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Huge thanks to Kokane aka Jerry Long for
taking time out to answer the questions fans wanted to know! (Interview
was done by phone on May 20th 2004)
Questions Asked By :
Nima
Kokane Gave Dubcnn.com A Shoutout! Check That
Here
ENTIRE INTERVIEW IN AUDIO:
HERE
(Make Sure To Right Click And Then Save As)
dubcnn.com: Whatup Koka, this is gone be one of your first
in-depth online interviews, so we're gonna try to touch on a lot of
different subjects. Now many people don't know this, but you
recently got out of prison. Do you wanna talk about that?
Well I was in prison because I had certain issues I had to deal with...
As far as this music industry is concerned, this music industry has
met with alot of pitfalls, such as drugs, sex and everything around
that. And for years, I've been living in a lie, and that's the way
the whole industry is. It's built up on vanity, its built up on
falsism, and you know I'm not charging nobody for my own misdoings,
it's just that by me going to prison it was just the final call for
me to wake up and see that the Lord has chosen me to do certain
things. And it's amazing what God does when he wakes you up with the
twinkle of a eye, and which people he uses to have a cause and
effect on different other peoples lives who's going through other
situations such as drugs, and just any temptation out there.
dubcnn.com: Ok so as it seems, this prison bit changed your life quite a bit.
You even changed your name from Kokane to Jerry Long. What was that
all about?
Well you know what? Let me tell you the truth man, it's like alotta
brothers out there, they trying to clean out somebody elses eye when
they got a whole mountain of dirt in theirs, and in Gods eyes, you
can never trade a temptation in for another, and me personally I was
battling with cocaine, and different elements of that situation. And
eventhough I was a functional dope addict like most people in this
industry is, I rather not say their names, but there's alotta of
them! You say they got skeletons in they closets, but nah alot of
these brothers out there they got cemetaries in their closets! And
you know God used me in this way, to be able to realize, and look.
Look man, you have a beautiful family out there, you have 7 kids,
and he made me wake up.
That's why he let me only do 3 months
instead of doing 6-7 years, he just woke me up! And one day, I
accepted Jesus as my personal Lord & Savior, and in the twinkle of
an eye man, the most miracolous thing happened to me bro, I just
felt that heavenly blist over me man! And it's just something else,
it's an amazing feeling. You can never trade in what God gives you
man, you can never trade it in, no matter how much money you have,
all the diamonds you have, oh man! I used to live a lie for so many
years man, and just 3 months ago I was so busy talking about what
Snoop did this, and Snoop did that, and you know what? Now that I've
found God, and God really really fetched me out of the darkness, I
don't have no problems against no brother out there! I just pray for
their situation, because I understand that there's two people that's
working. It's God & the Devil working. And by me coming into
knowledge and wisdom and understanding who God is, it's like Heaven
has been opening up for me, man my intelligence factor is something
else, and it's like we all have to get past this point of illusion.
Now I know alot of people out there will say "But how you gone just
switch up like this when you done done this, when you done done that".
I have done so much in the industry and on records that I can't
change anymore, but I'll tell the poeple out there, that there is no
greater feeling, than the feeling that you get from God.
And when you read the Bible, or when you read the Q'ran, and stuff
like that, it's amazing who God uses. Those people in there [prison]
were skanless, there were murderers, there was all kind of people
man! And when God woke me up at that time, when he came to me while
I was in jail bro, it was like I was at a point of despere, because
of certain situations that didn't happen in my favor, I made bad
business decisionz and all that. And to anybody out there who's
listening to this, when you all get to that point of despere, and
whatever job description you have becomes more of an illusion. And
you walking in those footsteps and humiliations. There is one entity,
one goal, one glory that you can come to, and that is GOD. And when
he did that Nima man, I started reading my bible, and the words
started coming to life man, and it started coming to me in a
supernatural way. And I said "God, why would you come at me like
this?". And it's like it is God's opinion and choosing and his
perogative. And it's more of a privilege as to people thinking why
you all like that "Oh his holyness" but nah, God chooses us. And
when he chooses us, it's a privilege to be able to walk in the
footsteps of the chosen ones. So it's a rewarding feeling to finally
be able to feel some type of joy. Me, personally, not having my joy
in sniffing lines, not having my joy in rolling a blunt, not having
my joy in fouling my body, my temple that God gave me. It's a joy!
