This song is the meat of the idea of staying cool through adversity. It’s three stories of three people that should have folded for whatever reason but they still go after their dreams. First me, Second her, Third Chum.
We had wanted to get a singer to really blast off on the hook and sing “KEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT COOOOOOOOOOOOOOL” on top of the drums. I’d asked Blue Raspberry 40 times, she promised she’d do it but never did. I’d asked MeLa Machinko, she didn’t seem to enthused about it and lastly I’d asked Jaguar Wright who said she’d be down but I didn’t get the chance to play it for her before this whole thing fell apart.
This track was off the beat tape so I don’t know anything about it.
I was in Wawa one day and they were playing Rihanna’s “Pon Di Replay” and I fell in love with the drum pattern. I called Chum immediately and was like “yo make me something with a drum pattern like this.” A few weeks later this track is what I got.
Around the time I wrote this I was traveling and doing shows as much as possible to forget what I was going through with that girl and I was also out partying as much as I could. There was a stretch when I was in Amsterdam one day then Louisville Kentucky and then Athens, Greece in a 5 day period. I was going hard!
I was staying in Berlin for an extended period of time when I wrote this and it just came to me after a bunch of evenings of partying until 9am and waking up at 3pm and doing it again. I remember being in the studio recording something else with the homey LMNZ and humming it to myself excited to work on the track.
Again I felt some trepidation when I was writing this because I didn’t feel like I “rapping” enough on it. I took solace in how cool it sounded and how true to life it was. I do in fact smile because I’m me and you’re not.
This was the first track I straight up “sang” on. We were mad surprised that it came out as well as it did. We did the take and looked at each other like “Holy shit that doesn’t sound that bad!” So I laid all the singing parts real quick scared that I’d forget how to do it HAHA.
Chum sampled the Beatles on the intro and we joked about hoping to get sued so it’d help with the promo of the album.
I posted it on Myspace and my mom texted me like “Are you ok?” She actually listens to the words I guess.
This was a track Chum made while I fell asleep on the couch and was just like hey use this.
I’ve been called all types of synonyms for arrogant and asshole and the hook said “I’m just being being myyyyyself I’m just being being me – nobody but me.” So I just took the time out to explain why I am the way I am and that everyone else should be too.
My parents playfully argue about who gets more love because of the order in which their names appear in the first verse. I love those guys — well mostly just my mom.
I wanted Chum to do some drum tricks on the list in the third verse. I thought that really woulda set that part off. He didn’t do it. He also was waiting on someone to come do a bassline for this and after a while I think he did finally lay one but I don’t have that version.
This was a track Chum made while I fell asleep on the couch and was just like hey use this.
I’ve been called all types of synonyms for arrogant and asshole and the hook said “I’m just being being myyyyyself I’m just being being me – nobody but me.” So I just took the time out to explain why I am the way I am and that everyone else should be too.
My parents playfully argue about who gets more love because of the order in which their names appear in the first verse. I love those guys — well mostly just my mom.
I wanted Chum to do some drum tricks on the list in the third verse. I thought that really woulda set that part off. He didn’t do it. He also was waiting on someone to come do a bassline for this and after a while I think he did finally lay one but I don’t have that version.
Chum and I no longer work together but we did an amazing album and it’s my birthday so I’m giving it to you for free. Well not totally. It’s gonna cost you a tweet or facebook post. Get your copy of MiC K!NG & Chum WERE Cool-Aide now.
These were exciting times, I’d went up to Chum’s and played him some of the stuff I’d been working on for the Robots with Hearts project and I’d say like a year before I’d described the “Cool-Aide” idea to him. It was a skeleton vision where I imagined us making music people could relate to more. I’d always been big on other genres like Disco, Soul, etc and I wanted to incorporate those. I wanted to write in such a way that I split the difference between being overly dense and being relatable. I wanted to have fun but not have to sacrifice my ability to rap too much. I also wanted to sing a little bit and I wanted to have Blue Raspberry in the group. I wanted to do a record about being cool through adversity. Literal “Cool” “Aid” if you will. We’d kicked around the ideas for awhile but never really acted on it. Read more…
My name is MiC K!NG (aka iCON the Mic King). I’m from the group called Cool-Aide. That is the producer Chum and myself. It is a pleasure meeting you!
No doubt you found your way here because you are a fan of Atmosphere searching for new music. Well guess what!
We’re fans of Atmosphere as well! And the big homey Slug was nice enough to appear on our debut release “Flavor Ade” on a song called “Snake Oil.” So for making the effort to come visit us we want to share that song with you!
Hours before MiC K!NG would hop a plane back east after touring Canada for most of January he stopped by Sunday Night Sound Session to rock out with DJ Hyphen and J-Moore on KUBE 93.
If KUBE 93 is Seattle’s Hot 97 then Sunday Night Sound Session is the Stretch & Bobbito show. They play all the new flavors and this past Sunday they got an cup of “Flavor Ade”
Our new album “Flavor Ade” featuring guest appearances from Slug of Atmosphere, eLZHi from Slum Village is dropping in 7 days on Master Works Unlimited/Fake Four Inc! We’re very excited to give you guys some flavorful and fun new music to hold you over until the release of the “Cool-Aide” album.
We got a lot of beautiful things in the works to entertain you while we let you know the album is coming. For now you can get a taste of the record at the Cool-Aide Myspace. Don’t forget to become a fan at the Cool-Aide Facebook so we can keep informing you of what is going on!
The release parties are 12/11 in Philadelphia, PA @ The Arts Garage and 12/12 in New London, CT @ Oasis Pub.
