The Cool Kids Interview ™/ Text / Shamz Le Roc / Pic /M.Benson
11th March 2008

Chicago’s Cool Kids have caused an internet frenzy with their debut EP The Bake Sale and are currently touring the globe. When we heard they were coming to the UK it seemed only right to nab some time with the pair and explore how they’ve remixed the definition of cool. Their name doesn’t really scream rap group to you, does it? Chuck Inglish one half of the pair tells me,

“I wanted it to sound like a band rather than a hip hop group”

I believe his initial plan worked, before I heard their tracks it was easy to presume the pair were a form of an Indie band and taking a browse on their Myspace could also sway minds, as their music genres are listed under  wacky fields like rockabilly. “We got big beats and it sounds like we rock-a-billy”, you can’t be mad at Chuck, his mannerisms remained more relaxed and cool than Snoop Dogg at a hardcore rock concert as he reclined in the sofa laced in Trapstar.

‘The Bake Sale’ for the Mikey and Chuck was more than fairy cakes and lemon meringue pies. Tracks like ‘A Little Bit Cooler’ see the double poke fun at industry copy cats by letting everybody know that they’re ‘cooler than that guy’. Rakim sampled track, ‘Pump Up The Volume’ pays homage to hip hop icons of their day. Not to mention club favorite ‘Getting It’ with Lil Wayne was the tune that sent me nuts. But ‘Black Mags’ is the song that had all Hip Hop fiends nodding their heads effortlessly in the states last summer and other listeners nationwide are beginning to creep in. “It’s about riding bikes through the hoods and the suburbs”, Mikey Rocks the eye pleasing other half states. “We used our bikes to go to the store, pick up girls, go anywhere”. The Chicago residents have penned a track based upon past teenager experiences and have inherited more than just a few listeners.

Before me the two remained sincerely blasé when asked of their rapid success, “I don’t think we ever know what’s gonna happen, we just do shit!” Well, the shit they did landed them an opening act spot on M.I.A’S US tour – who they also plan to collaborate with on their album. “It was dope man, it couldn’t have been a better first tour”, Mikey exclaims. The pair joined musical forces just 2 years ago and they’re already headlining club nights, performing at well known hotspots in London, “At the Fabric show I got woken up to the sound dude handing me the microphone” Chuck laughed. I couldn’t help crack a smile at the thought of this but he went on to say,

“It doesn’t take me nothing to get back into the flow though.”

I thought it was suave the way he’d taken on a stage name like ‘Inglish’, I suppose his liking for the U.K had grew stronger as he stated there was a difference between us in UK and the States, “People here are a lot nicer,” Chuck proclaimed. I myself was quite shocked at this, the old woman who hit me with her walking stick to board the bus before me this morning didn’t seem ‘nice’ at all, but that’s life for you. When asked of the difference in the ladies was when the mood got comical. Mikey told me,

“Ladies in the states are pissed at stuff man, they watch too much of ‘The Hills’ and Laguna Beach”. Chuck continued “Like I hung out with a girl last night that bought all my drinks. That does not happen in America!” Alright for some I suppose.

One could argue that the duet is here to revive hip hop and bring it back to the old school since Hip Hop is dead, right? Mikey disagrees, “A music form can’t die unless people stop listening to it. It’ll always be around, unless it got illegal or something.” That’s a more than a reasonable rationale. Chuck clearly had knowledge of the early hip hop days as he stated, “Nas has been around since his first freestyle, ‘Live at The BBQ’ in 1991 so if you think about the era that he came out of, to him shit sucks, everythingsucks!” Being an internet phenomenon often leads to a battle against ‘illegal’ downloads, this has not been the case for them. The pair see no wrong in downloading, “If people didn’t want your music then no one would download it. Then would you be happy about that?” The logic behind Mikey’s point is obvious but that doesn’t mean to say you shouldn’t buy the album when it drops. He goes on,

“I only buy an album when I feel a personal kind of relationship to that person, It all depends on my respect for that particular artist”.

It’s true, fans are not going to purchase your album if they don’t have adulation for your music, sorry Paris Hilton.

The double feel no pressure as rappers to promote a positive image, their aim is to have fun with music. Chuck says, “Were not negative enough to be positive, people just wanna hear stuff that sounds cool. If you wanna listen to something positive buy a book or an audio book. If you wanna listen to music then buy music”. You can’t question them, with tracks like ‘Black Mags’ there’s no room for finger pointing. Chuck continued, “I don’t wanna inspire anybody to do anything but music and try to enjoy things in life that are fun.” Suddenly the room took on a heart warming feel,

“Everybody wants to be rich, everybody wants to be famous but you should enjoy those family barbeques you have or enjoy when all your friends come over to your house and kick it because those are things that won’t eventually happen anymore.”

Mikey and Chuck have this smooth likeable aurora about them, it was obvious they were two talented dudes who have control over their talent. With their new album planned for release summer of 08, it’s only a few months till they grace our side of the Atlantic again. One thing is for sure, The Cool Kids rock and if you don’t think so, ‘Homie, kick rocks!’

For more: www.myspace.com/gocoolkids

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