Sidelined with a label injury, Kool G went outpatient in the rap outback with an ill assortment of cameos with a generation of artists that venerated the lisping stalwart from genesis.
It’s been a long time coming for the Kool Genius of Rap. Fifteen years and a lotta change, and a shitload of label woes. After reppin with the Juice Crew in the eighties, Kool G Rap and DJ Polo got with Warner Brothers. Following lackluster sales of two albums, and passing on a third when controversy erupted over the album cover’s depiction of the duo in ski masks tossing red meat to Rottweilers while two white boys stood noosed on chairs in the background, big brother Ice-T’d them. G Rap Han Solo’d and sequeled when his name sagged in the late nineties and he turned rhymeslinger-for-hire and notched more confirmed kills than the outlaw Josie Wales. His renaissance began with Rawkus sometime in 2000 but the underling balked and bought MCA in as reliever. G Rap’s comeback, The Giancana Story, with appearances from some of the Queensbridge camp and production by Bucwild and a handful of up-and-coming New York producers, was put on hold until Koch recently released the album that was substantially altered from the original material that included Jagged Edge and Michael Stipe of the rock group R.E.M.
What was the Rawkus rigamarole?
Rawkus lost financial backing making it look like they wanted a new distributor. They put a new situation together and I got caught in the middle. The shit got outta hand and I couldn’t fuck with it and demanded to be released. I’m a free agent now. Koch is talking about the future but it’s up in the air. We’ll see where it go.
Koch’s album differs from Rawkus’s.
Rawkus dealt with MCA after they lost backing. MCA wasn’t fond of G Rap to begin with but they ended up doin a fucking deal with MCA so they didn’t get much support. The deal with me had stipulations they would’ve had to go all out for marketing, promotion-everything. They couldn’t put my album out any kinda way. I don’t think they was able to hold to that promise.
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Meanwhile you’re salivating on other’s albums.
I had to re-establish to a new audience. I was trying to saturate the market with G Rap. Everything was really outta my control because all these artists were coming to me. Features started popping outta nowhere and made me realize how much of an effect I had. I was blown away. I thought I might’ve been forgotten. That’s something to feel proud about and keeps me going.
How did you arrive at the title?
I got the name Giancana from the mob figure I considered to be a Don that was major to me. I took the name cause I considered G Rap Don stats. I incorporate gangsta shit with lyrics and everything G Rap Giancana. That was part of reinventing.
What’s the Single?
“It’s Nothing”. The second is not decided. It might be a couple. “Nobody Can Eat”. That’s a good song to define G Rap. “The Streets”, “Black Widow”, that story shit.
“Nobody Can Eat” was dropped.
The first time everybody gotta release date was the time it was to have come out. I live the material. I love the album. It’s different because they wasn’t able to get some songs and they didn’t wanna clear samples. I put it together but now that it’s been “readjusted” I’m not familiar with it. I feel good about the album. I hated it didn’t come out when it should’ve. It’s been some time. I’m not recording the way I would’ve two years ago. My approach is different. The production-everything. I was catering to please. Something for the club, the radio. Hardcore fans I gave “Black Widow”, “The Streets”, “Thug for Life,” “Nobody Can Eat”, which is not on the album.
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Was Rawkus’s version released at all?
Probably on the streets. Some bootleg shit.
The street is probably your best distributor now.
It was more a curse back in the day. I think it helps the artist promotion as long as it’s not too early. Three months ahead of release I think it can hurt.
What’re your other situations?
I’m working on an album with my wife Ma Barker, aka Norman and Kathy Bates. We workin on A Psycho’s Misery. We gonna have tracks from Bucwild, Nobody, D.R. Period, Domingo and Igloo Entertainment Productions. It’s gonna be real hot. Me and Buc go back with “Blowin Up In the World” and “Fast Life”, with me and Nas.
Is it coincidence that you both have songs entitled “Poison”?
Nas took it to another level and broke poison down in its entirety. That was a good record. I was shopping Nas to Def Jam before he had a situation. Niggas ain’t really hear what I heard but it was all good. He made a crazy impact doing his thing. G Rap does his own thing. Me and Nas’ll work together at the drop of a hat, though, I don’t think neither one of us’ll chase to do it.
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There’s six degrees of separation with Jaz-O on “Black Widow”.
Jaz is another the world slept on. I didn’t know he was that talented until my manager brought me a CD of his. I fuckin lost my mind that shit was incredible! It gave me every lyric I put with that song.
How’re you staying on pace with the last few prolific years?
I’m not doin features like a couple years ago. I got to everybody. If any come it would be like second round. I’m in competitive mode so anything you hear I’m gonna be going for blood and guts!
