WDSR Radio and King Cotz Chop It Up In This Exclusive Interview

WDSR Radio: Welcome King Cotz! Let the people know where you are from.

King Cotz: Hey what’s up everyone. I’m a 23 year old rapper named King Cotz and I’m from Richmond, Virginia.

So is Cotz your namesake or does it have a significant meaning?

King Cotz: Cotz is actually a combination of my first and last names. I came up with it when I was younger and no other rap names I came up with ever fit better. Also, my friends came to know me as King Cotz, and it’s a very unique name – so I thought it was the right fit.

WDSR Radio: Writing songs since 10 and now 23, that’s quite the accomplishment. What made you want to get started?

King Cotz: Thank you! Well, when I first started out when I was around 10 years old, it was actually more like a combination of rhyming and poetry – there wasn’t a rap beat or anything attached to it. It was a way for me to get out all my thoughts, memories and emotions. Over time, I started writing songs and finding beats to match them – so it wasn’t always the smoothest flow but it was more of a transition into rap. Then, I started writing custom songs according to what each rap beat brought to my mind and inspired me to write. It still helps me get through those tough days and gives me a way to express myself creatively.

WDSR Radio: Being a writer for that long, what have you learned along the way when it comes to the music business?

King Cotz: I’ve learned that it doesn’t matter how good you are at songwriting or rapping, nobody will ever hear of you if you don’t figure out a way to successfully market and promote your music. And then – once you start getting into marketing your music, you need to really do your research as there are a lot of people looking to just profit off of you rather than actually give you the right marketing exposure. At the same time, it’s important to find the good people out there and build trust with them over the long-haul. It takes hard work, long hours, studying other great artists, and building key relationships to reach your potential.

WDSR Radio: After reading your bio, it seems as if you stayed on a constant grind and you were determined to get your music in front of everyone you could. Tell us how being a college student assisted in you being known even more as a great artist/lyricist?

King Cotz: Yeah, college helped tremendously. When I first started college at Virginia Tech, my music wasn’t very good. I made some fantastic friends along the way that really helped me out by critically listening to my songs and telling me what they thought.  They supported my music and would always keep it real when they thought something could improve. This pushed me to work even harder on my lyrics, my flow, and my timing/cadence/tone. When I graduated last year, I was a completely different artist than when I first started there. I wouldn’t be where I am today without all of those experiences throughout college.

WDSR Radio: So, were your studies targeted to certain topics about the music business? And if so, what did you concentrate in?

King Cotz: I actually didn’t study anything related to music or really use any of my songwriting skills – I took classes mostly related to business, marketing, and communication. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Studies and a minor in Business. Communication studies definitely applies a ton to rap, and it makes me that much more analytical when it comes to my lyricism. I also have entrepreneurship experience from a start-up I founded in college; so I really have a lot of business and leadership skills that are applicable to any kind of brand. All of this has helped me develop the right plan to take my music to the next level.

WDSR Radio: I can imagine it was a good feeling after graduating with that amount of knowledge. What was the first thing you concentrated on pertaining to your music after you graduated?

King Cotz: I concentrated on analyzing which direction I wanted to go in with my music. I wanted to really develop a solid plan and structure for 2019. Right after I graduated, I actually moved down to Charlotte, North Carolina for almost a year and worked full-time in sales. I learned a lot during that time, and I didn’t have as much time for my music. Now, I’m back in my hometown again (Richmond, Virginia) and I’m focused on consistently releasing new music and building a fan base. I’m going to be developing my first music video soon and also launching my own website.

WDSR Radio: How would you describe your sound to someone who has never heard it before?

King Cotz: Honestly, it’s tough to describe my sound. It’s more of an aggressive and lyrical rap style that doesn’t really fit into one sub-genre of rap. I am a huge fan of NF, so I would say it has a similar vibe to an artist such as NF or Eminem. Obviously, they have their own styles that make them unique, but just in that realm of hip-hop. I guess the closest sub-genres would be hardcore hip-hop, lyrical hip-hop, and conscious hip-hop.

WDSR Radio: Who is in charge of writing the songs? Where do you draw your inspiration from?

King Cotz: I write 100% of the lyrics myself – it’s something I take great pride in. I’m not going to ever use ghostwriters or anything like that – I can actually write. I draw a lot of inspiration from artists such as NF, Eminem, Mac Miller (R.I.P.), Logic, Big Sean, Linkin Park, Kendrick Lamar – I really enjoy looking at different styles of hip-hop and learning a little bit from everyone. I do have my own distinct writing style and flow that is different from other artists I study. But to become great, you always need to study how others became great.

WDSR Radio: If you had to put yourself into a genre or create your own, what would it be called?

King Cotz: That’s an interesting question. I’m not exactly sure – maybe something like “Heavy Rap” or “Heavy Hip-hop”? It would be a similar style to hardcore hip-hop – it would include darker and more aggressive styles of rap (similar to NF’s style). The “Heavy” part would take the name after the “Heavy” in “Heavy Metal.” Maybe there’s a better name, but that was the first thing I came up with – I like the alliteration of Heavy Hip-hop.

WDSR Radio: Are you working on any projects at the moment?

King Cotz: For sure! I’m consistently releasing new singles right now – my new single “Urgency” featuring my friend, Enoch, will be released this Friday, 5/24. I’m also working on a project called “Like Giannis” for my favorite NBA player, Giannis Antetokounmpo, and my favorite NBA team, the Milwaukee Bucks. I recently tallied up over 170 songs that I have either finished or started writing, so there is plenty more music to come!

WDSR Radio: Where can we find your music? Online and offline?

King Cotz: My music is all online – on Spotify, Apple Music, Deezer, Soundcloud, Youtube, and many more streaming services. I’ll be posting updates on my Twitter and Instagram, so be sure to follow me on those as well. I’ve included all the links below.

Social Media Links:

https://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/king-cotz/1323096528

https://soundcloud.com/kingcotz

https://twitter.com/KingCotzMusic

https://www.instagram.com/kingcotz/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC-9asQAIEcqCmNvWHmugXCw

https://kingcotzmusic.bandcamp.com/

WDSR Radio: If you can change one thing about the music industry what would it be and why?

King Cotz: As far as the hip-hop and rap side of things, I would find a better way of supporting the underground community and independent artists. I feel as though there needs to be a better way to coach artists, build their team, and help them reach their potential. I have a couple business ideas related to this, so hopefully I can launch a venture in the future that can help.

WDSR Radio: So is it safe to say that music is your full-time job now?

King Cotz: I wish! If I ever make enough money to fully support my music, it would be something I would strongly consider. I’m putting plenty of time into my music career and brand, but I’m not close to making a living through my music at this point. Right now, I’m also working back home on a couple start-up ideas. If my music career ever takes off, I don’t plan to just be an artist – I’m going to build successful brands within the music industry that will help to change the game for the better. I have the entrepreneurship experience, leadership skills, and creative ideas to accomplish it, too.

WDSR Radio: We ask all the artists we interview, what’s the best piece of advice someone’s ever given to you?

King Cotz: That’s really a tough question, as I have received so much great advice over the years by many wise people. I’ll keep it simple with a quote from my favorite movie series, “Creed” – I hope this quote speaks to you as much as it spoke to me. “What good are you to anyone if you don’t do what you love.” – Adonis Creed, Creed 2

Thank you for the interview and the opportunity!