It's a joy that no one can not describe, unless they feel the
goodness of God and go through that altercation between bad and
good, you know what I mean?
It's something else man, God is something else, and he's SO mercyful
bro, he's SO mercyful! So while I was in there, everything just
started making sense man! It's like these ARE really the last days,
prophecy is being fulfilled, you have more people doing killings,
you have more people going and finding the Devil, you have more
people just thinking that actually you're a square or you're a geek
or you are something else if you're serving God!! You have more
false witnesses about what God said, and everything like that. See
alot of people say "I serve God in my own way!". But to serve God in
your own way is NOT serving God. Because to serve God is to serve
HIS way. And when God comes to you man, oh my god when that feeling
comes up on you man it's nothing else man! I used to think man,
excuse me Lord for saying this, I used to think that when I saw
people crying on television, excuse me Lord for saying this, but I
thought that that was a bunch of bullshit. But nah man I'm telling
you God is really real! And he's fighting back in Hollywood, he's
fighting back in the music industry.
So what he lead me to do,
taking off from the Pac situation and different things, like "Ok Kokane, you had this great career, and you are one of the main
caracters next to Dre and Snoop and different other people like that
to the West Coast sound, let me use you now, where you can reach the
institutionalized, where you can reach the people" and that's what
he lead me to do. Because most of us, we are lost sheep bro! Think
about it man! You got more people talking about bad things than they
know how to quote 4 lines in the bible bro! You got people, instead
of talking about doctors and lawyers, they wanna kill people on
songs, you know what I mean?
I'm not passing judgement on nobody, but I'm tired of niggaz killing
niggaz. I'm tired of it man! I'm sick of us killing each other homie!
If people would say "Oh you just this and that" but I don't care
what people think, because there's one thing it comes down to. It is
Good against Evil, period! And I'm glad God has chosen not only me,
but different other people wake up. People that you would have never
thought! Because God needs to use people like Kokane. Because half
these people walk by size, and not by faith. How it's supposed to be,
you supposed to walk by faith and not by size. But you know I've
been saying this stuff for a long time even in my old songs,
remember "Life is much moore preecious, than you think!" It was
always there! It was always there! But then, think about it! God did
not make life out of life! He made life out of darkness! So any dark
situation that you go through, it can come out the end of the tunnel
a light situation! For instance, anybody out there listening, you
will never see a rainbow until you see a storm! Period. And
everybody has to go through that individual storm.
But when you come
out, God can bring you out to see your rainbow. And that's reeeal!
And you say "God, why did you choose me?" But see God has the
ultimate masterplan for everything! And I thank him man, I am so
happy man, this is a beautiful opportunity, we need to seize it and
go out there and reach the youth, and instead of telling them the
immature stuff we've been talking about such as to live a good life
you have to be bling blinging, or to live the life you have to shake
your ass in videos.. NO I'm not passing judgement. I am not God! But
we have to start putting out messages. Imagine, how about Dr. Dre
and Snoop and all of us would start going to youth centers where
teenagers are killing each other, where teenagers is drunk, where
teenagers is on drugs, how about let's do that? That would have a
lasting effect! Of course, the tongue is powerful, look at Hitler!
But look at what Ghandi and Martin Luther King did. It's Good vs
Evil period.
And people say to me Nima, "Yo you square!". Of course,
if you wanna call it, whatever you wanna call it. But you KNOW the
Devils working. When you speak good of God and people will turn
around and laugh at you, you KNOW something is wrong. And I do not
blame the people to a certain extent, but I blame the Devil because
they do NOT know that they're being inhabited by demons bro! And
they are real, as we speaking homie! This is what it says in the
Bible, it says "This society will shun away from God". People do not
know that we are really living in the last days, and they have a
cloud of smoke in they mind, and they acting like everything is
fine, but they don't know what's going on.
Me, I'm not going to hell bro! And you don't have to go to hell
neither! Shun away from it, let me show you something different, let
them have positive videos, they can still be hard-edge, but let them
have positive videos on Rap City, as opposed to 99,9% of defouling
ourselves, you feel me? Most of these people that's talking about
killing ain't going home and shoot somebody at all, but I guarantee
you by me being in that jail system and seeing them little kids man,
they are so motivated by what we do, and that is what is so sad!
