KOSHA DILLZ

Artist Information

Biography

Kosha Dillz is a rising force in the indie hip-hop community, but also a veteran. Having begun rapping at the age of 17 - the man otherwise known as Rami Even-Esh has a decade of controlling a crowd with a microphone under his belt.

For several years beginning in 1999, Kosha was heavily involved with the freestyle battle rap scene at Nuyorican Poets Café in New York City. He originally went by Kosher Dill, saying, "I was Jewish and I wanted something cool." He changed his name to KD Flow when he was in the battle scene because he was "ashamed" of his MC name's Jewish association. After some substance abuse issues and a stint in jail, he became Kosha Dillz.

Kosha Dillz realeased his first 12 inch, "Chainsaw Music," in 2005 and in 2006 appeared alongside Matisyahu on the song "Childhood" on the C-Rayz Walz album The Dropping.

In 2008, C-Rayz Walz contacted Kosha about collaborating. Later that year, they released Freestyle vs. Written, a full length album on which Kosha rapped written verses, and Walz freestyled. Okayplayer.com noted the album contains “witty, irreverent lyrics and candor.”

2009 saw Rami begin a heavy touring schedule that has endured ever since. It also saw the release of Rami's debut solo LP, Beverly Dillz, recorded in Beverly Hills with local producer Belief. Okayplayer identified it as “an interesting mix of danceable tracks and powerful rhyming” and "at times wildly original and entertaining." One of the album's tracks "Cellular Phone" had an official music video on MTVu and MTV2 and was later licensed to a Budweiser commercial that appeared in the 2012 Super Bowl commercial featuring the Weego dog. "Doo Doo" also has an official music video.

Since 2010, Kosha has performed at over 150 shows per year. That year, shortly after performing at SXSW, Kosha Dillz was handpicked by an overseas agency to open for Snoop Dogg in Holland during their World Cup rally. Kosha later returned to tour with Freeway and Jake One in Czech Republic, Germany, and France. Kosha also performed with Futurecop! at a festival in Germany.

In fall 2010 - Kosha Dillz scored a character in the wildly popular video game NBA 2K11. He is the only white Jewish rapper character in the game, which sold tens of millions of copies, and is amongst several other playable rappers including Snoop Dogg and Drake.

In early 2011, Kosha Dillz launched the "Give Me 5 Tour" - a 40 city parade that promoted the release of his Gina & The Gage Sale EP - an album he recorded in late 2010 with production from Shuko and released on his own label, Kosha Dillz World. Along the tour - Kosha collected money to donate to Tipitina's Foundation, he also donated a nickel for every person he met, shook hands with or gave a high-five to. Kosha also played at Jewlicious Festival during the Give Me 5 Tour and just after it ended - performed at 7 showcases as an official SXSW 2011 Artist.

Following the intensive tour schedule - Kosha moved from New Jersey to Los Angeles and took up residence in Koreatown. After celebrating the release of his record and the move to Los Angeles - Kosha returned to the road and the hustle as part of his Kosha Dillz is Everywhere Campaign - a documentary about the trials and tribulations of being a DIY artist. There is currently a trailer for the documentary on youtube here - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dtZSoB8ie0s

Part of that hustle included the launching of his OY VEY series of events in May of 2011. OY VEY LA 1 took place in May 2011 at The Central SAPC and featured Kosha Dillz as well as members of Foster The People. The event has since appeared in Chicago, NYC and will be an official showcase event at SXSW 2012 featuring Kosha Dillz and Murs on March 15th, 2012.

RZA featured Kosha Dillz on "Operator" along with Kool G Rap in mid summer 2011. After receiving a certifiable stamp of approval from a rap legend - Kosha was invited onto Rosenberg Radio on Hot 97, on to several stages at Rock The Bells 2011 in Los Angeles, at CMJ 2011 and in November 2011 - as a guest artist on the Yo Gabba Gabba tour in New Jersey and Los Angeles.

Kosha closed out 2011 with back to back performances at the Viper Room before heading out on the Third Rail Tour in early 2012, which took Kosha to the base of half pipes and ski mountains across the country. It also included stops with Dilated Peoples, People Under The Stairs, DJ QBert, Mickey Avalon and an opportunity to celebrate his song being placed in a Budweiser commercial. In February 2012 he began releasing tracks from his Jetlag EP - which remixes popular indie rock songs into clever hip-hop antics. In March 2012 he expects to release a mixtape sponsored by Talenthouse and DJ Booth featuring crowd sourced beats. Following SXSW 2012 - Kosha will return to the studio with Belief to record his next EP/LP.

