Rob Sonic

Rob Sonic
Rob Sonic performing in 2012
Background information
Birth name	Robert Smith
Also known as	Bobby Freedom
Born	Washington, D.C., U.S.
Origin	New York City, New York, U.S.
Genres	Hip hop
Occupation(s)	Rapper, producer, hip hop artist
Years active	1998–present
Labels	Definitive Jux, Rhymesayers Entertainment
Associated acts	Sonic Sum, Hail Mary Mallon

Robert Smith, better known by his stage name Rob Sonic, is a hip hop artist from The Bronx. He is a former member of hip hop group Sonic Sum and a current member of hip hop group Hail Mary Mallon.

Robert Smith was born in Washington, D.C and grew up in the Bronx. As a child, he devoted himself to music of various genres. He was a follower of artists such as The Beatles, Run DMC, Kraftwerk, Talking Heads, Led Zeppelin, Public Enemy, Muddy Waters, Ultramagnetic MC's, and The Clash.

In 2000, Smith gained critical acclaim as the front man of the hip hop group Sonic Sum, whose first album The Sanity Annex won rave reviews in the United States, Europe and Japan, with Spin voting it the "2nd Best Album of the Year that No One Heard". Word got around and soon came offers from artists like DJ Krush and Funkstörung to work with them on their albums, a collaboration with Slug and Mike Ladd, as well as shout outs from Radiohead, Bobbito Garcia, Autechre and others.

In 2003, Smith signed to Definitive Jux after he and label head El-P realised they shared the same management. He released his first solo album Telicatessen on the label in 2004, and his second, Sabotage Gigante, in 2007. The song "Sniper Picnic" from Telicatessen was featured in the game Tony Hawk's American Wasteland. Additionally, the song "Brand New Vandals" was featured in Skate 3. Smith appears on the tracks "Dark Heart News" and "The Harbor Is Yours" from Aesop Rock's 2007 album None Shall Pass.