There has been a metamorphosis happening for the past few years with California based the Kottonmouth Kings. The group was injected with a new found creative firepower when they added Oregon based rapper the Dirtball to their ranks last year. Dirtball's versatile vocal delivery allows him to snap off rapid fire rhymes ala Twista, while his background as a drummer/musician allows him to bring elements of rock, alt-rock and even bluegrass to the table. With a new found creative arsenal to attack with the Kottonmouth Kings sound is now constantly evolving. The evolution is evident on their new studio album “Sunrise Sessions”, which sees the group embracing hypnotic, positive vibrations and mixing it with some razor sharp hip-hop, as well as heavy doses of dubstep to ignite audiences.
"The Sunrise Sessions is more than an album, it's a series of recordings that document the evolution and state of the band after 15years," commented Brad X. "We went into the studio to write interesting and timeless songs that exceeded boundaries and expectations. We looked to classic albums for inspiration as we wanted to create an album that had our own unique twist but could stand the test of time."
The Kottonmouth Kings have managed to stand the test of time for over 15 years. Their music has created a diehard fanbase that has helped them sell over 2 million albums independently, while they continue to perform sold out shows across the country every year as the group’s grassroots movement continues to grow.
Kottonmouth Kings are also completely self-empowered having built a highly successful independent label, Suburban Noize Records, to market and distribute their music, as well as critically acclaimed albums from Saigon, La Coka Nostra featuring members of House of Pain, Swollen Members and Unwritten Law amongst others. The success of Suburban Noze has allowed the group to create music without the bureaucratic red tape, and offer fair recording contracts where the label and artists are equal partners.
The Kottonmouth Kings have managed to tap into a powerful musical force field on "Sunrise Sessions" that pools together elements of hip hop, reggae, dubstep, along with breezy acoustics. Sonically the album is driven by a ying-yang of styles that meld together to perfectly compliment the other. On one side of the album listeners are greeted by stoney melodies, catchy hooks and breezy acoustics that draw inspiration from reggae, ska and the feel good nature of their California lifestyle.
"There are people that want to write Kottonmouth Kings off as a one dimensional weed band, but that is because it's easy to put a label on what we do. Yes we love weed and champion the cause, but the levels and depths of our songs go a lot deeper than just that one dimension," commented Brad X. "Anyone who can't look past the weed references on our albums are completely missing out on some of our best material. Yes we do write songs about weed and legalization, but we also write about life, love, politics and the beauty our planet. We have a passion for music and that is why on a Kottonmouth Kings record you have punk-rock songs next mellow acoustic tracks or right alongside to some crazy West Coast hip-hop.”
“Sunrise Sessions” offers fans some blistering hip-hop bangers that could be used as the soundtrack for fans to ignite any party. With a sonic thunder of west coast beats that explode through listeners speakers, the Kottonmouth Kings hip-hop bravado shines bright on the group’s new album.
Over the group’s 15 year long career the Kottonmouth Kings have refused to remain stagnant. Without the aid of radio, MTV, or mainstream press, the Kottonmouth Kings have somehow managed to evolve and enjoy some of the best success of their career more than a decade after the release of their debut album. The group refuses to allow the music business to dictate the terms, which has allowed them to have harvest another batch of musical rip-hop that will surely be celebrated by fans for years to come.
