05/15/04
| Exclusive Interview With Cool Nutz & Bosko
We caught up with Portland's underground legend Cool Nutz as well
as super producer Bosko in this exclusive 3-Way interview. We talked about their
upcoming compilations, Jus Family Records, the Rap business, the Hip Hop scene
in Portland, why they're still underrated and much more.
[
Listen
to the Cool Nutz drop for West Coast 2K ]
[
Listen
to the Bosko drop for West Coast 2K ]
WC2K:
Can you speak on the projects you have been workin on?
Cool
Nutz: Basically, we started puttin out our albums out in 92. The first Cool Nutz
album was "This Nigga's Nutz". Then we put a Cool Nutz single which
did real well. Then after that we did a deal with Big Beat / Atlantic and we put
out our albums independently with one of my groups Kenny Mack & G-Ism which
was called "Nuthin But The Family". Me and Bosko were workin on our
albums on Big Beat / Atlantic, but that didnt work out so we got out the deal.
Then we put out the first real Cool Nutz CD which was "Harsh Game For The
People", it had Yukmouth on there, Poppa LQ, Bosko, and the whole roster
from the label. After that we came back with a Portland Hip Hop compilation double
CD called "The Western Conference Allstars" which featured alot of Portland
artists. Then after that we put out 2 albums on the same day, we put out G-Ism
featuring Cool Nutz "On A Mission" and Izay as the next which was an
R&B album. After that we put out Cool Nutz "Speakin Upon A Million",
then Maniac Lok "I'm Back" and then the D.B.A. album "Doing Business
As..." and then we did Cool Nutz "Verbal Porn". And right now we're
putting out Cool Nutz & Maniac Lok "The Goon Sqwad" album, and we're
puttin that out with C-Bo. That has E-40, B.G., Kurupt, C-Bo, Yukmouth, all my
artists from the label. And then we also have the compilation "E-40 Presents
Super Producer Bosko's That Fire". And those are both coming out on West
Coast Mafia in June.
WC2K:
So how did everything start for you, from growing up to gettin in Rap business
as an artist?
Cool
Nutz: I mean basically we started out Breakdancing and stuff. And at the time
we started Breakdancing it kinda went out. So Bosko had some turntables and a
keyboard. And we decided that we were gonna get serious about the music thing,
so we started puttin together demos, and as we started puttin together demos we
decided we should put out some albums. And from there Jus Family Records started,
and we started pushin it. Bosko started producing for other people. And then the
business side of things started rollin.
WC2K:
Did the street life influence your music?
Cool
Nutz: Yeah definitely, cause we both grew up in Northeast Portland which is basically
Portlands inner city. So we were always in the Urban enviroment so of course that
kinda stuff always rubbed off on you. We had gangs migrate to Portland in like
1986. And that started poppin off here. Cats started gettin shot and killed and
drugs came in. The city kinda changed so the whole street element was always around.
WC2K:
Can you talk about Jus Family Records, who's
signed to the label?
Cool
Nutz: Right now who we have on the label is of course Cool Nutz, Bosko, Maniac
Lok, Brotha Luv, The Phranchise, Bleek, and my boy Dj Chill are all on Jus Family
Records. And what you can expect from the stuff that we have coming out, like
the Goon Sqwad album is basically more on some West Coast G-Unit type of stuff.
Its street but not super-street, kinda inbetween. Its something on there for everybody,
its a real versatile album. A lot of people gonna be real surprised with the production.
We got Bosko on there producin, my boy Toywoard, my boy Underrated from Humble
County, Jeff Simmons. We just got some fire on it. And on the Bosko compilation,
he produced the whole thing. He got E-40 on there, Lil Jon, C-Bo, Bubba Sparxxx,
Kurupt, Tray Deee, Outlawz, Truth Hurts and a host of other people. You know we
been in the game and people know who we are, but feel like we still haven't got
our fair shape. People know us but now its time for people to start knowing us
and the music.
WC2K:
Portland might not be the first place that
is thought of when Hip Hop is mentioned to the average Rap listener. Are you trying
to put out a message and prove those people wrong by puttin Portland on the map?
Cool Nutz: I
mean, of course you want people to recognize your city. But first and foremost
we want people to respect us. And after they respect us, they respect where we
coming from. Like when they first heard Nelly, they heard Nelly and then they
found out he was from St. Louis. So we want people to hear Cool Nutz, Bosko, Maniac
Lok and everybody. And then, once they hear the music and they feeling the music,
then they equate us with being from Portland.
WC2K: Are
you happy with the Hip Hop scene out there in Portland?
Cool
Nutz: Honestly, I dont really look at it as me being happy with the Hip Hop scene,
because I'm really concerned with what I'm doing. I mean there is stuff out there
that I do enjoy, but there is Gangsta Rap songs that I dont like, there is Radio
songs that I dont like, there is Backpack Rap songs that I dont like, its with
any kind of music. But right now Im so focused on what Im doing that what everybody
else is doing is not important cause I feel like they're gettin my money and my
attention.
