Kooley High
Encyclopedia
Kooley High is composed of six former N.C. State University students, who met on campus by way of hip hop
. They started out as a student-run hip hop organization, known as H2O. The North Carolina
group is made up of three MCs, Charlie Smarts, Tab-One, and Rapsody, two producers, Foolery and The Sinopsis, and a DJ, Ill Digitz. In 2008, they were introduced in the documentary "One Day" filmed, edited and directed by Napoleon Wright II founder of BecauseUs. Tab-One and Charlie Smarts are also in the hip hop band Inflowential. Rapsody is signed to 9th Wonder's
JAMLA Records / It's a Wonderful World.
Breaking Blog, saying:
Kooley High's track Everywhere Is Summer was featured on The Washington Post's
Singles File, saying:
Lady J of Rotting Television reviewed Charlie Smart's F'Alex writing:
Hip hop
Hip hop is a form of musical expression and artistic culture that originated in African-American and Latino communities during the 1970s in New York City, specifically the Bronx. DJ Afrika Bambaataa outlined the four pillars of hip hop culture: MCing, DJing, breaking and graffiti writing...
. They started out as a student-run hip hop organization, known as H2O. The North Carolina
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
group is made up of three MCs, Charlie Smarts, Tab-One, and Rapsody, two producers, Foolery and The Sinopsis, and a DJ, Ill Digitz. In 2008, they were introduced in the documentary "One Day" filmed, edited and directed by Napoleon Wright II founder of BecauseUs. Tab-One and Charlie Smarts are also in the hip hop band Inflowential. Rapsody is signed to 9th Wonder's
9th Wonder
Patrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...
JAMLA Records / It's a Wonderful World.
Features
Kooley High was featured on Rolling Stone'sRolling Stone
Rolling Stone is a US-based magazine devoted to music, liberal politics, and popular culture that is published every two weeks. Rolling Stone was founded in San Francisco in 1967 by Jann Wenner and music critic Ralph J...
Breaking Blog, saying:
- The Band: Kooley High
- The Buzz: Stunning North Carolina hip-hop group makes grand, thumping tracks from sliced-up soul and shards of R&B. It's like every song should be released on 45.
- Listen If: You don't care how cold it is outside — to you, it's always summertime. And 1993.
- Key Track: "Too Late," the kind of sizzling all-crew scorcher that would have done Arrested Development proud.
Kooley High's track Everywhere Is Summer was featured on The Washington Post's
The Washington Post
The Washington Post is Washington, D.C.'s largest newspaper and its oldest still-existing paper, founded in 1877. Located in the capital of the United States, The Post has a particular emphasis on national politics. D.C., Maryland, and Virginia editions are printed for daily circulation...
Singles File, saying:
The North Carolina-based hip-hop nostalgists turn a remixed version of Common's "Everywhere" into a soulful, summery reminder of the mid-'90s, when jazz-influenced hip-hop outfits like A Tribe Called Quest roamed the Earth.
Reviews
Nicole Dawley of URB magazine reviewed Kooley High's The Summer Sessions E.P. writing:
With samples of Samuel L. Jackson in all his Pulp Fiction glory and production courtesy of 9th Wonder, Kooley High’s jazz flavored EP, The Summer Sessions: Gold Tooth Edition is the epitome of cool.
Together, Kooley High—Charlie Smarts, Rapsody, Tab-One (MCs), Sinopsis, Foolery and DJ Ill Digitz (producers/DJs) bring their soulful sound and refreshing carelessness on this summer inspired album. This album holds nothing innovative or revolutionary, but these kiddos are simply having a great time, and you can hear it track after track. They bring the best out of one another all while securing dope beats and slick anecdotes.
The first half of Summer Sessions is fun and amusing. “Too Late,” “Kool With It” and the lovey dovey track, “There You Go” shows that the North Cack emcees don't care about being too demanding or trite. However, they do get nitty-gritty in the album’s hottest track; the 9th Wonder blessed, “Water” which showcases Kooley High’s super duper ill flow. “We Be That” is where Rapsody aka RapDiddy, though surrounded by major testosterone, holds it down.
If the EP is this “K-O-O-L” we definitely can’t wait to hear a full length real soon. You can never go wrong with soulful boom-banging hip hop that makes you feel good.
Lady J of Rotting Television reviewed Charlie Smart's F'Alex writing:
Whoa Whoa Whoa!!! serious hotness from this dude. Charlie Smarts, from the group Kooley High and Inflowential, has just released his first solo project called F’Alex. This mixtape is chop full of great tracks and great skits that lets you into the life of Charlie Smarts. Since it’s been released yesterday, ive heard the album about 5 times. Don’t, i mean Don’t sleep on theses emcees! A lil info about young Charlie Smarts, he’s signed with Mecca records with his group Inflow, and has worked with 9th Wonder along with some of his Bandmates from Kooley High. Check out my new fav song on the mixtape “Ms. America” and “Bonanza”.
Dope Tracks: My Baby, Ms. America, Bonanza, Lovin’ Me, Nobody"
Albums
- 2008: The Summer Sessions EP - Guest Production by 9th Wonder9th WonderPatrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...
