Rocko Rathon, is an American media producer & marketing executive. In 2014, he co-founded the media platform known as The Rapfest, which was recognized by The Source Magazine as one of the Top 30 digital platforms in Hip Hop. Rocko is responsible for helping to discover and fostering the career of artist/producer Velous, as part of Swanky Music Group. He has also worked as an editor for The Source Magazine, was a music blogger for DJ Enuff’s ThatsEnuff.com and Funkmaster Flex’s InFlexWeTrust.com as well as marketing manager for The Orchard/Sony Music.
A first-generation Haitian-American, Rocko was born in Jamaica, New York and later relocated with his mother to the New York City suburb of Rockland County, New York. It is there he attended Ramapo High School in Spring Valley, New York. Upon graduation, he enrolled at Berkeley College in White Plains, New York where he majored in Business Administration and Marketing. While in college, Rocko served as an intern at various places within the music industry but got his start as a member of Universal Music Group/Interscope Records street team, then known as The Bomb Squad. While there, he did promotions for artists such as 50 Cent, Kanye West, Common, and more. He also briefly worked as an office assistant at Music Minus One headquarters located in Elmsford, New York.
Just prior to his college graduation, Rocko began work with DYG Management Group, which is home to singer Syleena Johnson. There, he assisted with the marketing of her fifth solo album “Chapter V: Underrated.” Rocko soon branched out and served as the program director for WRCR’s weeknight schedule, launching a handful of hip-hop and sports-themed programs, including The Winter Castro Show, which featured guests such as Havoc of Mobb Deep, JB Smoove, Devin McCourty and more.
After leaving WRCR, he soon joined with Cus Maven of Swanky Music Group, where he helped discover and sign Velous. Overseeing several aspects, Rocko helped to guide his career, assisting with everything from marketing, branding, video production and day to day management. Through a mutual friend, Rocko was introduced to Gaby Acevedo, manager of French Montana. This led to Velous signing to Montana’s Coke Boys Records and he went on to produce “All Day” for Kanye West, which earned him two Grammy nominations and worked with artists such as Fabolous, Tyga, Ty Dolla $ign, Rick Ross, Chris Brown and more.
Still working with Velous, Rocko began work as a music blogger for Funkmaster Flex’s InFlexWeTrust.com.While working with the Hot 97 affiliated brand, he was added onto to DJ Enuff’s ThatsEnuff.com staff. In a year’s time, he was hired by The Source Magazine as a staff writer and promoted to sports editor within one months time. At the publication, Rocko wrote and edited print articles and digital articles for TheSource.com. He has interviewed the likes of Fat Joe, Fetty Wap, Swizz Beatz, boxer’s Canelo Alvarez, Timothy Bradley, former NBA players Jalen Rose and Chauncey Billups, as well as the cast of the film Straight Outta Compton. In 2015, Rocko conducted red carpet interviews at the Global Spin Awards on behalf of The Source. In 2014, Rocko co-founded The Rapfest, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the brand until he left the company in late 2016.
Alongside Cus Maven, Rocko served as a partner at Vie Branding Co, a boutique public relations firm which helped to the develop the brands of various artists. While there, Rocko helped land press for artists on platforms such as Hot 97’s Ebro In The Morning, Sway In The Morning, VladTV, BET Jams, Revolt, MTV Hits and more. He has also attained press at publications the likes of Complex, The Fader, Vibe, XXL, Rolling Stone and more.[20] Rocko was featured on CBS Radio’s The Jake Brown Show alongside News anchor and former Miss America Debbye Turner and Music journalist/author Touré in late 2015. In early 2018, Rocko served as the Associate Producer for the mini-documentary 10 Rings with Nipsey Hussle, which was released exclusively on TIDAL. Later on in the year, joined The Orchard/Sony Music Entertainment as Marketing Manager for their newly launched Urban Division.
A first-generation Haitian-American, Rocko was born in Jamaica, New York and later relocated with his mother to the New York City suburb of Rockland County, New York. It is there he attended Ramapo High School in Spring Valley, New York. Upon graduation, he enrolled at Berkeley College in White Plains, New York where he majored in Business Administration and Marketing. While in college, Rocko served as an intern at various places within the music industry but got his start as a member of Universal Music Group/Interscope Records street team, then known as The Bomb Squad. While there, he did promotions for artists such as 50 Cent, Kanye West, Common, and more. He also briefly worked as an office assistant at Music Minus One headquarters located in Elmsford, New York.
Just prior to his college graduation, Rocko began work with DYG Management Group, which is home to singer Syleena Johnson. There, he assisted with the marketing of her fifth solo album “Chapter V: Underrated.” Rocko soon branched out and served as the program director for WRCR’s weeknight schedule, launching a handful of hip-hop and sports-themed programs, including The Winter Castro Show, which featured guests such as Havoc of Mobb Deep, JB Smoove, Devin McCourty and more.
After leaving WRCR, he soon joined with Cus Maven of Swanky Music Group, where he helped discover and sign Velous. Overseeing several aspects, Rocko helped to guide his career, assisting with everything from marketing, branding, video production and day to day management. Through a mutual friend, Rocko was introduced to Gaby Acevedo, manager of French Montana. This led to Velous signing to Montana’s Coke Boys Records and he went on to produce “All Day” for Kanye West, which earned him two Grammy nominations and worked with artists such as Fabolous, Tyga, Ty Dolla $ign, Rick Ross, Chris Brown and more.
Still working with Velous, Rocko began work as a music blogger for Funkmaster Flex’s InFlexWeTrust.com.While working with the Hot 97 affiliated brand, he was added onto to DJ Enuff’s ThatsEnuff.com staff. In a year’s time, he was hired by The Source Magazine as a staff writer and promoted to sports editor within one months time. At the publication, Rocko wrote and edited print articles and digital articles for TheSource.com. He has interviewed the likes of Fat Joe, Fetty Wap, Swizz Beatz, boxer’s Canelo Alvarez, Timothy Bradley, former NBA players Jalen Rose and Chauncey Billups, as well as the cast of the film Straight Outta Compton. In 2015, Rocko conducted red carpet interviews at the Global Spin Awards on behalf of The Source. In 2014, Rocko co-founded The Rapfest, where he served as the editor-in-chief of the brand until he left the company in late 2016.
Alongside Cus Maven, Rocko served as a partner at Vie Branding Co, a boutique public relations firm which helped to the develop the brands of various artists. While there, Rocko helped land press for artists on platforms such as Hot 97’s Ebro In The Morning, Sway In The Morning, VladTV, BET Jams, Revolt, MTV Hits and more. He has also attained press at publications the likes of Complex, The Fader, Vibe, XXL, Rolling Stone and more.[20] Rocko was featured on CBS Radio’s The Jake Brown Show alongside News anchor and former Miss America Debbye Turner and Music journalist/author Touré in late 2015. In early 2018, Rocko served as the Associate Producer for the mini-documentary 10 Rings with Nipsey Hussle, which was released exclusively on TIDAL. Later on in the year, joined The Orchard/Sony Music Entertainment as Marketing Manager for their newly launched Urban Division.