WC2K:
What keeps you motivated to keep on releasing albums after being underrated for
so long?
Cool
Nutz: Because even though I'm not Jay-Z, I'm not E-40 and I havent had that kind
of success yet, I have done alot of things that I'm proud of and I've sold records
and I got fans. I worked with cats that I grew up listening to, and now they respect
me they know who I am and we're doing songs together. Its a constant progression,
so its alot of things going on where I feel like we have elevated what we're doing
and we're constantly elevating and its only gonna get better.
WC2K: What
happened to your solo album "I Hate Cool Nutz"? Is that one still coming
out?
Cool Nutz:
Yea, the "I Hate Cool Nutz" album will be out after the Goon Sqwad &
Bosko compilation. And that will be "E-40 Presents I Hate Cool Nutz".
But we did this deal with C-Bo to put out 2 albums, so we're gonna put out the
Goon Sqwad album and the Bosko compilation before that.
WC2K: What's
the vibe on those new records like? Is there any new sound to it?
Cool
Nutz: Its not really a new sound, its just more progressive. I've been doing music
for a long time, but at the same time I feel like I'm always trying to progress
and be better than I was last time, and I feel like we've gotten better. So I
feel like the music is just more progressive, the delivery is better, the song
ideas are better.
WC2K:
Jus Family Records released the "Militia Mixtape" which was slept on.
Talk about that real quick.
Cool
Nutz: Well the thing is, the "Militia Mixtape" has new stuff on it,
there is some classic stuff on it, and then there is stuff with us rappin over
other peoples beats. Songs with E-40, Yukmouth, Jayo Felony, D-Shot, Richie Rich,
Pop Lock, my boy E-Dogg from Seattle, Mr. D.O.G...and of course the whole Jus
Family Records roster, thats Bosko, Cool Nutz, Maniac Lok, Brotha Luv, The Phranchise,
Bleek, and Poppa LQ. And thats basically the sound of it, but you would have to
hear what we're doing to get in touch with it you know.
And
then there is Boskos mixtape, "The Next Files". That has some fire on
it too. You can hit us at the website and order that from JusFamilyRecords.com
or at Bombay2K.com. All we want from
people is to send us a postage, a $1.10 and we will send them a free mixtape.
Because its basically free, all you're paying for is the shipping. Cause we put
it together, and how much music can you get for a album or for a mixtape for $1.10.
WC2K: Do you
think your album will ever have the chance to make it to the forefront of the
mainstream?
Cool
Nutz: Yeah I definitely do. But I think we just need the right push behind the
projects, thats all.
WC2K:
What are the benefits of rollin with an independent
label?
Cool Nutz:
The benefits are that we're able to control what we wanna do. I can put out records
when I want to, I can record when I want to, I go on tour when I want to. Its
not for a label to do what I do, I pay for what I'm doing. I make a living doing
music, thats all I do full time. So theres no control factor in what we're doing.
We do what we wanna do. And Im not saying that we wouldnt want a major to be involved.
We want a major to be involved, but just help us keep on doing the way we doing
it.
WC2K:
So would you rather keep it the underground way or sign with a major again?
Cool Nutz: I mean,
yeah.. when we did the deal with Universal, that was a blessing. I learned alot
from it, we got alot of money from it. The whole thing was real beneficial. And
if we went to another deal, we would have more knowledge from what we did with
that deal. I mean everything is a learning situation. It wasnt a bad situation,
it was just that the industry changed, the company changed and certain things
you dont have control over.
WC2K:
Why do you think that West Coast Rap doesnt get any recognition from the masses
anymore?
Cool
Nutz: I think what happened is that the kind of music that we're doing has to
envolve, it has to grow. It kinda stayed the same and theres only a couple artists
that elaborated on that. And when the major labels came out here and signed everybody
from the Bay and everybody from LA, they kinda just like picked them up and dumped
them. They left them and never made any more commitment to them. So its attributed
to couple of things, part of it is the music, and part of it its the way the industry
threats them. The industry doesnt really show the West Coast artists the same
love as they show other artists, and that affects the whole industry.
WC2K: When
you say its the music, do you think its lacking in the production or the lyrics?
Cool Nutz: I think
its a litte bit of both. I mean I feel like you have artists out here that are
progressive and that are doing things. But those artists dont get the proper spotlight.
I mean you got artists like E-40, WC, Yukmouth, you got Mac Dre. You got alot
of artists like that, they're just not getting the push from labels that they
deserve. Somebody like E-40, he should be really going Gold everytime out. But
its hard when the label is not giving him the proper push to see him succeed to
what he's capable of doing.
WC2K:
So when your record drops, what are you hoping
for and what will make you happy?
Cool
Nutz: What will make me happy is if I do it on the independent level sale considerable
units. Me to be able to go out on tour and people respect me and what Im doing.