- 2009: F'Alex - Solo album by Charle Smarts
- 2009: Tabloids - Solo album by Tab-One
- 2010: Return of the B-Girl - Solo album by Rapsody
- 2011: Eastern Standard Time
Mixtapes
- 2008: Raleigh's Finest - Mixed by DJ Ill Digitz. Featuring Rsonist, HaLo, Lazurus, Nervous Reck, MedianJustus LeagueThe Justus League is a rap collective from North Carolina, that includes L.E.G.A.C.Y., The Away Team, Darien Brockington, Little Brother, Edgar Allen Floe, Median, Chaundon, Cesar Comanche, 9th Wonder, Buckshot, Sean Price, Skyzoo and Joe Scudda....
. Drops by 9th Wonder9th WonderPatrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...
, Young Guru, Big Treal, AlchemistThe Alchemist (producer)Alan Daniel Maman , better known as The Alchemist, is an American hip hop producer, DJ and rapper. He hails from Beverly Hills, California...
, Marco PoloMarco Polo (producer)Marco "Polo" Bruno is a Canadian hip hop producer. Born in Toronto, he moved to New York City in the early 2000s to pursue a career in hip hop production, and has since gone on to become one of the most sought-after underground producers on the US East Coast....
, Monie LoveMonie LoveSimone Riscoe , better known by her stage name Monie Love, is an English emcee and former radio personality in the United States... - 2009: Kooley is High - Hosted by K-SalaamK-SalaamK-Salaam, born Kayvon Sarfehjooy in 1977, is a DJ from Minneapolis of Iranian-American heritage. His first album, The World Is Ours, was released on August 25, 2006. Featuring on this release are a number of prolific underground hip hop artists, such as Mos Def, Dead Prez, Papoose, Saigon, Emicida...
Features
- 2007: The Dream Merchant Vol. 2The Dream Merchant Vol. 2The Dream Merchant Vol. 2 is the second compilation album from producer 9th Wonder, formerly of Little Brother. It was released on October 9, 2007 through Sixhole Records.-Track listing:#Mr...
- By 9th Wonder9th WonderPatrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...
Featuring Rapsody on interludes - 2007: Venom - By ChaundonChaundonChaundon is an American hip hop artist from, South Bronx, New York City, who is part of Little Brother's Justus League collective. In 2008 he released his debut album "Carnage" and since has become an internet sensation with his website and his independent music show , as well as his internet blog...
, Featuring Charlie Smarts on Everything Ain't Easy, Produced by Foolery - 2008: Internet Mixtape vol 1: the Underground - Mixed by DJ Ruckus
- 2008: Rent's Due Pt. 3 Mixtape - By DJ Paradime & DJ Forge
- 2009: The Dopeness - By Sunshine J - Mixed by DJ Ill Digitz, Featuring Tab-One on Time, Featuring Charlie Smarts on The Dopeness, Featuring Tab-One and Charlie Smarts on Release
Compilations
- 2008: Burn After Listening - By Ace Jones, Wake Your Daughter Up, Zillasays
Remixes
- 2008: Gettin' Up - Q-Tip Feat. Kooley High
- 2009: Bad News - Kanye WestKanye WestKanye Omari West is an American rapper, singer, and record producer. West first rose to fame as a producer for Roc-A-Fella Records, where he eventually achieved recognition for his work on Jay-Z's album The Blueprint, as well as hit singles for musical artists including Alicia Keys, Ludacris, and...
(808s & Heartbreak808s & Heartbreak808s & Heartbreak is the fourth studio album by American hip hop artist Kanye West, released November 24, 2008 on Roc-A-Fella Records in the United States. Recording sessions for the album took place at Glenwood Studios in Burbank, California and Avex Recording Studio in Honolulu, Hawaii during...
) Feat. Charlie Smarts - 2009: Glow - Jake OneJake OneJacob Dutton, better known as Jake One, is an American hip hop record producer from Seattle, Washington.-Biography:Dutton grew up in Capitol Hill and moved to the North End of Seattle when he was 15. He started making music on a Casio keyboard in 1992. He attended the University of Washington and...
(White Van MusicWhite Van MusicWhite Van Music is the debut album of hip-hop producer Jake One. The album is entirely produced by Jake One and features appearances by rappers such as Freeway, DOOM, Brother Ali, Young Buck, and co-executive producer and label head Slug.-Track listing:...
) - FlowGlow Feat. Tab-One - 2009: Everywhere - Common (Universal Mind ControlUniversal Mind Control-Chart positions:In its first week, Universal Mind Control sold 81,663 in the United States.As of December 31, 2008, the album has sold 211,781.- Release history :-External links:* at Metacritic*...
) - Feat. Charlie Smarts
Collaborations
- 2008: Handle my Biz - Kooley High Feat. SkyzooSkyzooSkyzoo is a New York hip hop emcee.-Biography:Born Gregory Skyler Taylor in 1982 in Crown Heights, he grew up in Bedford-Stuyvesant. He was nicknamed Skyzoo by his parents after the Skyy disco song...
& HaLo - 2008: How to Make a Hit - Rapsody with M1 Platoon Produced by 9th Wonder9th WonderPatrick Douthit , better known as 9th Wonder is a hip hop record producer, record executive, DJ, professor, and lyricist from Raleigh, North Carolina, U.S.A. He began his career as the main producer for the hip hop group Little Brother, and has also worked with Mary J...