The Cool Kids Look Good

BY Tara MuldoonPublished May 15, 2008

Refreshingly modern, yet reminiscent of ’80s hip-hop, the Cool Kids have found a sound that’s completely their own. Dubbed the poster children of retro-rap, the collective of two are multi-talented lyricists and producers bringing BMX bikes and rope chains to the forefront.

As a twist of fate, their biography begins with an internet connection. Both Chuck Inglish, 23, and Mikey Rocks, 19, were posting work-in-progress on MySpace. Both from the Chicago area, they met up and discovered common influences (Outkast and Gorillaz) and a shared flare for fashion. They quickly signed with Fool’s Gold, an indie label founded by Montreal DJ A-Trak, but the Cool Kids weren’t getting enough attention. "When your boss is on tour with Kanye West, it’s easy to have timelines missed,” says Chuck.

Now signed with Chocolate Industries, the guys are handling a lot of their own business and are much happier. "We've had a lot of success — doing a track with Lil Wayne, selling out shows, collaborating with artists we've looked up to. It's a good situation.” While they refuse to lock themselves into a genre — "Honestly, we’re just dope music!” is Chuck’s answer — their fan base ranges from retro to hip-hop.

"We're a whole package of fashion and music, and we're not very easily influenced.” But they an influence on their peers; their standout track is called "Black Mags,” a tribute to biking, while pagers and Nikes are also favoured topics.

Their current buzz has been built almost entirely on a year’s worth of touring; their debut EP, The Bake Sale, is only now getting released, but even that hasn’t diminished their enthusiasm. "We're just excited,” Chuck says. "Every day is something new. We don't know if the popularity will last, but we're definitely going to be around for a long, long time.”

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