Kool G Rap
KOOL G RAP is one of the few true original gangstas left in hiphop. Possessing a New York state of mind and his trademark sound, the Queens-bred “Kool Genius of Rap” has brought authentic ghetto-grimy realness to the game since pop rappers wore polka dots and genie pants not doo-rags and Air Forces. In 2003, G Rap is still bringing it hard core; in fact, more gully than ever with his rhyme familia, 5 FAMILY CLICK and his latest street classic Click of Respect on the Boston-based Blaze the World Records.
Tell me about your history? How did you get where you are now?
Ghetto vet Kool G Rap plays his well-deserved role as the group’s Godfather, while the 5 FAMILY CLICK includes the criminally impressive talents of a few hungry young guns on the come-up; GLORY WARS and HAMMERZ, along with the hard-hitting thug-Misses MA BARKER, who is also G Rap’s real-life wifey (Missing fifth member NAWZ is currently on an “up-north trip”). Click of Respect was originally conceived as a concept album to introduce and showcase the fresh talent coming out of G Rap’s production company Igloo Entertainment. However, once recording began, G Rap explains, “There was such a chemistry after we started working and doing more and more songs together, we just kept if flowing that way and it came out like a Click album.”
With this “hood masterpiece” full of unfiltered tales of loyalty and betrayal ready to drop, 5 Fam are poised to take over the block. While mainstream hip-hop radio and video shows have
everybody sniffing baby powder with all that simple Simon rhymin’, this here is the pure uncut
stuff. If Click of Respect was a pitcher’s mound of yayo, best believe Tony Montana would be
doing his best ostrich impersonation. “We’re bringing the thing that’s missing from the game
right now the streets,” says Ma Barker. “This is just the straight up authentic street sh*t, yo.
There’s a lot of people coming with this bubblegum, ABC rap that anybody could do. That’s taking away from the realness of the game. It used to be about lyrics and saying hot sh*t that made a difference, so we took it back to the essence.”
Having been around nearly as long as the game itself, Kool G Rap who has always been about
lyrics and making a difference was a significant player during the late ‘80s Golden Era as a
high-ranking member of one of the first great rap crews. G Rap, along with partner DJ Polo, was a G’ed up unit of the Juice Crew, a groundbreaking collective that included Big Daddy Kane, Biz Markie, Masta Ace, Craig G, Roxanne Shante and hip-hop’s original super-producer, Marley Marl. Ahead of his time with East Coast gangsterism on the mic, Kool G Rap dropped countless classics with DJ Polo from 1986 to 1992: “Road to the Riches,” “Wanted: Dead or Alive,” “Streets of New York,” “Erase Racism,” “Talk Like Sex,” “Ill Street Blues” and of course, his turn on the posse cut “The Symphony.”
The hardcore rapper then went solo, maintaining a dedicated core fan base with underground
bangers over several albums. While his influence could be felt throughout the game, at the end of the ’90s, G Rap was making guest appearances with many of his lyrical sons: Nas, Mobb Deep, Big Pun, Fat Joe, RZA of Wu-Tang Clan, etc At the turn of the millennium, G Rap enjoyed a renaissance, signing a well publicized, though ill-fated deal with Rawkus Records. When it came time to release Giancana Story, the label was ill-prepared to properly release the album, leaving the situation in limbo. G Rap asked for and was granted his release and Rawkus later made a deal with Koch who quietly released Giancana Story earlier this year.
