South Los Angeles has long been associated with material deprivation. However, the eclecticism of the city at large still finds curious, creative young people and gives them the tools to express and elevate themselves. Robert Amerson is one of these young people. He spent his elementary school years listening to artists like N.W.A. and Tupac while living in the world they rapped about. As he became a teenager, his tastes expanded to include various music from the 1960's, the most formative of which was Jimi Hendrix. In 7th grade, he took up trumpet and got his first guitar (a Fender Stratocaster, naturally) and began to play. The next 5 years were a blur of new influences and ideas; pairings like Miles Davis & Black Flag, Prince & Wes Montgomery, and Radiohead & Metallica were taken for granted. Robert continued to both evolve as a player and to steer clear of all the temptations familiar to any fan of Kendrick Lamar's modern classic, good kid, m.A.A.d city. He not only stayed on track academically, but graduated USC's Thornton School of Music, where he assimilated both canonical jazz and classical artists, while also exploring contemporary Indie Rock and vintage Blues. Now, he's ready to make his next move: Recording his first full-length album. Already a seasoned live performer, Amerson seeks to both move his audience by illustrating the struggles of life, but also to bring them the kind of joy music has brought him with his eclectic blend of styles.

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