Published: Friday - November 16, 2007
Words by Bear Frazer
Kottonmouth Kings (Photo: Suburban Noize Records)
Sometimes, hip-hop could appear stagnant at times. Although the culture goes into slow periods and occasionally lacks originality, the Kottonmouth Kings have the tendency to spruce up the scene with their potent fusion of punk rock, reggae and rap. Once in a while, they'll even slip an acoustic dose into their musical Kool-Aid.
That's the case with their fourteenth record and ninth studio album, appropriately entitled Cloud Nine. The collection features the California-based septet laying down furious flows over a stimulating array of punk-induced rhythms, unplugged melodies and hyphy-esque production. Aside from flaunting their alterative hip-hop hybrid, the rhyming punks team up with a handful of underground heavyweights including Cypress Hill and the Insane Clown Posse. But their most popular track at the moment is a collaboration with Tech N9ne for "City 2 City," which is heating up on Sirius (see the video here).
Though the Kottonmouth Kings may have a glossier tracklisting with guest spots from popular rappers, virtually nothing has changed. The rapcore entourage is still underground and is still focused on legalizing marijuana.
As a matter of fact, Brad "Daddy X" Xavier heavily stresses that. On this breezy afternoon, the leader of the Kottonmouth Kings is chilling at his house in the mountains of California and as he talks to Ballerstatus.com, he takes the periodical bong shot.
So in this exclusive, Daddy X goes into detail about his artist-friendly label Suburban Noize Records, touring with hip-hop heavyweights, the Kottonmouth Kings' latest offering, Cloud Nine, and the legalization of marijuana.
Ballerstatus.com: I heard when you were first starting out, that you were a DJ and a concert promoter.
Daddy X: Yeah, I used to DJ at a lot of jobs out of town and I used to promote a lot of concerts at clubs. I had a company called The Artist Group Network. Me and a couple of friends, actually Tony and Gwen from No Doubt, and Brian from Bad Religion worked for us. It was like a little production company. All the people who would work the clubs and help us were all musicians. That is a way because no one wanted to have traditional jobs. That provided a good outlet to pursue their music and still have some money coming in to pay for the rent and Taco Bell.
Ballerstatus.com: Sounds like a natural transition into launching and operating your own label, and in your case, Suburban Noize Records.
Daddy X: Yeah, the label was actually formed and put out the first Kottonmouth Kings record. That was the purpose. That's where you had enough material and we knew we were going to release a Kottonmouth Kings record. I have been on enough labels that my career has been involved in like The Humble Gods, my punk band, and another group that was signed with Eazy-E and Ruthless Records. I have had some good and bad experiences being on major style labels and one of the things about punk rock is self-empowerment; doing it yourself. I just realized we wanted to be in control of our own destiny, so I formed Suburban Noize Records to put out the first Kottonmouth Kings record. We ended up getting a joint venture with Capitol Records. We did a couple of records under that arrangement and after that, we've been completely independent ever since. 12 years later, we have 20 acts on the label and we have developed our own, little unique grassroots, underground label. We just signed Sen Dog from Cypress Hill, X-Clan, (hed) P.E., and, of course, Kottonmouth Kings, Dogboy, Big B, Kingspade and a host of others.
Ballerstatus.com: What was your relationship exactly like with Capitol at the time?
Daddy X: Kottonmouth Kings had a joint venture deal with Capitol Records. Suburban Noize, the first year in existence, was a joint venture label deal. The same president that signed us to that deal, Gary Gersh, within six months of signing the deal, he wound up getting removed from his post at Capitol. The new guy cut all the subsidiary labels like Grand Royal, the Beastie Boy's label, and all those independent labels. This guy had the philosophy to cut the tentacles off them, so we became a complete independent at that point at time. But the Kottonmouth Kings, as a group, our first record was under contract to be a joint venture record with Capitol. So our first three releases were a joint venture with Capitol, but it wasn't the whole label. Just the Kottonmouth Kings for three records.
Ballerstatus.com: Well Suburban Noize always has releases in the record stores -- and Best Buy -- now. So who is distributing you now?
Daddy X: We've literally gone up the ranks. I've gone through different distributors, but right now, Koch distributes us. We were with a company called Navarre and then, Koch bought them out, so we became under the Koch distribution umbrella. So it's been interesting because they are on the East Coast and we got to get up a little earlier to connect the dots (laughs). But we're making it happen.
