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HandStamp Hip-Hop: Coop
Coop takes this week's HandStamp Hip-Hop spotlight. He first hit the scene in 1999 as part of local group 24 Karats. Since then, he has struck out on his own, releasing mix tapes and making a name for himself in Houston's rap world.
Coop has also established his own LOL Entertainment group to showcase other artists and is eyeing a national distribution deal.
Here, he talks about moving beyond the "Houston rapper" prototype, loving his wife via song (available for free download, keep reading) and a bid for the 2020 presidential campaign:
Why should we know--and now remember--your name?
People tend to focus on me being a white rapper with the ability to progress with some of the best the industry has to offer. I have proven that I can hold my own, and I have launched "Coop for President" as my campaign. In addition to campaigning to be the on top of the game both locally and nationally, it is my formal announcement for my bid as a 2020 presidential hopeful! Watch out FCC!
Describe your sound in five words.
Fluid. Harmonic. Thick. Unrivaled. Mature.
Photo by Robbie Cooper
Houston rapper Coop wrote the track Ride With Me for his wife.
What's the best thing about making music in Houston?
Houston is so diverse, and the fans are amazing. This city loves its artists and aggressively works to help hometown artists reach the next level. There are artists in this city that have no incentive to sign with major labels because they have done so well independently. Houstonians tend to stick together. You see a number of the artists featuring each other on albums for support. This atmosphere fosters creativity as well as camraderie, and it is a great thing.
What's the worst, er, most challenging aspect?
Weeding out the snakes in the business has been difficult. It seems like every time you move forward, there is someone in the way trying to knock you down. It's a tough industry to find people that are interested in working with you and really developing something that will have longevity.
The stereotype of a "Houston rapper" is also a challenge because many in the industry don't like the Houston style, but that style has changed the industry. So many artists are adapting the style and swag that to be more in line with what our scene is doing.
Biggest influence/inspiration:
Michael "5000" Watts! Hands down! Watts took an idea and a group of artists and created the most successful independent record label in this region. Almost everyone you hear of from Houston was affiliated with Swishahouse at one point in time: Slim Thug, Mike Jones, Paul Wall, Chamillionaire, etc.
(Watts) has a business sense you have to admire and has done wonders marketing his rappers. Everyone that branched out from under that umbrella has been successful outside of hip-hop, which proves the diversity of people in this scene. We aren't limited to just making beats and rhyming. We all keep pushing for more.
Name another fellow rap/hip-hop from Houston that deserves to be heard:
ESG is one of the most underrated Houston-based rappers out there. Anyone who knows Houston rap has listened to ESG, yet he is still underground. That may be a personal choice. But the man has been everywhere and has worked with everyone. I completely respect that.
Coolest overall act to come out of H-town (besides yourself):
Slim Thug. As soon as I heard him on Northside 8 (Swishahouse Mix CD) I knew he would take off. His composure and his style are very unique in this industry. I have been a huge fan ever since and would love to do some work with him.
Tune of yours that deserves to be heard:
With where I am in life right now, I wanted to share something that represented me at this point in time. Ride With Me (click to download) is basically a track dedicated to my wife to let her know that I want her to continue to ride this out with me and be part of my success.
Master plan for taking your sound to the next level:
I am trying to affiliate myself with all of the right people in the industry on a local and regional level and push my work to anyone and everyone that will listen. I have created a strong business plan and studied strategies of those that have come before me, so I feel confident that my campaign will make an impact and have longevity. I will do what it takes to get heard, and in due time people will be begging for more.
Six degrees: Connect yourself, within six people, to one of these breakout local acts: Paul Wall, Slim Thug, Chamillionaire, Mike Jones.
I have been doing some things with Harvey Luv, a legend in Houston who has produced music for all of the Houstonians you love to listen to. He produced for ESG, Big Pokey, Big Mello, Big Steve, Wossness, Slim Thug, Lil' O and many more. Some of those guys have done work with people like Trae, Juvenile, Lil' Boosie, and others, and I have been doing shows with those acts.
- Houston Chronicle - Chron.com
Discography
1. 24 Karats - Barre None Fade All
2. 24 Karats - WWIII
3. Coop - The Demo
4. Coop - In Command
You can purchase selected tracks from Itunes, Rhapsody, Napster, and others!
Photos
Bio
Coop started out in the music scene in 1999, with a group called 24 Karats. The group focused primarily on releasing mix tapes with freestyles much like the rest of the city was doing at the time. The group established a strong presence on the East Side of Houston and eventually earned the respect of other artists in the street. 24 Karats performed at clubs in Kingwood as well as Barrett Station on a number of occasions. At the time, Coop primarily acted as the group's DJ and manager, but his unprecedented style and voice would always stand out in the songs he performed. 24 Karats was a great opportunity for Coop to be heard, but uncontrollable events eventually launched Coop into the spotlight as a solo artist.
In 2002, Coop released his first mix tape “The Demo,” that featured 15 tracks. The album was released online for download and had over 200,000 downloads in six months. It was this album that gave Coop the confidence to develop more as an artist and established him as force in the local underground hip-hop scene. Coop began an aggressive campaign to hustle his music into the hands of DJ's in San Marcos and other regional markets while he was attending school. The buzz began to grow and Coop was soon playing house parties and college campus events on a regular basis. In addition, Coop was becoming a household name.
In 2004, Coop returned to Houston and decided to cut another album to try and build locally on the reputation he had established in the Hill country. His style continued to evolve, resulting in a more captivating flow, mature beats and a distinct sound. He released “In Command” on his website www.coop-show.com and received over 2 million hits with album downloads exceeding 500,000 across various online outlets.
As a result, word of Coop's music reached Gigamerica (Sony Urban) and he was invited to compete in a showcase that featured artists from across the country. He landed in the event finals, performing once again in Houston, to a full house of fans as well as industry professionals. Coop didn't take home the prize but it established him as a major player in the local scene.
With his reputation growing in the underground and mainstream hip-hop scene, Coop was featured in Harvey Luv's video for “Shut Yo Mouth” as well as many other showcases and performances where he was able to collaborate with Lil Boosie, Young Joc, Trae, ESG, Rob G, SWAT Product, and Juvenile to name a few.
In 2005, Coop married his beautiful wife Robbie Cooper while he established LOL Entertainment (http://www.lolentertainment.net) with fellow performers DreTL and BlaKC. After submitting the track “Who You Thought it Was” to Americanidolunderground.com the trio earned praise from listeners all across the nation, boasted the “Best Rap Song” on the site and a feature article in the November 2006 issue of American Idol Magazine. Already 2007 has proven to be a huge year as Coop is featured on a number of artists' albums (Fred Binz, Harvey Luv, Zeb Pittman, OG Fuse, and Wayne Bell) and is performing shows across the South. Fans can expect to see more of Coop for years as he focuses on building a buzz through a variety of collaborations with other artists, producers and live shows.
In 2007 he signed a deal POBAM Music (http://www.pobammusic.com). He is working on his retail release (The Inauguration) due out later this year. This album features ESG, Lil Kano, Beast, Harvey Luv, and C Shear. To top it off, Coop will be releasing his first two mix tapes in his campaign for president. Yes, “Coop For President: Vol. 1” means that this is one of many mix tapes Coop plans to distribute until 2020, when he plans to run for the Presidency on the Independent ticket. It may sound far-fetched, but he has plenty of time to campaign and releasing albums for the next 13 years may prove to be a very strategic move.
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