Roberto Flores, professionally known as Lil Rob, was born in the La Colonia area of Eden Gardens, a Mexican-founded neighborhood near Solana Beach, California. He began his music career in the early 1990s, performing under the name Lil Rob and the Brown Crowd, and released a single titled "Oh What a Night in the 619." Although it didn't chart, the song was later featured on his 1997 debut album Crazy Life.
In 1994, Lil Rob was shot in the jaw and eye, which left his chin shattered. Despite this setback, he continued his music career, collaborating with fellow Chicano rappers Mr. Shadow, Mr. Sancho, and OG Spanish Fly, as well as mainstream artists like Paul Wall, The Game, E-40, and Pitbull.
Lil Rob's stage name is represented by the numbers 12 and 18, which are tattooed on his forearms, symbolizing the numeric value of the letters L and R, the initials of his stage name. He was also a graffiti tagger in his youth and used the number during that time.
In 2002, Lil Rob left Low Profile Records and signed with Upstairs Records, where he achieved commercial success with the 2005 release Twelve Eighteen, Pt. 1. The album's single "Summer Nights" received national airplay and peaked at #36 on the Billboard Hot 100 and #13 on the Hot Rap Tracks chart. The follow-up single "Bring Out the Freak In You" peaked at #85 on the Hot 100 and #20 on the Hot Rap Tracks.
Lil Rob has also made appearances in films such as Dirty and Big Stan, both released straight to DVD in the U.S. He has released nine albums, including Love & Hate in 2009, and has collaborated with a variety of musicians.
However, Lil Rob has also been involved in several feuds with other artists, including Mr. Shadow, Royal T, and Mister D. The conflicts stemmed from personal issues and disagreements over music and business. Despite these challenges, Lil Rob continues to produce and release music, and has collaborated with numerous artists across various genres.
