Kottonmouth Kings - Deviant Nation.com Interview
Kottonmouth Kings
Kottonmouth Kings have been tearing up the underground world of rock and hip-hop for years. Their club banging hip-hop bleeds into rawkus brand of punk-rock to create one of the most innovate music sounds that they describe as rip-hop.
Kottonmouth Kings have been tearing up the underground world of rock and hip-hop for years. Their club banging hip-hop bleeds into rawkus brand of punk-rock to create one of the most innovate music sounds that they describe as rip-hop. These guys are truly the poster boys for erroding musical boundaries.
The group is about to release their tenth studio album, “The Green Album” tosses some stoney jams into the mix with guest appearances by hip-hop’s hottest rapper Tech N9ne and X-Clan’s Brother J. Deviant Nation caught up Daddy X to speak about the group’s new album, getting involved and being proactive in the climate crisis and hot women and tattoos.
Tell us a bit about “The Green Album” and what went into the creative process behind it…
Daddy X: The Green Album is our tenth studio effort, so we wanted to make it a statement about who we are, where we’ve been and where we’re at. We approached a lot of the song writing from a very stripped down basic acoustic guitar and melodies way of writing. Since we own our own studios we never feel like we are on the clock. We tried all types of sounds and ideas. Some of them stuck and some didn’t, but we wound up recording almost 60 songs. 20 songs made the record and then we are releasing a bonus disc through Best Buy Stores, As far as the concept of the album, it felt like the perfect storm brewing when we were recording as the crisis facing citizens of this planet was peaking. Our dependency on foreign oil continues to send us down a black hole and we felt the timing was perfect to release the Green Album. We are donating a percentage of profits to environmental causes to push forward the idea of living in balance. We would love to see us as a race use clean energy and once again nature hold the key as the wind and sun can power the planet. We have the technology and now it’s time to legalize and utilize hemp for all its benefits. It’s time to take the power back!
We tried all types of sounds and ideas. Some of them stuck and some didn’t, but we wound up recording almost 60 songs.
Brother J of X-Clan appears on the track “Free World”, a ballad that sounds like it could have appeared on “Rolling Stoned”. GIve us some insight into the track and working with a hip-hop legend…
Daddy X: Brother J s an amazing human being and as an artist a lyricist he is deep as they come. “Free World” is a song of hope and it is a dream of living in a world of true freedom, justice and equality, so it made perfect sense. It is a real melodic easy going track and sums up the theme of the green album.
Tech N9ne appaears on the track “Sex Toyz”, what was it like working with Tech again now that he’s blown up all over the place?
Daddy X: We have been working with Tech N9ne and the Strange camp for years. There is a friendship and mutual respect between us that is hard to come by in todays cut throat industry. When I write the hook for “Sex Toy” it had Tech written all over it, so I called and asked him to do it. I sent it to him a couple days later and he laced it! We had an all night party in the studio that night with eight strippers and tons of booze. The rest is history… Rock N’ Roll lives!
We try and make every song and every record a unique and original experience.
How was this record different from other Kottonmouth Kings records?
Daddy X: We try and make every song and every record a unique and original experience. We believe in pushing limits and moving things forward. We never put boundaries on ourselves when making records. We recorded “Superhero” and “Socal” during the same session. As far as twenty punk songs we recorded those were the only two that made sense. We are still talking about releasing a straight rip-hop record next summer called “Rip N’ Tear”. We have a hand full of classic rock sounding hip-hop tracks, some straight wall shaking hip-hop thunder and some mid-tempo party songs. It has lots of twists and turns.
You recently donated $3,000 from the Strange Noize Tour to the Wounded Soldiers of Ward 57, can you tell us how you got involved and why you decided to get behind the cause?
Daddy X: DJ Product from (Hed)pe organized the campaign to help raise money for Wounded Soldiers. We have so many friends and fans that are in the military and I was raised by a US Marine, so any small gesture we can due to pay respect to our soldiers we will do. Product had the people from Ward 57 design a poster for the tour and we sold them with 100% of the profits went to the cause. It was the second year that we did it and as long as there is a need for it we will do our part.
With this album you are donating proceeds to various charities and environmental causes, can you tell us some of the charities you are working with and why you chose them?
Daddy X: Surf Rider Foundation is one that is close to home as we are all from southern California, so growing up the ocean was such a big part of our lives. When you see the sewage spills and beaches closed down on a regular basis, it hits close to home. www.WeCanSolveIt.org is another one that is all about solving the climate crisis. It really is a small gesture for a monumental cause that plagues us all, but if everyone did just a little it would go a long way. Also NORML, the National Organization To Reform Marijuana Laws is another great cause.
This is your tenth studio album, how do avoid becoming stagnant creatively at this point in the game?
Daddy X: Getting inspired to make music is the easy part. I still feel like we are discovering ourselves and it still feels fresh and new. The road work gets tiring at times, but there are worse jobs out there. We are blessed to still being doing this on our own terms and just living in these times gives any writer endless material to tap into. I think everyone understands their roll and everyone in the group respects one another. Other than that I can’t really explain why the Kings chemistry has worked all these years except that w do it our way on our own terms.
I still feel like we are discovering ourselves and it still feels fresh and new.
You own and operate your own label Suburban Noize Records, which has shifted 3 million records, yet you still fly under the mainstream radar. How is that possible?
Daddy X: The people validate the music. We get no love from the mainstream press and television. In fact we get lots of hate and rejection, but Sub Noize has cultivated an underground sub-culture and community that exists outside the mainstream. Our biggest sponsor is our fanbase and they have a connection to the movement because they are the movement. I think they can depend on us to put out cutting edge, no bullshit music. It is always very punk rock in that sense that it’s a “Do it yourself” rally and we organize from the streets up.
Deviant Nation covers two things that are no stranger to Kottonmouth Kings world; tattoos and hot naked women. Give us your best memory about:
Your first tattoo…
Daddy X: My first tattoo is a tribal sky surfer I got in memory of my best friend and roommate “Rob Harris”, who was killed in a tragic sky-diving accident. It was such a heavy time in my life, but I love that tattoo as it has deep personal meaning. I was the first King to get a tattoo, but once the others started they didn’t stop. D-Loc, Pak and Richter are covered from head to toe.
The hottest tattoo you’ve seen on a woman…
Daddy X: I would have to say my wife’s’ conji symbols of peace and soul. They are placed right in front of her bikini line. I like feminine tattoos on women
Your first sexual encounter…
Daddy X: That was in Junior High and it started by bumping and grinding to a slow jam. The rest is a sticky mess.
Your first encounter with a groupie…
Daddy X: I was in a punk band called Doggy Style and there was these two insane punker girls from San Diego that would come up and have weekend sex parties. They were into some sick and twisted shit. If you want details it’s gonna cost you extra.
We are a product of Southern California surfing, skating, dirt bike riding and extreme living.
Any last word for fans or what people that have never heard you before can expect?
Daddy X: The Kottonmouth Kings are a reflection of our influences; hip-hop, punk-rock, classic rock and reggae. We are a product of Southern California surfing, skating, dirt bike riding and extreme living. KMK is an R-Rated film. It’s not for everyone, but if you don’t give a fuck and if you are sick of the same old watered down bullshit, you might like it. If not I’m sure there is a new Linkin Park record coming out soon.