Kosha has toured and performed with a variety of artists, including Ghostface Killah, Snoop Dogg, Matisyahu, Cage the Elephant, C-Rayz Walz, Yak Ballz, Yo Gabba Gabba, The Stone Foxes, and Aesop Rock. He performed at Sundance in 2009, and South By Southwest in 2010, 2011 and soon 2012. He won the 2009 Hot 97 "Summer Jam" Rap Battle at Giants Stadium.


* For booking contact onmygrindbooking@gmail.com
* For all other inquiries contact management - Brandon Dorsky/brandon@supergoodmusic.com

Instrumentation

Rami Even-Esh-kosha dillz (lead vocalist)
Mike Sheffer (drummer)

Discography

2012

The Jetlag EP [featuring "Friends", "Moses Wasteland" (#1 on hypem.com) and "My Favorite Rapper Is A Dick" (#14 on hypem.com)]

OY VEY EP (forthcoming Spring 2012)(all crowd sourced beats) (Talenthouse/DJ Booth)

TITLE TBD EP/LP (production by Belief, Mr. Green, RZN)

2011

"West Coast Flavor" feat. Big Pooh
"Sweatpants Song (Yo Gabba Gabba Remix)"
"Gina & The Garage Sale EP" [featuring singles "All These Years", "Alien Song" feat. MC Lars, Homeboy Sandman and Blue Scholars and "Sweatpants Song"] (Kosha Dillz World/Shemspeed)

2009
Beverly Dillz (Kosha Dillz World/Shemspeed)(8,000 + Units Sold)
Swim Club EP
Yacht vs. Kosha Dillz Mix (Kosha Dillz World) (Free Download)

2008
Spare Change Tour CD (3,000 + units sold)
Freestyle Vs. Written (Modular Moods Release)
CMJ: Freestyle vs. Written # 13

2007
Dirty Colgate Mix CD (1,000 + Units Sold)
Stay On The Road Mix CD (1,000 + Units Sold)
I Luuuv The Sunshine Mix CD (500 Units Sold)

2005
"Chainsaw Music"/"Hairy Chest 2 Hollywood" (12") (Hit #4 on USA College Charts)

Noteworthy Features

2011
"Operator" - RZA feat. Kosha Dillz & Kool G Rap

2009
"Girl, Push Ups" - Derill Pounds Emotional Roller Coaster Rescue feat. Kosha Dillz

2008
"Chorus" - C-Ray Walz feat. Kosha Dillz, Immortal Technique, Sean Price + More (12")
"Childhood" - Pace Won feat. Cymarshall Law & Kosha Dillz (The Only Color That Matter is Green LP)

2007
"Beautiful Death" - Killah Priest feat. Kosha Dillz
"Chorus" - C-Ray Walz feat. Kosha Dillz, Immortal Technique, Sean Price + More (Chorus Rhyme LP)

2006
"Childhood" - C-Rayz Walz feat. Matisyahu & Kosha Dillz

Links

• Twitter
• Facebook
• MySpace

Audio

• rollercoaster baby
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Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• CMJ Quote
  

  "...a statement of cultural solidarity and creative open-mindedness. "

• Spin Magazine quote [+ Show ]
  

  "The unlikely combo of African American Indie Vet and Israeli American Newbie results in a hilarious..."The unlikely combo of African American Indie Vet and Israeli American Newbie results in a hilarious kosher wig flip of Biz Markie's just a friend. Challah!" --SPIN"

• URB Magazine quote [+ Show ]
  

  "I bid you a – Jewish . . . rapper. Kosha Dillz is not only a clever play on words, but also present..."I bid you a – Jewish . . . rapper. Kosha Dillz is not only a clever play on words, but also presents a rarely seen culture clash in music. He voices his political opinions on foreign affairs and oppression with fresh rhymes. This makes him a universal voice..."
  

