
The new album Let Me Fly spans 22 tracks and includes appearances from Meek Mill, Lil Wayne, Cardi B, and Birdman. He said, “I do everything big now. Mixtape or album—I want to prove we not to be played with.” He spoke about his crew and his hometown pride. “My people. Moki, YB F, Eloise Shim, Hot Boy. It’s our turn.” His push to fill a full project reflects his determination to make a statement.
Instead of a rap verse, Birdman steps up with a spoken cameo. Rob49 said Birdman “wanted to! But I told him just talk on it. I want him on everything, just talk, not rap.” On the collaboration with Sexy Red he explained that he and Fat Beun had laid the foundation in person. “We sent it to Red—she knocked it out,” he said, giving a nod to her quick turnaround from her own studio.
For Rob49, the appeal of his music lies in its honesty. “’Cause we rap about the life we actually living. That’s why it hit,” he said. He grew up on Lil Wayne’s mixtapes and counts Sorry for the Wait as a key influence. Calling Wayne “the Napoleon of rap,” he recalled stepping into the studio with him as surreal. “Crazy. Legend. Greatest rapper alive—and he from five minutes down the road from me.”
Life in the Calliope and St. Thomas housing projects shaped his early years, and at some point he shifted focus away from street activity. His first recorded effort took place in high school when he dropped a track with his friend Clint, but he credits 2020 as the true beginning. On that day in the studio he laid bars without a plan. “Yeah. I just went in, line for line, and kept it raw.”
He watched clips of LeBron James and Madonna rapping along online and could hardly believe the reach of his track. “Madonna was rapping it on video. That blew my mind,” he said. With momentum rising, he laid out his schedule: a deluxe edition of Let Me Fly landing next week, followed by a joint tape with G Herbo. “More albums, collabs—nonstop motion.”
He spoke about the mental toll of attention but said he shields himself with faith and purpose. “Just stay on the path God gave me. No bad intentions,” he said. He highlighted a song for his mother, whose guidance set a strong example. “She keeps me grounded. I told her to go home so I can handle business, but she runs the show behind the scenes,” he smiled, crediting her as a constant support.
His path veered through Southern University and A&M College where he studied nursing. He joked that he “failed everything but English” before discovering that writing tight bars felt more natural. Offstage he organizes runs for local needs, from bailing out residents to passing out clothes and hosting a basketball game last year. His push to lift neighbors gave him fresh insights on what real success looks like beyond sales figures.
He admitted that grasping his growing influence on young fans is still a work in progress. “Nah. But I’m starting to understand. It’s real,” he said. His personal top five starts with Biggie, Lil Wayne, Drake, Jay-Z, Kendrick, plus himself. Eyed sky horizons, he said he hopes to record overseas one day, maybe in Bali, where calm, peaceful vibes suit his creative flow. He closed the session with appreciation. “Appreciate y’all. Thank you for having me.”