Ballerstatus.com: Koch seems to be distributing a lot of people now.
Daddy X: They definitely are. They are a pretty big company and they got a lot going on. Plus, they have their own label, Koch Records. Their distribution, they have way more acts. They picked up a lot of rap on the Koch Records side of it. It seems like every other rap record is out on Koch. The music industry has changed so radically with the internet and technology. Major labels have cannibalized themselves and now, it's three majors and it's usually all or nothing with them. Maybe it's like they don't understand it, but they are looking for more acts to crossover into the mainstream to substantiate, pay for the huge tower they have and their 300 employees for the cost it takes to run a huge corporation like that. But there is a lot of music that appeals right underneath the radar. A lot of underground music sells a lot of records. By our standards, we're parking lot platinum selling 100,000 on our own. To me, selling a million on a major is like selling 100,000 independent. That's parking lot platinum to us.
Ballerstatus.com: Parking lot platinum. I like that term. So what was it like developing the Suburban Noize name in the beginning?
Daddy X: First of all, we had a couple of things to address with Suburban Noize and Kottonmouth Kings. Number one, we were white dudes doing rap. We had a different approach; we have more of a punk rock twist to it. A lot of hip-hop artists come from the inner city and actually, even artists who are more from the suburbs, don't try to claim they are from the suburbs. That's where we're from and we're proud of where we're from. That's where we're from, so we don't try to hide it or pretend to be something we're not. We are who we are. We love hip-hop, punk rock and love getting down. Suburban Noize is the noise we are making coming out of the suburbs.
Ballerstatus.com: Over the past two years, it seemed like Sub Noize has really started emerging and getting known throughout the industry. Aside from yourselves, you have signed a lot of popular artists like Authority Zero, Cypress Hill, Mondo Generator, (h.e.d.) P.E. and the X-Clan in particular. How were you able to secure such well-established acts?
Daddy X: I think it's just perseverance and as things have shifted in the majors, there are a lot of great artists, X-Clan, Sen Dog from Cypress Hill, (hed) P.E., who all of a sudden found themselves a home and Sub Noize is definitely an artist-friendly label. We are trying to build partnerships with artists. We're not trying to attain ownership over artists, but we are trying to create partnerships with artists and there is a difference. Just look at the history of music as how these label's relationships have been pretty much been one-sided. We are trying to create an environment where it's a mutual, beneficial relationships and it's a partnership, not ownership. I think that appeals to a lot of artists who have been around the block and have been f---ed by major companies or bigger labels. They go to Suburban Noize and it makes a lot of f---ing sense. Here is a company that is going to let us do our own thing -- and we got a huge merchandise company -- and help the get their businesses going. Artists know we're fair and it is what it is. We're not going to blow smoke up their ass and tell them they are going to be on MTV. Everyone is under the illusion of the entertainment industry. I remember early on, we signed a couple of rappers and we booked them some shows. They were like, "Well where's our limo?" They wanted a limo to take them to the show and I was like, "You're making a hundred bucks opening for five f---ing bands. There is no limo." (Laughs) But a lot of people have that illusion like, "Wow, we just made a record. Now, we're going to have a lot of bitches in the jacuzzi and the limo parked outside."
Ballerstatus.com: Yeah. That takes a little bit of time.
Daddy X: Exactly, and even a lot of artists... a lot of that sh-- in the videos is rented. It's not there's. It's like learning the business of reality and working on the premises of reality with an artist. Once we explain how we do our business, then it doesn't leave any gray area. It's pretty much black and white.
Ballerstatus.com: It seems like you guys have a strong, cult following.
Daddy X: It's definitely developed into an underground, cult following. To me, the definition of underground, especially within music, means existing outside of the mainstream. If you go to a Suburban Noize or a Kottonmouth Kings show, it completely exists outside the mainstream. It's its own scene. We never got invited to Warped Tour or any big tours. We've done shows with all types of artists over the years from Snoop Dogg, Method Man and Redman to Cypress Hill, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day and Offspring. We've played with everybody under the sun, but we never actually done any big tours. So we had to develop this thing on our own, and we are here twelve years later.
Ballerstatus.com: Right. Speaking of which, the Kottonmouth Kings have released so many albums over the years. In what areas does Cloud Nine differ?