• Okayplayer quote [+ Show ]
  

  ...references to “the state of Israel” and “terrorists” are bound to raise eyebrows. But regardless ......references to “the state of Israel” and “terrorists” are bound to raise eyebrows. But regardless of your political slant, Kosha Dillz is entitled to his.... witty, irreverent lyrics and candor. Freestyle vs. Written scores points for trying something different...."- Alison Isaac

• Rapreviews.com quote [+ Show ]
  

  "Kosha's flow is not only bearable, it is downright solid and could be compared to Termanology witho..."Kosha's flow is not only bearable, it is downright solid and could be compared to Termanology without the Latin flare. ..he clearly has a business-minded attitude that can bring him great success in this industry...Freestyle vs. Written" is a piece of work that emerges from the ashes. This is the epitome of progressive rap.
  
  Music Vibes: 8 of 10 Lyric Vibes: 8.5 of 10 TOTAL Vibes: 8 of 10
  
  

• Boston Phoenix quote
  

  "this Jew ready to trade a cap in the ass for a skullcap and a turn at the mic..."

• Boston Herald Quote [+ Show ]
  

  "With his new CD... he hopes to teach the rap community that hip-hop transcends racial andreligious ..."With his new CD... he hopes to teach the rap community that hip-hop transcends racial andreligious boundaries."
  

• AJL magazine [+ Show ]
  

  Kosha Dillz: Israeli Independence Week "Once upon a time, Jewish artists attempting to do rap mus...Kosha Dillz: Israeli Independence Week
  
  "Once upon a time, Jewish artists attempting to do rap music would steal beats, borrow rhythms, and deepen their voices in humiliating attempts to copy real hip-hop artists. But now there is a new breed of Jewish hip-hop artists. Kosha Dillz..."

• Blurt-online.com Beverly Dillz Review [+ Show ]
  

  November 13, 2009 On the surface, Kosha Dillz comes off like an artist who will take any gig, any...November 13, 2009
  
  On the surface, Kosha Dillz comes off like an artist who will take any gig, any time. Remix YACHT's See Mystery Lights? Why not. Release an album with indie rapper C Rayz Walz? Sure. Win a freestyle MC contest sponsored by New York's Hot 97? Absolutely. Go on tour with reggaeman Matisyahu? Indeed. Put all that hustle aside, though, and you've got Rami Even-Esh, a New Jersey-reared son of Israeli parents who makes his rhymes lively and puts his Jewishness near the forefront. On Beverly Dillz, his first big solo release, he's mostly looking out for the ladies, but he's got an eye on Jerusalem, too: "I got fam and friends there/ And real cheap airfare" ("Cellular Phone").
  
  Producer Jesse "Belief" Shatkin finds a no-frills comfort zone for Dillz, striking a balance between sparse, off-kilter beats ("DooDoo," "Dilly Wonka," "Bubble Gum Pop") and straight-up party grooves ("Tastes Good," "L.A. ish," "Jungle"). The goal here, obviously, is to show off the rapper without making him seem gimmicky. And it generally works, because whatever the sonic situation might be, Dillz sounds like an MC who knows he might look a little goofy next to your average hardass. It helps that most of his boasts are a notch more tongue-in-cheek than, say, Beck's: "I'm surrounded by vixens/ Picture glamour, hotel fiction/ Pollo loco, General Tso's chicken," Dillz says on "L.A. ish," which probably could've been a little meaner in its analysis of Hollywood. But hey, it's not Dillz's job to piss anybody off. There's work to do.
  
  Standout Tracks: "DooDoo," "Cellular Phone" JOE WARMINSKY
  
  http://www.blurt-online.com/reviews/view/1639/
  
  

• Popmatters.com Beverly Dillz review [+ Show ]
  

  November 13, 2009 East Coast Jewish MC embarks on West Coast vacation to record his solo debut. ...November 13, 2009
  
  East Coast Jewish MC embarks on West Coast vacation to record his solo debut.
  
  Kosha Dillz arrives just in time to relieve the bad taste left in most hip-hoppers’ mouths by Asher Roth. Riding on a similar platform of hip, on-campus conversational raps, Dillz delivers his debut LP Beverly Dillz and succeeds largely because he actually sounds like he’s aiming to impress—not that this should come as a surprise. Dillz is currently on tour with the RZA and cut his first full project with East Coast underground legend and former MTV Made coach C-Rayz Walz. Beverly Dillz, recorded during a West Coast vacation, is a simple and fun-loving album that has an obvious longing for the golden era of hip-hop. It does carry a bit of a hipster slant to it, especially with songs like “Fat Love” and “See What I’m About” that sound like a Weird Al interpretation of KiD CuDi. However, at 42 minutes, Beverly Dillz won’t take up too much of your time, and the album’s sense of humor is inviting.
  
