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interview LUNI COLEONE & COOL NUTZ  (June 2007) | Interview By: Eddie Gurrola

      
Dubcnn recently spoke to veterans Luni Coleone and Cool Nutz to discuss their first collaborative effort, "Every Single Day," which hits stores on June 5th. In this exclusive interview, Luni and Nutz go into detail about the making of the album, and their strategy for making sure this record blows up. They also give us their take on the ever-growing Hyphy scene, and deliver news about future solo projects.
 


As always we have both the transcript and the audio for you to check and please feel free to send any feedback regarding the interview to: eddiegurolla@dubcnn.com

 
Interview was done in May 2007.

Questions Asked By :
Eddie Gurrola

Full Interview In Audio For Download : Here

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Dubcnn: We’re here with Luni Coleone and Cool Nutz. How’s it going guys?

Luni Coleone: Cool man, sun’s shining!


Dubcnn: All right, so you guys have an album coming out together. How did you originally link up?

LC: Through some homies out in Washington, vibin’. I already knew Cool from a couple of years back, and it just became a cool idea.


Dubcnn: Definitely. How long have you guys been recording together for this album?

Cool Nutz: We actually got together and did the album in a two week period of time. We both work pretty fast, not because we were trying to throw the album together real quick, but that’s just how into it we both [are.] So, we probably did it in a two week period, where he started to put some stuff together, [and] I started to throw some ideas together, and then we brought in some other people that came up with ideas as well, and it turned out to be a dope album.


Dubcnn: All right, so you guys are known for having more of a traditional Bay Area/Northwestern sound, but now hyphy is dominating the sound for most people in your area. So, what’s your opinion on hyphy music?

LC: I mean, hyphy is hyphy. My brothers from another mother started all of that, so I’m glad it’s grown to how it’s grown. Personally, it’s cool music, but I still do my thing. I’ve got my style, and Cool Nutz got his style. I don’t take nothing away from hyphy – even my kids is on it.

But on another token, it’s dope. I’m glad we’ve got a chance, as being [from] Northern California and hardly getting recognized, to having a style that people across the globe can recognize.


Dubcnn: So, are you guys gonna have any sort of hyphy sound on this album?

CN: We don’t really have any proverbial hyphy style, so to be truthfully honest, we don’t. With what we do, being so synonymous with the Bay, we’ve got more of an independent West Coast sound, and we really did the album as, kind of like, us coming together, like the classic, kind of like Dogg Pound shit. Like he was saying, our kids was on the hyphy movement, and it actually did a lot for the Bay and the West Coast, so shouts out to everybody. But, it’s just not what we’re doing.


Dubcnn: So you’re trying to bring back the old school sound with this one?

CN: Yeah, with a breath of fresh air. It’s a classic, good album that, no matter who you are, if you’re in the West Coast, if you’re into Bay rap, whatever, you can listen to this album. There’s club songs on there, there’s stuff with meaning on there, there’s some stuff with a down South feel. But, it’s not us trying to be somebody else. It’s us doing what we do, and trying to make it relevant to what happened in today’s music. So, you can put it on, [and] it still sounds fresh and up to date.


Dubcnn: So, who else do you have on this album, as far as guest appearances and production, and all of that?

CN: We’ve got the homie Key Loom from Sac, we’ve got Maniac Lok from Portland, we’ve got E-Dawg from Tacoma, and, from Seattle, Mr. D.O.G. We’ve got Rocafella, we’ve got Bosko on there, [and] Syko, who did the Thizzle Dance.

The majority of the album is produced by a new cat named Kuddie Mak, from Seattle, who is just insane. Out of the 15 songs, I think he did 11 of them, and you can’t even tell that he did that many on there. These are cats that are so talented that ain’t even out there yet, that’s what we prayed on, and it worked. There’s a lot of cats out there that don’t get a chance that are really talented, and it worked out.


Dubcnn: That’s great to give somebody else their shine. So, how did you hook up with Kuddie Mak?

CN: The cat that actually got me and Luni together for this album had already had us working with him, and getting beats from him. I already knew Kuddie, but it just so happened that Kuddie turned in enough stuff that worked for the album. It actually made it easy, because we didn’t have to go looking for a bunch of different producers. He’s got stuff on there that’s that classic West Coast sound, [also] the UGK type sound, the sample type stuff, [and] the heartfelt [style.] His beats are just live, and they made it work, and made it easy for us to get in there and be creative. The beats inspired us to come up with the songs.


Dubcnn: So, when you guys were recording the album, did you do all the tracks together in the studio, or were you guys going back and forth, sending them to each other? How did that come about?

LC: Most of the tracks were done together. I’d say a good 80 percent were done together, probably more than that, probably like 90. I think Nutz was coming off a tour on probably one or two of the songs, but other than that, everything else was done together.

CN: This ain’t no e-mail album. It was actually where we was in the studio together, coming up with the ideas, with the producers, and making it. We actually did this album together, where he would come up with ideas, run it by me, I’d be like “That’s dope,” do my verse. I’d come up with an idea, run it by him, he’d be like “That’s dope,” do his. When we were in there, it just came together. I’d put something on there, he’ll come up and put something on there, and just make it happen. We’d have some singers come in, and they would come up with some stuff, and we would just get down. But, the majority of the album, we were there together, doing the whole thing.


