Kogz Interview
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Kogz on stage with Sever
Hi Kogz, thanks for taking time out for this interview.
First off, for rap fans who aren’t familiar with you, tell us a bit about yourself and why they should know Kogz.
I’m not too good with talking about myself or trying to "sell" myself to people. It’s not really my thing. I usually let my music do the talking as I’m shit at self promotion [laughs].
All I can say is, take a second to give it a listen; if you feel it, you feel it. I just try give listeners honest hip hop, raw beats and my personal outlook on the shit going on past and present without all the gloss.
You won Mr Grevis’ up-and-coming rappers competition back in 2014, how long had you been rapping for prior?
I’d been rapping at parties and what not, just freestyling for about 4 years but never took it serious. Prior to the Grevis competition I’d been writing shit for about a year and a half maybe. [I] was never really one to sit down and write, I didn’t have the patience, but as I got older it was like something just switched and I had a lot more to say. I think I was blind to shit and very angry when I was younger, and with age gained a bit of clarity and could write about the things going on.
And how did winning that competition help with the release of your debut, Piece of Mind?
I won $1200 which got the first few tracks down and that got me hungry to get in the studio. Piece of Mind was originally going to be a bedroom job but [Rob] Shaker and Grevis mentored me and pushed me toward an album.
Doing those shows and having them back me got the ball rolling. Without that [competition], I may not have linked up with Shaker, Piece of Mind wouldn’t exist and I’d probably be rapping in my bedroom keeping my neighbours up [laughs].
You’re currently working on your sophomore album, Trash Talk. What can the heads expect?
My new shit is very me, very raw and honest. I have some of the most personal shit I’ve ever written amongst the track list. It’s got a bit of everything from raw bangers to straight boom bap. It’s a lot heavier than my album before [and] a good 20 tracks deep! Expect heaviness!
First off, for rap fans who aren’t familiar with you, tell us a bit about yourself and why they should know Kogz.
I’m not too good with talking about myself or trying to "sell" myself to people. It’s not really my thing. I usually let my music do the talking as I’m shit at self promotion [laughs].
All I can say is, take a second to give it a listen; if you feel it, you feel it. I just try give listeners honest hip hop, raw beats and my personal outlook on the shit going on past and present without all the gloss.
You won Mr Grevis’ up-and-coming rappers competition back in 2014, how long had you been rapping for prior?
I’d been rapping at parties and what not, just freestyling for about 4 years but never took it serious. Prior to the Grevis competition I’d been writing shit for about a year and a half maybe. [I] was never really one to sit down and write, I didn’t have the patience, but as I got older it was like something just switched and I had a lot more to say. I think I was blind to shit and very angry when I was younger, and with age gained a bit of clarity and could write about the things going on.
And how did winning that competition help with the release of your debut, Piece of Mind?
I won $1200 which got the first few tracks down and that got me hungry to get in the studio. Piece of Mind was originally going to be a bedroom job but [Rob] Shaker and Grevis mentored me and pushed me toward an album.
Doing those shows and having them back me got the ball rolling. Without that [competition], I may not have linked up with Shaker, Piece of Mind wouldn’t exist and I’d probably be rapping in my bedroom keeping my neighbours up [laughs].
You’re currently working on your sophomore album, Trash Talk. What can the heads expect?
My new shit is very me, very raw and honest. I have some of the most personal shit I’ve ever written amongst the track list. It’s got a bit of everything from raw bangers to straight boom bap. It’s a lot heavier than my album before [and] a good 20 tracks deep! Expect heaviness!
What do you think about the looming potential for a “sophomore slump”?
In my opinion, this album is a lot stronger in comparison to my first release. I went from Piece of Mind straight into a SMOG collaboration album with [Maggot] Mouf, Shaker, [Mat] Rafle and myself.
Working with Mouf, I learnt a lot and was able to work what I learnt into my new shit, so it’s not a direct follow up. The SMOG album dropped in between and I’ve grown a lot and learnt a shit load more since the drop of Piece of Mind.
I’m not too worried about the idea of a sophomore slump, I’m just keen to get it out the [studio] and in some ears!
Your name has already popped up a couple of times this year, what else can we expect from Kogz in twenty-sixteen?
A new album, a couple clips and a shit load of shows around the country, hopefully. I like to keep busy, so I’ll likely drop this and start on the next one!
And to finish on a completely irrelevant question, if you could eat one cuisine for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Chicken. There’s nothing you can’t do with chicken. There’s so many good chicken things… chicken wings, marinated chicken, chicken soup, chicken cheese sausages, roast chicken, stuffed chicken breast, chicken skin. Chicken skin [to me, is] what bacon is to most people. Goddamn, chicken’s good.
Trash Talk is out soon! Date TBA.
Follow Kogz on Facebook.
In my opinion, this album is a lot stronger in comparison to my first release. I went from Piece of Mind straight into a SMOG collaboration album with [Maggot] Mouf, Shaker, [Mat] Rafle and myself.
Working with Mouf, I learnt a lot and was able to work what I learnt into my new shit, so it’s not a direct follow up. The SMOG album dropped in between and I’ve grown a lot and learnt a shit load more since the drop of Piece of Mind.
I’m not too worried about the idea of a sophomore slump, I’m just keen to get it out the [studio] and in some ears!
Your name has already popped up a couple of times this year, what else can we expect from Kogz in twenty-sixteen?
A new album, a couple clips and a shit load of shows around the country, hopefully. I like to keep busy, so I’ll likely drop this and start on the next one!
And to finish on a completely irrelevant question, if you could eat one cuisine for the rest of your life, what would it be and why?
Chicken. There’s nothing you can’t do with chicken. There’s so many good chicken things… chicken wings, marinated chicken, chicken soup, chicken cheese sausages, roast chicken, stuffed chicken breast, chicken skin. Chicken skin [to me, is] what bacon is to most people. Goddamn, chicken’s good.
Trash Talk is out soon! Date TBA.
Follow Kogz on Facebook.