The Kitchen Table

Baltimore Rapper Menace Monroe on Turning Struggle Into Success

Episode Summary

Ken Baden welcomes Baltimore rapper and entrepreneur Menace Monroe to The Kitchen Table Podcast for a candid look at his journey from repeated incarceration to building a growing music career and clothing brand. Menace discusses how he got into rap, the toll years behind bars took on his life and family — including losing custody of his young son — and how he channeled that pain into discipline and drive. The two also dig into the business realities of being an independent artist, growing an Instagram following from 4,000 to 30,000 in months, and launching his streetwear brand Trap Rob. The episode closes with reflections on fatherhood, faith, and staying focused on a goal-driven future.

Episode Notes

🗒️ EPISODE NOTES

• Menace Monroe joins the show for the third time, discussing his life, music, and business ventures.
• He details his history in and out of incarceration starting at age 14, including a recent 6-year prison term.
• Discusses how a drug habit drove much of his past legal trouble, and how he's been sober and focused since coming home.
• Explains why he sees the music industry as "a business" — artists need consistency and traction before labels will invest.
• Talks through his growth strategy: he calls it "multiplication" — steadily increasing followers, streams, and income rather than expecting overnight success.
• Shares the emotional story of losing custody of his younger son during his last incarceration due to an interstate custody case, and how that experience continues to affect him.
• Credits family — including his brother, who was incarcerated alongside him — as a major source of motivation and change.
• Talks about his current single "Still My Boo," dedicated to women who've been mistreated in relationships.
• Discusses his long-term goal of eventually creating music with a positive message, citing Bob Marley as inspiration.
• Explains the origin of his clothing brand Trap Rob, which began as sketches in a notebook while incarcerated and has since grown into a full merch line (shirts, hats, bags, car accessories, and more) — now trademarked.
• Gives a shoutout to his brother's brand, Black Heart Garments, known for tactical, concealment-friendly sweatsuits.
• Wraps up with where to find his music and merchandise, and future goals: 1 million followers and 10x growth within a year.