(Globe Staff Photo / John Tlumacki)

Dre Robinson likes to say he's been "grinding in the game" as a rapper since the mid-1990s, but he regards himself first as a songwriter.

Always a fan of hip-hop, Robinson says it was his love of words that drew him deeper into rap music, as "your self-expression with words is more captivating." Growing up in Dorchester, he applied his talents to writing rhymes. "I really fell in love with words and lyrics when I heard Nas, Biggie, and Tupac," he says. "Right there, I fell in love with writing."

With his eyes set on a career in rap, Robinson gained attention in local talent shows. Eventually, he shopped demo tapes made with various groups and met with record labels, though those meetings never produced the kind of recording deal he wanted. Still, it never occurred to him that he might not make it.

"People around me told me not to stop what I was doing even when you're at a down period," he says. "People having faith in me helped me have a lot of faith in myself."

Two years ago, he released his first solo CD, "Starvin,' " which was played on local hip-hop stations, and recently "Starvin' 3: The Feeding" hit the streets. Though he regards himself as a wordsmith, he's just as concerned with a polished flow for his rhymes.

"You can have great words, but if you can't deliver it right, it won't come across," Robinson says. "You have to be on point with both because that's what people will remember. I strive to be the best at both."

LENGTH OF TIME PERFORMING: Since 1997. MUSICAL INFLUENCES: Nas, Jay-Z, Tupac, the Notorious B.I.G. WHO HE THINKS HE SOUNDS LIKE: "I've been influenced by a lot of MCs, but I don't think I sound like them. I think I have my niche, my own sound, and I have a love for wordplay." HE'LL KNOW HE'S MADE IT WHEN: "When you achieve longevity, then you can say you've made it. I want to leave my mark in the game." QUIRKY FACT ABOUT HIM: His introduction as a hip-hop performer came as a local break-dancer in the early 1990s.

- RENE GRAHAM