Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Robzie Trulove. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Robzie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love to hear the backstory behind a risk you’ve taken – whether big or small, walk us through what it was like and how it ultimately turned out.

What is life without a few risks? I can certainly say the main risk in my professional life was deciding to drop everything and hop on a flight to LA to join bandmates of a music project I auditioned for just weeks before. It was an interesting decision someone wrapping up their higher education would make; and my family and friends knew I loved playing music but were shocked by the bold move. I had no idea what was in store, but it felt right. Getting to tour the Capitol Records building and shooting a video within days of landing brought some reassurance. Ultimately, I was blind to what the full picture was going to look like, but it was worth it as a woman who for too long put the needs of my partner at the time, before my own. My own goals and dreams were either going to take priority for once, or they weren’t. Being selected to play drums for this project was a big first step in taking control of my life at a time when I was realizing I had conceded too much power to my partner (now my ex). Within months, I was recording with renowned producers like Niko Bolas and Ghian Wright. This was how my career as a professional musician began. It was a very challenging time – but it opened to the doors to more amazing opportunities and a very fulfilling mission-driven career. I thank that brave “past me” every day when I reflect on the wonderful friendships, fostered along the way and cool achievements I get to mark off the bucket list. I hope to be an example of the fact that women can have it all – if they want to and are willing to take leaps of faith. They say the greater the risk the greater the reward.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am a drummer, writer and creative activist. Being a first-generation Caribbean-American with Jamaican and Panamanian roots, music has always been a major part of my household traditions. You can say that I stumbled into my profession naturally because I was always drawn to musical forms of self-expression and was culturally predisposed. I consider myself to be very lucky to have had the opportunity to play drums in a diverse range of bands and projects. From recording with renowned producers like Niko Bolas and Ghian Wright to playing for exciting projects as a hired gun and hitting the DIY scene with groups like RadaR Rock-band and The OSYX; my musical adventures have been fulfilling.

I am most proud of being a co-founding board member of a nonprofit called This Could Go Boom. This Could Go Boom works for equality and equity in the music industry by amplifying, educating and advocating for marginalized musicians. I am particularly excited about the huge festival we have coming in Summer 2024 called This Could Go Boom Fest ’24. It will be highlighting the rich musical history of the Anocostia Heritage Trail! We are currently seeking volunteers to help with anything from online post sharing to day-of help on-site during the fest. We are also encouraging supporters to donate any crafts, services or unique items for a series of fundraising auctions we have coming up this fall. This Could Go Boom has truly covered a lot of ground in just several years since launching. As a new mother, I am also motivated to create programs that support pregnant musicians and those balancing a career in music with family responsibilities.

I love connecting people and communities through music. My journey has had its challenges, including being tokenized and facing the pressure to cater to the male gaze while proving myself quickly in the studio. These were not great experiences, however, those obstacles motivated me and equipped me with the knowledge to support others in their musical endeavors. My brand as a drummer and creative person in general, is centered around “faith in humanity.” I believe that together we humans can and will improve – creating a less broken world. Creation is true power and creative activism is utilizing that power to make needed changes to society.

What can society do to ensure an environment that’s helpful to artists and creatives?

This is a bit complicated because we are all navigating a world of greed where unfortunately value is not always recognized right away unless there is a fast and projectable financial return on investments. That being said, I immediately want to lead with the fact that we need to normalize paying artists fairly for their crafts. Whether it is a single show, or a series of events – artists need to be paid properly and treated fairly. The level of dedication and discipline that awarded them the skills people get to enjoy, goes unconsidered.

Facilitating free or affordable education and workshops for artists is also a great solution for creatives. People who make a living as artists are ultimately business owners but often lack the business savvy to thrive. Having even a little bit of information about how to make a sustainable living can go a long way.

Frequenting local events and supporting local and DIY artists is another wonderful thing to do in society. Many already do this, but the more the merrier because people showing up is the lifeline of the artistic community. Independent artists and even signed artists do best when they can maximize their merch sales. So, buy some shirts and totes! The artists will actually appreciate you.

Those in the position to, should strive to facilitate collaboration between government agencies, private businesses, and nonprofits to support the arts and music. Leveraging the resources of these entities to fund and promote creative initiatives can boost the community. During my time, I have had the pleasure of being involved in these kinds of efforts and it is nothing short of magical. It is a treat witnessing those who have funds or connections working to be a patron or supporting partner to creatives.

I can go on and on about this topic. However, I want to round it out by saying fueling the creative scene creates a rich, colorful environment where we can have an ecosystem that brings maximal cultural innovation.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

I believe that my time as a professional drummer has opened my eyes to many of the changes that are needed in our society to bring more equity to marginalized people. So that mission fuels my drive. I didn’t want to just duck and live a life where I try to figure out how to get through all of that, without somehow leaving things better, if that makes sense. So I would call myself more of a creative activist, in the sense that my activism is through creative mediums. I believe that representation in entertainment and storytelling is one of the most instrumental ways that we can heal as a culture in the United States and beyond. As a black woman, for example, I understand that there are many parts of the United States, where the average person literally doesn’t see a black person ever in their day-to-day life. So all they know about Black people may be purely stereotypes lacking any relatability. Worse yet, imagine being a young black child growing up in a community like that where you don’t get to see people who “look like you” and maybe you don’t feel accepted for various reasons. Or an inner-city black child who is unfortunately only shown very negative caricatures of yourself and you don’t have creative spaces because they’re underfunded in your community. All that said, the creative mediums or entertainment so to speak, will literally be the only way they will get to see themselves. By having the opportunity to see themselves and being seen by others- this allows us to fight discrimination as a whole human collective. I also believe that it’s highly important to empower marginalized people so they know that they have advocacy. Through work like what’s being done with the nonprofit This Could Go Boom, and others, we simply want to be helpful to folks on their journeys in music. It’s about leveling the playing field and bringing true healing to our society, which I personally believe is absolutely polarized and wounded right now. I believe that the creative realm is where we can really clean up some of that gangrenous mess. Uplifting and giving minorities and marginalized folk a platform, is a gentle yet aggressive form of fighting for a better more inclusive world. Providing education/workshops, community gatherings, paid performance opportunities and more to people of color and folks of the LGBTQ + communities is how my colleagues and I fight for change. When it comes to change and healing as a society, the politicians are not going to do this for us. We have to stand up and do this for ourselves.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.robzietrulove.com
• Instagram: @robzie_trulove_drums

Image Credits
Mattie Myrtle Photograpgy Farrah Skeiky Good Foot Media