You may know Kool A.D. from the hip-hop group, Das Racist. However, this Bay area rapper is also an exceptional solo performer. This Wesleyan University alum began his music journey by playing drums and doing vocals in a band. After graduating college, he returned often to perform with a few colleagues and it was during these rehearsals where Das Racist was formed and this drummer transformed into a rapper. But more so than just a rapper, Kool A.D. is an activist, a writer, and a visual artist. In many ways all these creative endeavors inform each other and are interconnected.
Listening to “Maestro” from his album O.K. we catch a glimpse into some of his personal ideologies, which preaches about how government and capitalism only serve to harm the people and how there is “no justice on stolen land.” These ideas also coincide with some of the writing in his 442-page novel, O.K which focuses on capitalism, violence, race, privilege and detachment to just name a few themes.
What makes Kool A.D. unique is that he is able to provide contact that is uniquely humanistic and emotional but is also able to produce tracks that make you want to dance. Just take a listen and watch the music video “Manny Pacquiao” which features Kool A.D. rapping about nonsense as he hangs out with farm animals. Bottom line—he’s versatile and his performance will be something potentially chaotic and unpredictable but nevertheless entertaining.