  —David Amidon
  http://www.popmatters.com/pm/music/shorttakes/
  
  

• Kosha Dillz - "Friends" [Exclusive] [+ Show ]
  

  LA's jewish rapper, Rami Even-Esh rised above the hip hop scene with his quirky video for "Sweatpant...LA's jewish rapper, Rami Even-Esh rised above the hip hop scene with his quirky video for "Sweatpants Song". Rami goes by the name Kosha Dillz and this man sounds like Asher Roth rapping at a frat house with Matisyahu. It's a little absurd but definitely funky and a cultural statement. The exclusive we have is a remake of UMO's single by Kosha Dillz featuring a melodic chorus from Ducky. Rami's optimistic flow is consistent and Ducky's voice is enchanting.

• Kosha Dillz - West Coast Flavor [+ Show ]
  

  West Coast Flavor Promo Photo Artist: Kosha Dillz Title: West Coast Flavor Featuring: Rapper Big ...West Coast Flavor Promo Photo
  Artist: Kosha Dillz
  Title: West Coast Flavor
  Featuring: Rapper Big Pooh
  Producer: Trump
  Album: None (Promo Single)
  Label: Team Kosha
  Twitter: @koshadillz
  Website: Kosha Dillz's Website
  
  Average Rating: 32101 3.7
  Total Ratings: 7
  
  Listen Now Listen Now
  
  Download Kosha Dillz ft. Rapper Big Pooh - West Coast Flavor MP3 Download MP3*
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  Can a couple emcees from New Jersey and North Carolina successfully capture that West Coast Flavor? If you’d asked me a couple minutes ago, I would have responded with doubt, but I’ll be damned if Kosha Dillz and Rapper Big Pooh don’t do just that on the former’s latest promo single.

• A Life Dreamed and Lived
  

  He's an authentic MC and most definitely holds his own.

• Here Weego [+ Show ]
  

  Not only will the DIY rapper pop up at your local venue for an impromptu performance, but he managed...Not only will the DIY rapper pop up at your local venue for an impromptu performance, but he managed to bum rush this year’s Super Bowl! Kosha’s “Cellular Phone” song, as featured on his Beverly Dillz LP, was used on the Bud Light ‘Rescue Dog’ commercial that aired during the games’ 4th quarter.

• Super Bowl Commerical - What's The Song [+ Show ]
  

  But we also wanted to know the name of the song that was playing in the ad. The song is ‘Cellular...But we also wanted to know the name of the song that was playing in the ad.
  
  The song is ‘Cellular Phone’ by Kosha Dillz, an LA based hip hop/rap/funk artist. Dillz is a rare Isreali-born, New Jersey-raised, Jewish emcee. His sophomore album is still in the works, but you can find his funky, uber-hip 2009 release ‘Beverly Dillz,’ which contains the ad’s song, on Bandcamp for about the cost of a 6-pack of Bud Light.

• Super Bowl Ad #1 [+ Show ]
  

  one rapper definitely struck it big during the game. Not only did New Jersey-raised emcee Kosha Dill...one rapper definitely struck it big during the game. Not only did New Jersey-raised emcee Kosha Dillz earn song placement on a commercial, but now the commercial in which his music is featured is striking gold.
  
  According to a recent press release, Dillz's song "Cellular Phone" from his Beverly Dillz LP was featured in a commercial for Bud Light beer titled "Rescue Dog." Now, the commercial - which aired during the game' fourth quarter - is now ranking in as the number one commercial aired last night.

• Kids Love Sweatpants [+ Show ]
  

  Kosha Dillz latest music video, the second from his EP Gina & The Garage Sale, has me waxing nostalg...Kosha Dillz latest music video, the second from his EP Gina & The Garage Sale, has me waxing nostalgic for the days when pants with buttons weren't even part of my wardrobe yet. The Jersey based MC most likely will be getting kids amped to rock sweatpants as a fashion statement today as he performs with Yo Gabba Gabba in New Brunswick, NJ at two shows this afternoon/evening.
  
  

Setlist

15 minute - Opener set
30 minutes- Opening for headliner tour
40-90 minutes - Headlining set

Basic Requirements

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