Daddy X: Well on this particular record, there wasn't any particular thing we were going for, other than going in and trying everything. We did punk rock songs, we did acoustic songs and we did hip-hop songs. We made 36 songs and picked the best ones we like. So it naturally took on a life of its own and I think we got back to the core of hip-hop on this one. I think we just covered the gambit of all the Kottonmouth Kings styles all on one record.
Ballerstatus.com: In past records, you guys rhymed about marijuana quite frequently and this time around, that isn't any different. Why concentrate so hard on that issue?
Daddy X: (Laughs) You know, honestly, the straight up fact of the matter is everyone in the band loves to smoke weed and I think it was kind of a common thing we had in common when we first started making music together. We smoked herb, wrote songs and that was the sacrament when we got together to partake in. When we started, it became the undermining theme of the band and all of a sudden, we were thrown in the forefront of trying to help legalize the plant. You hear so many horror stories of families being broken up, people been locked away for growing a plant and you realize, "Wow, people's lives are being affected by these unjust drug laws." So as artists and musicians touching this many people, I think we should write about it.
Ballerstatus.com: So is trying to spread the awareness of marijuana and discussing the legalization one of the more important issues to the Kottonmouth Kings?
Daddy X: I think it is, yeah. I definitely think it is and the reason is it's important to the Kottonmouth Kings as individuals.
Ballerstatus.com: So do you like the ganja more than Snoop Dogg?
Daddy X: Well, to tell you the honest truth (laughs), I know Snoop loves his herb. I never met him, but I can't really say. But I do know there is one Snoop and six Kottonmouth Kings, so I gotta go with the members (laughs).
Ballerstatus.com: Always back to the numbers game (laughs).
Daddy X: Exactly, I go back to numbers!
Ballerstatus.com: So I noticed you had a video out for "Think For Yourself" with Lady Love and ICP. Was that the lead-off single?
Daddy X: I don't know if we had an official single. The first one we put one out for was "City 2 City" with Tech N9ne, and the next one we did as with ICP, and then, we shot for "Living Proof." The way we do our records, we don't go for singles, but those were the songs we wanted to do videos for. Working with ICP and Tech N9ne was a great experience because they definitely have proven themselves in the underground for years. Love 'em or hate 'em, they are some of the big names in the underground.
Ballerstatus.com: In addition to Tech N9ne and the Insane Clown Posse, Cypress Hill is also featured on Cloud Nine. Why collaborate with them?
Daddy X: Yea, those are bands we have done tours with and have relationships for years. We could try to solicit rappers and pay them a bunch of money, but the bottom line is, to me, to make music with somebody, I wanna have a relationship and connection with someone instead of trying to buy somebody's name. These are the artists we know and actually work with, and we have had working relationships with them. With Sen Dog, we have this record "Darkside," but we've done smoke outs for years and shows. Sometimes, it's an artist on the label.
Ballerstatus.com: Definitely. So, I listened to "Free Willy," but what's sad to find out is it wasn't about the giant whale.
Daddy X: (Laughs) That is funny, man. I came up with that song because I was so bummed when Willie Nelson's tour bus... he got busted with shrooms and weed on his tour bus in Texas, and was facing jail time. Here is this guy who has done more with Farm Aid and all the things he has done for the people. He is a harmless dude. Why would you wanna throw this guy in jai? When he came out with his book and said he smoked a joint on the roof of a White House, the government swooped in, took his house and did all this crazy sh--. He is an American hero to me, and an icon. So I was bummed out at the thought of Willie going to jail for some weed.
Ballerstatus.com: Yeah, he doesn't hurt anybody. He just makes some music, smokes some herb and has sex. He's not hurting anybody.
Daddy X: C'mon. You know what I mean? Why can't a guy get a hand job at the end of a massage? Who really cares about that?
Ballerstatus.com: Exactly. That's Willie for ya.
(Then, there is a deep inhale and a high pitch noise in the background).
Daddy X: Sorry about that, bud. I had to rip that bong.
Ballerstatus.com: It's cool. From what I hear, "City 2 City" with Tech N9ne is blowing up on Sirius.
Daddy X: Yeah, it has for a couple of months. I got satellite in my cars. I live up in the mountains, so there isn't much radio I'm listening to nowadays, but it's killer. I love satellite radio. It's uncensored, you don't get radio edits and it's great talk radio. Howard Stern has his radio on there. Old school hip-hop stations that play all the classic sh--, every genre of music. Faction is one of those stations and they have been supporting us, and that song has really been reacting on the station. This summer, we closed the whole tour with Tech N9ne. Every night would be "City 2 City," so it as a great grand finale to that tour.