Imagine what effect it would have if all of the big rappers would
get together and start doing something positive, stop talking about
killing each other, promote positivity. That's what we need!
dubcnn.com: Okay, thanks for all that input man! Now let's talk about your music,
you got a new album coming out with your new name, with your new
self, called the Ghetto Gospel. What can we expect from that?
Man you can expect a wake up call. What God has allowd me to do is
to go ahead and reach certain people like the institutionalzed, the
gang bangers, just people all around the world man, that's so
subdued by materialistic possessions, and not only that, it touches
on certain social topics such as genocide, and different things that
need to be talked about. And we need God in our lives, more than
ever. I call this album a personal testimony of what my inspiration
was from doing Kokane to this Ghetto Gospel with my real name Jerry
Long. And that's the album, I mean we got the BeeGee's, we got
Battlecat, we got Raphael Saadiq, we got Kurupt, 40 Glocc, it's
spectacular man! It's a personal testimony from somebody who's
really sick and tired of going through all these things, and for
people searching for God.
And like I said man, it's amazing who God
uses to go ahead and to do his work. I'm just so happy, it's more of
a privilege for me to go ahead and do this particular album, and do
more albums like this. To go ahead and reach these people man, cause
we suffering out here man! The youth don't have nobody to turn to
nowadays and alot of of brothers out here is sharing the same vision,
and starting this crusade out here to go ahead and challenge other
rappers to start talking to the youth about different perceptions
out here as opposed to just bling blinging all the time. As opposed
to shaking our ass all the time, you know what I mean?
We need to let the world know that you can be a doctor, you can a
lawyer you can be somebody, you know man, I used to think that well,
rappers don't raise kids. But okay, to a certain extent we do!
Because they look up more to the rappers and different people in
those limelights than they do their own parents, bro! And we all
have a responsibility but I didn't know that until God opened my
eyes!
Accepting God in my life let me see the truth. Man this Ghetto
Gospel album is an awakening for alot of people that seemed like
lost causes man. It's gone touch alot of people, it's already
spreadin' like wild. And jsut the other day man you heard me talking
this and that, all kind of negative things, but like I said, it's
amazing who God uses to do his work man, because God made life out
of darkness. And any dark situation that we go through on this
planet, the whole thing is to see God. Right now the Devil is
working at a all time high bro! And you can tell he is, it's right
in front of our faces because we've become accustomed to killing
each other on records! And it's fun! I mean it's so convenient to
talk about shooting somebodys face off as opposed to quoting four
bars in the bible! And that's sickening! But you don't know this,
unless your eyes are open. I mean we've been blind so long, and I
don't pass judgement on nobody, cause yesterday I was right there.
But the thing it is is that when people see the cause and effect on
Kokane, and different other situations like that, it can have an
effect on the whole system, on society! You know what I'm talking
about?
dubcnn.com: And what about your old fans, who listened to your old stuff, how do
you think this new album will appeal to them?
They gonna love it because of the fact that I've had songs like No
Pain No Gain, I've had songs like It's The End Of The World, I've
had songs like that "Life is much more precious, than you thiink".
So it's always been there! And God chose me! Sometimes I ask him,
why did you choose me? But it's not for me to ask no more, it's for
me to follow God and like I said I'm honoured to do this man and you
know you got alot of people that's gone be like "oh this and that",
but I know it's gone work because God is fighting back. God is
fighting back in Hollywood, God is fighting back in different other
situations, and I was talking to The Source the other day, and after
they listened to the album, they said this could be the Mel Gibson
of rap right here! And I was like wow! So the album is heavy, and
it's gone make you think bro, it's gone touch certain feelings, it's
gone touch certain nerves that you never thought it could touch.
That's what we need right now, because the world is suffering right
now man. And I done sufferened too much, I done suffered too long,
and there's brothers out there that's really tired of doing these
type of different things that the devil is pushing them to. It's the
false perception that we have of the world. We have to have some
type of responsibility. A responsibility to God, and a
responsibility to our surroundings, to our community. And I'm just
glad that I have an opportunity to talk to the whole world about it,
because just 4 months ago I was saying F this and F that all day.