Dubcnn: OK, good. That’s what we like to hear, because we’ve heard a couple of other duo albums, not from you guys, but from other people, where you can tell that it was just put together at the last second.

LC: Yeah.


Dubcnn: Are you guys planning on going on tour to promote the album at some point?

CN: Yeah, most definitely. We’ve already been doing shows, we did a run of dates with Too Short, and I just got back from doing something with Tech N9ne. But the whole movement is to support this album. We’re trying to do a whole lot of stuff that people aren’t doing for albums nowadays, especially independent West Coast albums, in terms of the promotion side of it. We’ve got street teams in all the major West Coast markets and the Midwest markets, where Luni’s had really strong numbers. We’ve got a TV campaign, we’ve got a publicist. We’ll be in the new Source, we’re in the new Murder Dog, and then all the Internet stuff. We’re trying to do everything to sell this record that we can.


[To Cool Nutz]

Dubcnn: Whatever happened to that Goon Sqwad album that was supposed to come out a couple of years ago? Are you still working on another one, what’s going on with that?

Yeah, we’re still gonna do the Goon Sqwad album, me and Maniac. We’ve just been doing as many shows as possible, and then really focusing on this me and Luni album, and then once that comes out, then we’ve got the Goon Sqwad, we’ve got the Cool Nutz album, the DJ Chill album, and a gang of other stuff. So, the main thing is, we’re just trying to get all the business right and everything, because we were gonna put that album out on West Coast Mafia, and then, it didn’t have nothing to do with them, but just other business things that changed in the industry that held that back or whatever.


Dubcnn: OK. So, tell us a little bit about the solo album you’re working on right now. Do you have a title for that yet?

I’ve got a couple [of solo albums.] One of them is the “So Portland” album, which we’re putting out primarily in the Northwest. I’ve got [E-]40 on there, I’ve got Tech N9ne on there, I’m gonna have Luni on there, Ras Kass, Bosko, and of course all my guys from the label. The other album is the “Miracle” album, which will be coming out on Sic Wid It, and that will be later this year, or maybe 2008. We just finished that up with 40.


Dubcnn: Nice! That sounds great. So, are you still working with Bosko a lot? What’s going on with him?

Yeah, we’re still doing a lot of stuff. Bosko actually did the single for [this duo] album, and then he’s working on his solo album right now. He’s been out in Atlanta a lot, just to see some new scenery and introduce himself to some new people.


[To Luni Coleone]

Dubcnn: So, what else have you been working on besides this duo album? Do you have a new solo album coming out too?

Yeah, I’m working on something solo right now. I ain’t really got no name for it right now, I’m just playing with it real quick. We’re doing the new Doja Click Album with me, Killa Tay, and K.J., we’ve got that coming out, it’s a hood classic. I’ve got “Rapper’s Delight,” two DVDs that I’m putting out in November and December every year, just showing some crazy shit with all the rappers in there cooking and burning up shit if they can’t cook, being with their families and everything. [I’m] trying to show a little lighter shade of brown for this situation that the media portrays us to. Outside all this shit, niggas do have heart, and children that they care for. I’m trying to shed some light on that, with the whole rap game, especially out in California.

I’ve got a couple little things going. I’m about to head to Missouri this weekend, go out there and get some promotion started for this album that me and Cool Nutz is doing...and just basically staying in the game, and staying afloat. [I’m] trying to keep everything moving.


Dubcnn: Is there anyone else you’ve been working with? Are you going to be on other people’s albums, guest appearance wise?

I’m in love with the whole game, and I’m entwined with the entire game. There ain’t no telling who I’m gonna have on my album. Me, I’m an opportunist. We in there, we in there, we ain’t, we ain’t. I’m doing my travelling like I can, and I’m gonna get anybody I can to do something. I’m basically cool with the entire game, so everybody knows me and I know everybody. So, it ain’t gonna be a problem, but it will be a surprise.


Dubcnn: So, the album [“Every Single Day”] is dropping June 5th, right?

Both: Yep!


Dubcnn: What can the fans expect to get out of the album when they go buy it?

LC: Everything from Cool Nutz and Luni that they expect out of an album, and not just no put-together album. I’m talking about a real, live classic - to where they’re gonna ask us to make the second one. This is a real, classic album, and I feel good about it myself. I’ve done a lot of albums, and this right here will be my 25th one. You know, and I feel good about it! This right here is completely entwined with everything that I love in life itself. This is it, and it’s gonna go to work. Trust me.


Dubcnn: We’re definitely looking forward to it. Is there anything you guys want to say to all the fans, all the readers at Dubcnn?

LC: Oh yeah man, y’all keep it cool, and do what you do. Support this album and the movement. Luni Coleone and Cool Nutz. Get this love, much love! Y’all survive like we tryin’ to survive, ya undadig?

CN: Yeah, just go out and support this album June 5th, go pick it up, it’s dope. It’s gonna be something new to the entire West Coast, not just the Bay or whatever, because I’m from the Northwest, and he’s from Northern California. But, the album, it’s incredible, and cats from all walks of life, you know, I’ve been letting people hear it, and people have been getting a taste of it, and from unbiased opinions, different people like the album. So, make sure you run out and get it, and look for all the new stuff that we’ve got coming – the Cool Nutz album, the Maniac album with DJ Chill, Luni Coleone, everything. Support the whole movement.

 

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Full Interview In Audio For Download : Here
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