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For Robert Robinson, the automotive world is not only his passion, it’s his birthright. As the owner of Georgia’s Auto Extremes, Robert has mastered an operation that tailors products to clients’ needs, while providing top tier results. It’s no wonder why he is now a part of Nappy Boy Automotive, as his work with T-Pain has now spanned nearly two decades.

Growing up on the Air Force Base of Warner Robins, Georgia, Rob was raised around big machines, as his father was an aircraft mechanic. From weekdays to weekends, however, both Rob and his father built cars in their driveway and garage. “I’ve pretty much been doing this my whole life,” he explains. At six years old, he built his very first car: a 1979 Chevrolet Van. “Me and my dad put the motor in together,” he recalls. After graduating high school, he went on to study and become an A&P Airplane Mechanic, working at Northrop Grumman for two years. After dealing with the ups and downs of instability in the aircraft mechanic job market, he followed his passion for building cars and formally opened the doors of Auto Extremes in 2000. Five years later, he and T-Pain first crossed paths. 

“Well, he actually went to the stereo shop next door first,” Rob says with a laugh. T-Pain wanted a train horn installed on his 1972 Impala, but the stereo shop closed at 3 o’clock on Saturdays and Pain arrived shortly after. “Me and my guys were standing outside,” Rob continues, “and he said, ‘Hey man, I’d really like to get this done.’ We didn’t know who he was, but I told my guys we could do it and split the cash for the weekend.” After installing the horn and keeping all of his belongings safe on the floorboard (including jewelry and a few quarters), a bond of trust was formed. “He called us back on Monday and said, ‘I got more work for y’all to do.’” 

Over the years, T-Pain and Rob forged a brotherhood that is both personal and professional. They’ve spent holidays together, as well as worked to curate Pain’s entire audio experience on the road and at home. “We’ve done a lot of projects together,” Rob explains. “From building buses to mobile DJ setups. We built everything in his house—the theaters, the bars—I mean, we’ve done so much with him, I can’t even tell you everything we’ve done over the years.”

With a small but sturdy production team behind him, Rob has entered Nappy Boy Automotive as both a mechanic and client liaison. Given his strong relationships with both vendors and talent over the years, his role is multi-faceted and will move from the engine to the road. “I may even start driving cars, once I get better at it,” he adds. 

Above all, Rob is ready to bring his expertise to another winning team with Nappy Boy. “I mean, anything he touches always does amazing,” Rob says of T-Pain. “I believe they can be the next Hoonigans or even bigger than the Hoonigans. I’m looking forward to seeing where we can take it.”