But you know what I don't say that no more, I say I pray for them,
because I understand that just aswell as demons was holding me,
demons is holding them! And demons can hold anybody! The world is so
held up on vanity, false illusions, you know what I mean?
But God is not illusions, God is glory. And I understand that. And I
took me to go behind bars to wake up! Wake up! I got 7 kids of my
own man, it's affecting them! So it's really like a transformation
for me. Like Doo Wop, like Marvin Gayes Doo Wop. I mean people
didn't even wanna take a chance on what's going on. When Marvin Gaye
put out that album, people was like "Man that's wack!". But now look
at it! Look what effect it had on this generation and the generation
to come, and that man is gone! So God has picked me to be the same
thing, to put out this album Ghetto Gospel, and go ahead and touch
people! By me reading that Bible countless times and and spending
time to know what's in it, it says it right there! And that's common
knowledge and understanding of who God is. And we have to start a
crusade, each one of us. I'm tired of brothers killing each other on
records. I'm tired of it! I was right there, so I'm not passing
judgement, but let's get to the point where we talk about how God
is. Just imagine you get Snoopy, you get Puffy, you get them all
together and go around the world and publicly talk about these
issues. You know what kind of effect that would have? It would have
a huge effect on everything. But you see, people only SEE, and it
soaks down into their brain, and then they got this illusion that
yeah with the bitches, and the cars, and everything, just as I had
it! I was a hypocrit too, don't get it twisted! But my eyes are
opening! And the only force to open my eyes was knowing who God is,
knowing his son Jesus. Jesus got alot to do with my transformation
bro! And this is not no gimmick.
I look at all the stuff that I have done in the past, and when God
chooses certain people, he has to put you through a training process.
And God put me through that training process, to know what the Devil
has got in store for all of us. Why do you think that 99,9% only
have negativity in the game? It's not for me to pass judgement on
anybody that's talking like that, because like I said just yesterday
I was like that. But, let people see Kokane change! And use his real
name, take care of his children, be a father to his child. Let him
see me talk about instead of defouling and talking about killing
brothers, let them see me talking about loving each other, education,
you know what I mean? We need that! We are suffering! And I'm tired
of it! I'm tired of us suffering! And the only way for me to feel
like this was when God opened my eyes. I owe everything to the Lord.
Now that I'm talking with the light of God in me, it's gonna wake
alot of people up. Because they're gonna be like "If he can do it, I
can do it!". And that's the power of God bro!
dubcnn.com: You told me you had this one song called Do You Know Jesus. You
wanna go ahead and sing that part of it again?
Oh yeah! This song is from the new album, it goes like this: "It's
not odd that I'm trying to find God, because I'm tired of
hibernating with Satan. This is my willing testimony to the Lord,
they say it's easy to do evil and good to do hard I mean hard to do
good good good good... And to the world I guess I'm misunderstood,..
[...] Now I look back to what I was told by my grand mami, she said
don't believe in illusions, that ain't gone make you happy! She said
you might have material pieces, but son do you know Jesus? And then
the hook goes Oooooh, do you know Jeeesus.. and it got a sample from
a Biggie song in it.. it's hard man!! And it's all West Coast beats,
it's smashing!! With a rider gospel message! We need that right now
man!!
dubcnn.com: Who do you have on there as far as Guest appearances go?
I have the BeeGees, the actual BeeGees, Sting, Battlecat, Mase, 40
Glocc, I'm trying to get at Laurynn Hill, I got Kurupt on there with
his real name which is Emmanuel, which many people don't know, where
we talking about the goodness of God.. and some more surprise guests.
And if people can see these Mase and Kokanes changes man, well then
maybe they might stop turning away from God. Cause right now all
they see is the flashyness, they see the illusions out there, but
let's start to show them something else, let's start to show them
some goodness! I mean you know the Devil is working when you talk
good about God and then people turn around and laugh. That's evil
bro!
And people say you a square or a geek for talking about God.
