UrbanView – By Javier Lopez
Cobalt Underestimated or misunderstood?
Loved by many hated by most? Rapper Cobalt descends from your coast, your city“ The Gwap”(Modesto). Could this battle rapper be hated for his longevity in the rap game(Hip Hop music)? I think not! Respected by his peers for sticking to his roots and planting the seed that grew from the underground. Take notes, for the words that roll off his tongue settles scores! In this tank full of shark ”Rap Battles”; is he misunderstood? A rather quick look up and down judged by his presence! His many battles say it all! Nothing like being taken back.. Pause.. “This kid is raw with his freestyle battle flows! Underestimated or misunderstood? That does not phase this man at all! Step in to the ring, but do not underestimate Modesto’s Battle Rap King!
Rather humble, hard working and dedicated to his love for Hip Hop! Here is your and mine opportunity to face the music of Cobalt! Read on…
TL: Cobalt at what moment did you decide to write? C: Back in 1996 I started writing battle raps against a classmate to try to defend the west coast vs. an east coast influenced class mate. My bars were harder & more hip-hop which convinced me that us Californians can be more clever than any New York based rapper. I decided to take it serious based on the positive feedback I was receiving from all the raps I was writing that year be it battle related or conceptual.
TL: How did you land the name Cobalt? C: In 1996 when I decided too take hip hop serious as an artist I chose my name COBALT based on the element in the periodic table of elements in science class. The initial concept that ‘Cobalt’ was a liquid metal which meant it ‘flows hard’. The acronym chosen has been ‘Constantly Orbiting Beyond All Living Things’. With all things considered it’s an element of hip hop metaphorically that hip hop music can not do without. Life needs all elements to function & hip hop music needs COBALT45 to function.
TL: How do you view the rap game in California? C: I think the rap game in California is on the rise as far as real hip hop artists go. Kendrick Lamar, Hiero, Living Legends, Bored Stiff, Project Blowed, and lots of dope old school underground hip hop artists still put it down on a constant basis & get love. Plus central valley hip hop artists like Chuweee, Broke, Milya Brethren, Okwerdz, Drizzt, Nikfuq, Squalid, Atlantis Rising, Myself & Higher Ground to name a few have all been influential in shaping the central valley hip hop scene out here. There is a lot of artists I don’t have time to mention but you know who you are and all you guys need to know is that we all need to strive together as artists in every genre to create a more versatile hip hop / rap scene in California as a whole. Be it boom bap, futuristic, horrorcore, gangsta, trip hop or Christian rap, all of it is hip hop and all of it deserves respect. #209HIPHOPDONTSTOP
There you have it, For all my readers and to all Cobalt fans, go online play some Cobalt! I am always keeping an ear to the wind! I listen. I observe! Do not underestimate the power of words!
Keep in Touch with Cobalt45 at www.cobalt45.com www.facebook.com/cobaltpresents www.twitter.com/cobalt45 www.youtube.com/therealcobalt
