Interview: Kosha Dillz
Jewish rappers aren’t something common you hear about a lot. People who sleep on them because they think it’s all about baklava, religion and Torah with Hebrew raps, are wrong. Kosha Dillz is living proof that you shouldn’t underestimate jewish rappers.
I live a clean and healthy life that inlcudes hip hop to elevate my status in the physical. I represent a struggle within, for kids out there that never really fit in; I represent Jewish people in a way never seen before; I represent the battle emcee who always repped but never really got recognized; I have been putting in work for a long time and now it’s time to shine!
Preview: C-Rayz Walz & Kosha Dillz – Unheib
‘Freestyle vs. Written’ is your first official release. Why did you choose to work on a collaboration with C-Rayz & Kentron, instead of a very own debut-release?
The label thought it would be a great idea to introduce me to the public by a project together with C-Rayz and Kentron. I have recorded tons of solo material as well, but this will be the first store release. I think it’s a dope project and I am proud of the way it was executed, it’ll defintely set up eyes and ears for my solo-project.
‘Freestyle vs. Written’ is a very interesting concept, who came up with the idea?
I did. I know C-Rayz is amazing at freestyling and I wanted to test his creativity level. I stepped to him with the idea and it became something next level. At first it was a EP, but after we completed an EP in 7 hours, we decided to expand it to a full-length album.
Can you tell me a little bit more about the realization of the album?
I realized we can’t get C-Rayz Walz in a room with us for a span of weeks; C-Rayz can’t sit still and he can’t meet me often, so we blasted it out quickly. ‘Freestyle vs Written’ explains the unification of two different backgrounds. Black and Jewish, freestyle and written, similiar journeys. Its an amazing step to cultural unification. I still suffer form racism all the time. People who freestyle get accused of spitting writtens all the time. You see where it elevates too? That’s how ill it is.
And why is this album together with C-Rayz, can you tell me something about how you guys hooked up?
He has a street credibility and is one of the most insane people NYC Underground has to offer. I used to be twisted all the time and C-Rayz sort of stuck up for me in bad times as did Poison Pen. In 2006 I stepped to him and gave him some of my work, that’s how we met.
Lots of people where able to download the leak of your album way before the release. What are your thoughts on that?
Dope! I can’t believe people want to hear my music. I hope they support it when it comes out though. There will be some new free stuff they can’t get now, so it’s all good.
A very cliché question, but I still want to ask you this: what do you think of Hip Hop nowadays?
I think it’s great that you can say whatever you want and make money with it. I think it’s a billion dollar industry and I’m only looking for a piece of it. I think you have a chance to be honest now and still earn a living; That’s a great thing!
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Words by: Danny
More info: Kosha Dillz