Think about it, that's evil! I done dwelled in that for years, and
for my brothers that's doing it now, I don't pass judgement, do your
thing. But when you get to the point where you're sick and tired of
it, God is always gonna be there. Because God is real! God is as
real as the wind you can't see but feel. He's real as the birds
flying in the air. God is the one direction we're supposed to fly
to. The last days is almost here bro, and it really is! We got dogs
getting cloned, the mark of the beast is here, and more stuff that's
gone make 9/11 look like a punk! New World Orders coming, it is
right up under our nose while we're all thinking it's a joke! That's
the trick that the Devils doing on us. He don't want us to be
talking about this, he don't want us rappers to talk about the
goodness of God. That's why he put the flashiness out there. And I
understand it, and I got a right to say it because I was dwelling in
it. So I'm a living example of what it is. But God is fighting back
like I said in Hollywood, in the music industry, he is fighting!
But
his wrath is something else man. When I felt that heavenly feel come
over me man, it felt like I was flying in the air bro, I'm talking
about the holy ghost. I used to think it was a bunch of bullshhh..
It's not. God's opened my eyes Nima, and I'ma tell you people out
there he can open you guys eyes too. All you have to do is just
imply yourselves. Look outside. You'll never be happy like this, you
might think you'll be happy, all the money in the world. And i
understand that in my heart. But when you follow God, the happiness
God's brings you, God has an impliement in everything we do. But we
have to go around and start caring for ourselves. We have to start
encouraging each other. Bottom line, it's good against evil and I'm
on the good side.
dubcnn.com: Well right now it looks like the bad side is dominating, and how
long do you think it's gonna take for people to see and start to
change?
Well evil man, evil is gone be here anyway. It was always here, like
I said, my album is no different from Marvin Gayes album. My album
is transformation between Doo Wop and whats going on now. And when I
let people hear the album out here, they are really blown away bro,
they're touched, im talking bout TOUCHED like that. It's
inspirational, just like the song Friends I did with the Eastsidaz.
It's that deep bro! I'm just doing what I have to do. To all the
people out there, I dont want you to get the misconception "Oh he
thinks he's something holyer" No, I'm doing what GOD wants me to do,
and I'm going to follow in those footsteps and I'm telling you as
well as I did under the name Kokane, and all these things that I did..
Start to replace some of that with the goodness of God, and the
goodness of uplifting you people, and the goodness of inspiring you
folks man! What the hell is wrong with that? Why are we so stuck on
stupid? We're stuck on stupid, bout killing each other! We really
love killing each other! Now tell me that ain't evil bro!! But it's
gone change. It has to change. God is fighting back man, everytime
man! An this Ghetto Gospel album you gonna be able to hear something
that's gonna start, that's gonna be one of the biggest crusades.
Like I said, I was discussing it with one of my brothers over at The
Source, and this is gonna be the Mel Gibson movie for rap. Period.
dubcnn.com: Ok so when do you think we're gonna actually be able to hear that,
or buy it in stores?
Probably, October or September.
dubcnn.com: That soon?
Yeah, this soon!
dubcnn.com: Because you know everything these days gets pushed back, so...
Yeah, but the difference is that I got God with me. God is coming
soon man. You ain't gonna believe it man! Ya'll better wake up!
dubcnn.com: Okay, well now let's go way back in the day before you even got into
the rap game, your youth. You grew up in Pomona right?
Yeah, but you see, when I was doing my thing, I already had songs
like Nickel Slick Nigga, like Any Last Werdz, on Above The Law we
had Gangsta Mack, we had songs talking about uplifting. Period. It
was just that jail sentence that made me totally change and walk
this path. I couldn't walk that pass before, and then turn around
and sniff a couple of lines, and then talk about some goodness. No I
had to completely change. I'm very serious about God now.
dubcnn.com: How did you meet with Eazy E at very first?
I met with Eazy through my cousins Above The Law. Above The Law was
one of the.. man alot of people got influenced, they influenced
alot, Outkast..
dubcnn.com: I know you already told this story in the intro of your album that
was supposed to come out, but most people never heard that, so go
ahead and tell that story again, of how you met Eazy, how you got
your name..