And have some longetivity in the game. I mean I already have longetivity and been
in the game for a minute, but being able to turn it up a little bit, as opposed
to just tourin the West Coast. Being able touring the West Coast, the Mid-West,
Down South, the East Coast. Being able to get on a nice tour with somebody else
and expose people to what we are doing. Let people know that Jus Family, Cool
Nutz, Bosko, Maniac Lok, we aint playing. And if we do it on a major level, do
it where we have the videos, and we have the push that we deserve from the label,
radio support and all of those things. Those are the things that count that will
make a record successful.
WC2K:
I guess thats gonna be kinda hard with the situation and how it is right now!
Cool Nutz: Yeah but
I feel like one of the things that we have is that even though that we're doing
it from a independent level, we do certain things from a major standpoint in a
sense of publicity and press and gettin out promoting our stuff and touring and
things of that nature. We do alot of stuff that alot of independent West Coast
artists dont do. You can only create sales if you're out workin, but if you're
not out workin and not trying to make a project successful, it aint gonna happen,
even on a small level. Everybody's hoping to take it back to the days when the
West Coast was running it. But right now we're not at that point, we just gotta
get back on deck, get back on board, get people back to understand that they need
to feel what we're doing. Because we do got alot of hard artists. I mean you got
the Jayo Felonys out here, you got the Xzibits, Dj Quik, The Relativez, theres
so many cats that deserve the spotlight. And thats what its gonna take for the
West Coast to get back where it needs to be. Its beyond the music, its about the
labels pushin us. Cause you see that people are listening, because you got people
like Jay-Z who're getting Quik to make beats, So So Def signed Daz Dillinger.
People are paying attention to the West Coast, its just that we need to get it
back where the West Coast is a powerhouse.
WC2K:
I guess thats kinda frustrating isnt it?
Cool
Nutz: I mean its a little frustrating, but we got a whole West Coast market out
here, people that wanna hear it. I mean there is a whole nation, Snoop still goes
platinum, its just that we need more artists that go platinum other than Snoop
and Dre. Like I said, we need the Quiks, the E-40's, the Yukmouths, the Relativez,
and people like that that are puttin out good albums, that need to be heard and
need the push and the attention.
WC2K:
You mentioned your website JusFamilyRecords.com, is the whole internet helping
you push it in any way?
Cool
Nutz: Yeah I definitely feel like it helps. Cause if you dont have a video and
you aint on the radio all the time, the internet is one way for you to get in
touch with the world. I mean Im doing this interview with you because of the internet,
so thats a typical example that there is alot of opportunities out there. I mean
there is alot of artists that are selling alot of records off the internet that
would never be really selling them kinda units if it wasnt for the internet.
WC2K:
Aight Bosko, whats going on with you?
Bosko: Man Im in the studio
right now rockin the talkbox! Right now doing something with Dj Felli Fel from
Power 106. But look out for the "That Fire" compilation with the self-titled
first single, thats with E-40 on it, C-Bo, Cool Nutz and myself. Im rappin on
the compilation, singin, producing, doing the talkbox, playing the ukulele, everything
man. You know, I produced the whole thing, from top to bottom. And we got a whole
bunch of guest appearances too, we got a cut with Lil Jon on there, Kurupt, WC,
B.G. of The Hot Boyz, Tray Deee from Tha Eastsidaz, C-Bo and E-40 of course on
a couple of different cuts, Cool Nutz, Maniac Lok, Cryciz, Max Julian, Truth Hurts
and some more.
WC2K:
How did the joint venture with C-Bo and E-40 come into the picture?
Bosko: Well me and E-40
been workin together for years, so it really made sense to talk about doing something
together. And I kinda started workin with C-Bo in the last few years, we been
workin real tight. Like I mixed the last 3 albums with him. And I produced like
20 tracks for him in the last couple years, we just had a good vibe and they had
a good situation so we figured why not team up and do something together.
WC2K: Now that
you worked on it so hard, do you got any expectations for the project?
Bosko: You know I think
its just one of those things where the Sky is the limit because not only do we
have records for the streets of the following of C-Bo, and E-40 kinda gives us
a little bit of that crossover. And then I'm bringin production style one some
of the tracks that are heard around the country, worldwide, the radio and clubs,
its not really too street so its like universal. And then the singing that I'm
doing is a whole other dimension. Its gonna start slow and it can build, you know
we're trying to win Grammys around here.
WC2K:
Is there anything else you wanna say to the people who read this?
Cool
Nutz: I just wanna make sure that people are paying attention, and are getting
ready for Cool Nutz, Bosko, and the whole Jus Family Records. All the albums we
got coming, everything we doing, Portland, Seattle, the whole Northwest. Keep
your ear to the concrete and keep on listening. Log on to JusFamilyRecords.com
to see what we got coming as far as shows, news and updates. Log on to Bombay2K.com
to stay up to date of what we got going on.
[
Listen
to the Cool Nutz drop for West Coast 2K ]
[
Listen
to the Bosko drop for West Coast 2K ]
...........................................................................
exclusive interview w/ cool nutz & bosko
