KOLA  (March 2011) | Interviewer Todd Davis

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Interview was done in March 2011

Questions Asked By: Todd Davis

Dubcnn: For starters, tell me when exactly this whole love affair with Hip-Hop initially began?

I fell in love with Hip-Hop as a kid growing up back when we was jammin' the radio off our tape decks or boom-box. I used to record songs off the radio and try and stop the recording before the deejay came back on. I used to buy different artists' tape singles which always came with the instrumental on the b-side, and I'd record my own song to the track via my boom-box. That's when it started for me. My first CD I bought was (Da) Lench Mob Guerillas in tha Mist.


Dubcnn: Now, you are also a native of West Los Angeles, CA, correct? So, growing up in sunny Southern California whose music were you actually a big fan of?

Yup, I'm straight outta L.A.. I was influenced by, of course, Dre, Snoop and Tha Dogg Pound era, Cube, Quik, 2nd II None, WC, Poppa LQ, 2Pac, the Boogiemonsters [from the Bronx, New York, technically], (The) Pharcyde, The Coup and Domino, just to name a few as far as West Coast influence. But, I wasn't biased, I listened to whatever I felt was bangin'. Rap City introduced me to a lot of music from other regions the radio didn't play in L.A., so I was soakin' up different styles.


Dubcnn: At what point did you finally decide that you wanted to pursue this rap thang professionally?

When I was 17 or 18, I felt this was something I wanted to do seriously because I was already spending so much time working on my craft. I was always in the studio recording, and had a book fulla raps I had to get off my chest. Plus, when you see new rappers come out that are young and around your age, it can serve as motivation and fuel to get your music out there.


Dubcnn: That being said, describe for me the style of music that you create and perform?

I make music for the streets with a lot of style, grace and wit, with a couple jewels in there. My music is not for poisoining or mis-directing the youth, but more for motivation and inspiration. I wanna motivate people to grind, advance and come up, because that's where my head is at.


Dubcnn: Where did your moniker, Kola, originally derive from?

When I was young, like middle school, I heard a rumour that back in the day the brand "Coca-Cola" used to put actual cocaine in their soda which made the soda so addictive. By high school, I ran with it as a rap name because I figured "I'm Dope!" The older I got, and the more involved with the streets I got, the name Kola took on a different meaning as far as the streets go. The K replaced the C to avoid legal troubles, and there you have it: Kola, also known as CoachK and KolaMac.


Dubcnn: For pretty much a still fairly brand new artist you've managed to align yourself, both in the studio and/or on stage, with some industry heavyweights, most notably Waka Flocka Flame, French Montana, YG, Meech Wells, to name some -- How did you even catch the attention of some of these reputable acts?

By just being in the streets and in the mix of things. The old sayin', "Real Recognize Real," is what I think it is. Shout out to everyone I've worked with so far, and to those I'll be gettin' down with in the future! My goal is to keep pushin' and grindin' until you can look back at my body of work and say, "That dude did his damn thang!" But, I'm still waitin' on Waka to drop them joints.


Dubcnn: Last year saw the release of your second mix-tape outing, Eat Or Don't Volume II, which drummed up quite a bit of noise -- What exactly are you currently working and/or gearing up for?

I'm working on Eat Or Don't Volume III right now, and I got some heat in the oven. Other than that, I just performed All-Star Weekend at club Marbella in Hollywood for DeSean Jackson's party. Nipsey Hussle was also on the bill. I been tight with DeSean since he was at Long Beach Poly through my big homies; D1 and Travis. DeSean has his eyes set on expanding into music, so be on the look-out because something big is brewing -- And I'll just leave it at that.


Dubcnn: I am assuming here, but I imagine your, now highly anticipated, "official" solo debut is not too far off -- That being said, what can you reveal or divulge about it at this point in time? Title? Producers? Cameos? Etcetera? And, when can we, the masses, expect it to drop?

I dropped my first debut in '09, independently, titled, Choppin Change: A Westside Story, which is still available on iTunes. The first single, "Scrape The Plate," made noise, and we followed it up with the video guest starring Cubana Lust, directed by my boy Omari Thomas from outta Hype Williams' camp. So expect Choppin Change 2 to be the follow-up. No dates set yet because we're workin on some label and/or distribution situations we have on the table. But Eat Or Don't Volume III is in the oven, so be on the look-out, should be out by April.


Dubcnn: What are you future plans and goals for sustaining longevity in this grueling business of music?

By just stayin' relevant, and to continue workin', collaborating and droppin' undeniable music. But the key is to keep grindin', because all you do is get better with time. There's no way around it.


Dubcnn: Aside from rapping, do you have any additional/outside aspirations?

Outside of rap, I just wanna be a successful businessman. In that arena, I pay attention to people like Jay-Z and 50. The business moves and power moves they make inspire me and light a fire under me.


Dubcnn: On a more serious note, are you happy with the current state of Hip-Hop? And, even more specifically, West Coast rap, or the lack thereof?

I'm not happy with West Coast Hip-Hop because it seems as if our culture has died. We got a lot of spitters out West, but our deejays don't support. I've been in other regions where all you hear is the new up and coming artists on radio and in the clubs. We lack the support of the people and deejays. Here we tend not to acknowledge a new act until Snoop or Dre stamps it. It's sad to turn on the radio and not hear none of the new acts from the West you might have heard about via this site or any other popular blog sites. It starts with the deejay. They're the ones who play the music for the people to listen to. They have to get on board via club and/or radio.


Dubcnn: Looking ahead, say five or even ten years from now, where do you see yourself?

I see myself a few albums in, and opening up opportunities for up and coming spitters by giving them the platform to let their voices be heard as our O.G.'s are supposed to be doing for us.


Dubcnn: As for the immediate, what's next for you, Kola?

Just more grindin', politi(c)kan', collaborating, studio sessions and stayin' sucka free. Like I said, Eat Or Don't Volume III is in the oven. Y'all should go catch up on Volumes I & II, and go get my album off iTunes to get more familiar with my body of work so far.


Dubcnn: Is there anything I left out or just plain forgot to mention altogether?

Nah, we pretty much covered it all. Shout out to Dubcnn for supporting the West Coast so faithfully! I wanna give a shout out to D1, Travis, GFly, SlimeBalla, Moxie Entertainment, Rountable Business Inc., JaccPot Entertainment, DJacc and Al -- West Coast STAND THE FUCC UP & LETS EAT!!

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