Well my cousin had a group Above The Law, around 1989, and when Eazy
came out with the NWA stuff, he heard two songs of me, and my cousin
Cold187 from the group Above The Law, came up with that name, and it
just stuck with me, Kokane! Because in Eazy E's eyes, it was like
"Man you ARE dope!" And that fit, because at that time we used words
like dope, fresh to say good. And I just was set in that song with
Dre and them, and had a chance to be a part of that situation, and
that was a great experience in itself, to be part of that.
dubcnn.com: And now looking back, do you think that the songs that NWA did were
"wrong"?
Nothings wrong, everything is the way it's supposed to be. Nothings
wrong. Everything that I did back then had to go about the way it
happened. Anything anybody does out there, you have to do what you
have to do. But when you get to that point where you are sick and
tired and know that something is supposed to be different in your
life, you gonna know! Period. And I'm not telling anybody what to
do, no! Because then I would be a hypocrit, by telling people that.
That's it! I can't go ahead and do that. I might aswell go out there
in the backyard and pick up a bunch of mud and throw it in my mouth.
Trying to clean out somebody elses backyard, when in the past I had
a mouthful of mud in mine. Don't get the misconception people! But
I'm telling you. We need to be careful of what we do in the future.
And all I'm saying is that me as a black brother, we have a
obligation to all of these people, man!
dubcnn.com: In the past, many people have called you a George Clinton biter,
saying you bite his style. What's your take on that?
Man, well in some way every body is some type of biter, in some type
of way, I ain't gone play it like that. But, it's not really biting,
everybody is motivated by somebody else somehow. Obviously, most of
my style has been coming from George Clinton, because he is from the
older generation, and that's who we're affected by! And that's just
no different from Prince, Prince copying some of James Browns stuff,
the styles, the moves. We're motivated by each other! But for people
to go ahead and say that, I mean they don't really know the concepts
of what music and entertainment is about. It's about getting
motivated off of somebody else! What's wrong with that? That's how
music was formulated! What about rap? Ok put it like this, it
wouldn't be rap, if it wasn't for James Brown! So we imitated James
Brown, so for people to say that, ya'll really don't know what the
real concepts of music is!
dubcnn.com: That's real! So basically, when you got in the game you signed to
Ruthless Records, right?
Yes sir.
dubcnn.com: And you know at that time there was the whole beef going on between
Ruthless and Death Row Records. And you released a song called Don't
Bite The Funk.. Now looking back to that, what do you think of that
whole record now... was that real or was it just music, was it real
animosity?
That was real!! That was back back then!! That was a real point.
That was some real stuff back then, that was some hard stuff going
on back then! Even back then the Devil worked. And I'm just glad
I've had the opportunity to wake up from that, and I'm sure Snoop is
gonna have the same opportunity to wake up one day! Same goes with
Suge! No man can pass judgement on anybody.
dubcnn.com: Ok, but I mean, you recorded Don't Bite The Funk..
When I did that, I didn't like Snoop. I didn't like them. It was
Eazy and Ruthless against Death Row, you know what I mean? It was
Ruthless against Death Row at the time. And we was saying they was
Devils, they were saying we was Devils.. *laughs* oh man! The Devil
is a whole revelation in itself! I was just telling people out there
man, being in this game for 15 years, it just made me prepared to
know what the Devil is gonna come with next. And that's just the
summary of the whole conversation!
dubcnn.com: And how did Eazy's death affect your life?
Man, it affected it.. It was big. It was big because, we depended on
him man. Eazy had a good heart, he had a good heart. Most people
might not believe it but he had a good God belief, he went about and
helped people, as far as giving turkeys and stuff to the homeless,
while people was trying to diss him. Most people don't even know
that!
dubcnn.com: Suge Knight gives Turkeys out too..
Na I'm not just talking Turkeys bro, I'm talking about being in the
hood, talking about being in the youth centres, talking about going
around to Youth Authority, talking to them. I'm talking about
CONSTANTLY. CONSTANTLY! That's what we need to get back to!
dubcnn.com: I feel you!
You know what I mean? We need to invent something new! It's boring!
The game is boring!
dubcnn.com: That's so true.. It's all the same shit coming out.. you turn on the
radio you can't tell one song from the next one!
Yeah man! It's just boring! I mean ok, ok, you get the ladies to
dance, but now show some skills! Show some skills man!
dubcnn.com: It seems like nowadays you don't even need to have something to say
to make your money, and that's what they all about, their money, so
they settle for some watered down shit!