Ballerstatus.com: How did that tour with Tech N9ne go, by the way?
Daddy X: It was definitely a pretty intense tour, a two-month tour. We did a big summer festival with Tech N9ne, (hed) P.E., the SubNoize Souljaz and Kottonmouth Kings. The shows were off the hook. It was a long, hot summer. I just thought it was a great package. It sold out pretty much almost everywhere throughout the country and we had a good time.
Ballerstatus.com: Speaking of tours, you guys are about to embark on the Cloud Nine Tour right now. Tell me about that.
Daddy X: Yeah, we wanted to hone it in and do the Kottonmouth Kigns headlining tour. And focus on the new record, revamping the set and playing some old classics. Kottonmouth Kings will be a two and a half hour set every night. Big B will be our direct support and he is the white trash renegade. He is a pretty sick rapper. And Dogboy, who I think is one of the most talented MCs out there in the game period. So Dogboy is coming out. It's just the three of us.
Ballerstatus.com: Sounds dope. Do you guys feel like the media, in general, has overlooked the Kottonmouth Kings?
Daddy X: I know for a fact they have. They haven't overlooked us, but they haven't been very friendly to the Kottonmouth Kings. It's definitely an easy target to attack and diss, "Here is another white rap band, and all they talk about is weed." So we get that shun vibe from the snotty media for sure, but there has been a lot of underground media that appreciates what we do. We don't get written about much in any of the mainstream press, nor are we on the big radio stations or MTV. But we have had some songs creep through, but they definitely haven't supported us.
Ballerstatus.com: The only press that matters is High Times though.
Daddy X: Well there ya go, but I'd say they're an underground magazine in some ways too. Mainstream magazines have penetrated pop culture and subculture in America, but by no means... I'm sure their circulation isn't anything like what Rolling Stone is.
Ballerstatus.com: Perhaps. One thing I always admired about you guys is you guys has a solid fusion of hip-hop and punk rock, and although we've seen nu-metal from the likes of Limp Bizkit and Papa Roach in the past, no one has realty taken such different elements and fused them.
Daddy X: That's funny because we used to always get lumped into the nu-metal scene with Limp Bizkit and all these bands, and to us, we weren't metal. Metal was never personally my own bag. Punk rock and metal were two worlds apart. When I was growing up, it was very divided. You were either punk or you were metal, but you gotta pick your side of the fence. To me, that was kinda funny. People kinda validate the music. I think people that understand music a little deeper will realize what you said: it's punk rock. It's different from metal. There is a different style there.
Ballerstatus.com: Oh, it's overwhelming difference. Perhaps the only other band I could see to fuse those elements to a slightly lesser degree from back in the day was Sublime. Unlike them, the Kottonmouth Kings are doing it on a bigger scale. Do you guys try bridging the gap between hip-hop and punk?
Daddy X: I don't think we're trying to bridge the gap, but we love those two styles. Punk rock so was influential to me and the rest of the guys, and hip-hop. To me, it's a natural fusion that somebody, who maybe doesn't have the background might be like, "Well who the f--- is this?" To me, those are more raw forms of musical expressions coming up. Then we dipped into a lot of different styles like we go into some reggae and acoustic, so we pretty much not try to limit ourselves. I think Sublime is a good one, as far as they did more form a reggae standpoint, but mixed some hip-hop and some punk rock. Sublime is definitely good. I think the Beastie Boys did a little bit, but no one ever really fused it, especially in one song where you go from a punk part right into a hip-hop part.
Ballerstatus.com: So the Kottonmouth Kings are running a successful label, making plenty of albums and even scored the cover of High Times. What's left for you guys to accomplish?
Daddy X: That's a good question. Here is what we got going. Suburban Noize is involved in different types of media. We have an online music tour like iTunes, but it's called High Tunes. We're launching that this year. We got this TV show called "Rip 'N Tear." It's a half hour lifestyle show we're launching on our website and we're just going to try to branch out. We're trying to do a movie with the Kottonmouth Kigns called The Magic Seed. It's a stoner movie kinda like a "Cheech & Chong" for the new generation, but with the Kottonmouth Kings. Those are some of the next steps. And Kottonmouth King number 10, the granddaddy of them all. It's coming out before next Christmas. That's like the tenth commandment.
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