That's when the Devil is really working! So we invent something new,
God allowed me to be part of that invention. And it's gonna work!
And people want that, because they're accepting it right now! Out
here man anybody who's heard it, oh they LOVIN' the Ghetto Gospel!
Woooo! And I'm like THANK YOU LORD, they LOVING it! I'm talking
about from radio stations, to everybody else! If ya'll don't know,
you better ask somebody!
dubcnn.com: Oh is the stuff on the radio yet??
Man I had a couple songs being played on the radio, they love it.
They LOVIN it! It's BIG!
dubcnn.com: I'm happy to hear that man... Hey by the way, what happened to your
project with Kurupt, the 2K's?
Oh man you know when I went to prison all that got kinda pushed
back, and Kurupt started on this new project with Mobb Deep. But it
will eventually happen, I love Kurupt, I would love to do this.
dubcnn.com: Now what did you think about Jelly Heller back then?
Man.. I thought he was the Devil! *laughs* You know what I mean? But
anybody can be the devil. Anybody, evil is evil bro, black, white,
chinese! And that don't stray me away from the path, I just walk
straight to God, you gotta keep walking to God everyday, God is
always there, he'll always be there.
dubcnn.com: Now, what's your personal favorite solo album of yours, except for
Ghetto Gospel?
It has to be Funk Upon A Rhyme, because I had songs like "Sometime I
feel like my day is comiiing" even back then, in 1994! Uncle Sams
Curse!!! "Eeeverything wiil bee allrighht!" There! "Any Last Werdz!"
Its the eend of the wooorld!! Back then!! 92 homie!!
dubcnn.com: Yeah man! Then you went from Ruthless and later you hooked up with
Snoop.. how did that come together?
Well me and Snoop both put aside all of our differences, we came
together and it was a beautiful situation.
dubcnn.com: Did he come to you or..
Well we came to each other! It was the meeting of the two giants!
Naw I'm just playing with you *laughs* It was good though, that was
when the first Eastsidaz album was coming together "I was booorn,
coming up from the Gheeetto!" You know?
dubcnn.com: Haha go head sing that shit!
"I was booorn, coming up from the Gheeetooo, where the OGs never let
go, this is something I haaad to know!" Yup! So when we was doing
that it was cool, and then the Last Meal was somethinge else, and
even on that man, you know, it was cool being around Snoop! Snoops
situation definitely helped me out. I don't even wanna get into all
the negative stuff. Everybody got their goods and bads, and you
know, his situation helped! But this situation God gave me is wayy
bigger, than anybody could ever give me.
dubcnn.com: I mean we were all really surprised when we saw Kokane on ALL these
Snoop records! The Last Meal, 8 tracks, the 2nd Eastsidaz, 9 tracks!
Actually we were only supposed to do like 2 tracks for Eastsidaz,
and we ended up at 9! *laughs* And then you know, I came in there
and I had made up this thing called Fo shizzle dizzle izzle on the
gizzle my nizzle!
dubcnn.com: You did that?
Yeah I made that up!
dubcnn.com: I thought that came from E-40 and them from up in the bay!
Nah, E-40 made up Fo Sheezy my neezy! So yeah when we did all that
man, there were problems, but you know, I'm not even mad at that no
more, I don't even dig up the past no more! I'm looking towards the
future!
dubcnn.com: I'm just mentioning all this stuff because I know the fans wanna
know about it, and you never had the chance to really speak up.
Oh man I don't mind telling my folks out there! I love my folks who
ever supported me! I just want all my folks who always supported me
to go listen to the new invention that God gave me, cause ya'll
gonna feel good about it! Trust me! I'm not gonna let ya'll down,
because God ain't gonna let ya'll down! Everything that I'm doing
now, ya'll gonna LOVE! Trust! Not just trust me, trust God!
dubcnn.com: I liked that new hook you had on that new Suga Free... "High Heels"
the song Saccs did!
Oh yeah I had did that right before I went to jail.. That was a
banger in the clubs homie! I wish the best for Suga Free, he got
everything going his way, but I'm doing something different now.
dubcnn.com: But for example, would you still collaborate with someone like Suga
Free?
Yeah, I would collab with them! But as far as me, I'm not doing
anything that's not Gospel. I'm doing radio songs, don't get it
twisted, I'll do radio friendly songs, but I ain't anything.. uh you
know, I took that Kokane up off me.
dubcnn.com: You ain't gone rap no more??
Oh no I'm rapping! On this album, I'm rapping, singing, I'm doing
the George Clinton thang, and I'm doing Curtis Mayfield, and I'm
doing the Rick James thing.. I'm doing it all! I'm gonna send you a
copy in a week man, you got to hear this stuff! They gonna love it,
cause out here they eating it up!
dubcnn.com: It ain't even out yet, how are they eating it up? *laughs*
Cause I'm feeding to them! I'm giving CDs here, I'm giving CDs
there.. One song here, one song there, and it's big! It's big,
babay!! And to all my fans out there, I just pray for ya'll, I'm
gonna say a prayer for ya'll, and this is real, open your heart! You
don't mind if I say a prayer for them big Nima do you?
dubcnn.com: Oh nah man go ahead!
Ok, this is going out to all my fans. Dear heavenly Father, I would
like to ask you, to continue to bless these people with good music,
and to continue to watch out for all of them, and everything they
are going to do. I ask you to go ahead and just forgive them for
their sins, because sometimes it is the glory you give us that helps
us open our eyes. And I ask these fans out here Lord, touch them in
a way they have never got touched Lord, let them know how good you
are! Let them know that they don't have to worry so much in life.
Let them know that you love them Lord! It is a movement that's going
on Lord, it's amazing who you use Lord to make things happen.
And I
know these people out here is opening they hearts, and they putting
aside anger and everything like that Lord, I know they are! I know
they're glued to that computer screen right now Lord! You can make
it for them, you can make everything happen! And for all my fans out
there Lord, I pray that you help them follow that path of
righteousness! And I know that you will make a difference in their
life, and I ask you to keep encouraging them to do right Lord,
because you don't want these brothers and sisters out here to go to
hell, we can make it happen. We can get that job, folks. But the
only way we can make it God, is to have you on our side. And I know
these people will get it through their heads Lord! Let them open up
their hearts Lord, let them feel your spirit come down Lord, let
them know that you will always be there! Amen.
dubcnn.com: That was deep! It's good to see an artist taking the time to
dedicate something to his fans.
I'm telling ya'll, we all need God. He's here man. I hope ya'll will
get to be a part of this experience. Ya'll going to know when you
hear this Ghetto Gospel. Ya'll gonna know. Apply God in your lives
man. And it will make a difference in your lifes. God loves all, he
loves me, he loves you Nima, he loves Snoop, he loves everybody. It
really works.
But man thank you Nima, ya'll keep pumping this up, DUBCNN the
hottest thing on the planet! Ya'll heard it first, you know what I
mean?
dubcnn.com: Oh thanks for the support Koka uhh I mean Jerry! *laughs* To end it
of, I'm going to do a little word association with you. I say a name
and you tell me the first thing that comes to your mind!
Go ahead!
dubcnn.com: Eminem
uuhm... Lost Soul!
dubcnn.com: You gotta ellaborate hahaha, I wanna know why!
*laughs* Nah I ain't gonna say that! He gonna kill me! hahaha
dubcnn.com: The Game, Dre's new artist
Hard-edge.
dubcnn.com: Dave Chappelle
Raw.
dubcnn.com: Kanye West
Soulful.
dubcnn.com: Talib Kweli
Metaphorically speaking.
dubcnn.com: Suge Knight
Change!
dubcnn.com: Crooked I
Lyrically inclined.
dubcnn.com: Pomona City Ridaz
Hard-edge.
dubcnn.com: Xzibit
Illusive
dubcnn.com: Your wife
My love of my life.
dubcnn.com: Your kids
My love, my gift from God!
dubcnn.com: Ok man that's about it, thanks for taking the time to talk to us, it
was deep!
Oh man you had me talking *laughs* I'm about to step into the studio
let me know when the interview goes up!!
dubcnn.com: I will, peace!
One love man! Thanks to everybody who supports me!
Dubcnn.com Shoutout :
Here
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Kokane aka Jerry Long (June 2004)
