by Alex P80 Parks
From A little Caviar to his latest, Choripan, Los Angeles emcee Cousin Feo has turned a love of soccer into a focused series of singles and albums with European and South American football as the centerpiece. Feo’s passion for soccer is evident in his daily conversations and interactions. It’s equally clear in his music as well. Feo continues to pay homage to former greats of the pitch by etching their names and legacies into his own art.
DRHH: You’ve really created a unique niche with soccer as a theme, what’s the genesis for you?
Cousin Feo: ” I grew up first playing in the streets with the homies, but now we channel that for the raw sound & the more rugged elements of the hood. Our goals changed, feel me? From corner kicks to hangin outside corner stores type shit. I originally started this circuit with my guy Keor Meteor in France and we did “A Little Caviar” & “Creme Fraiche.” Upon meeting Dre Mendoza (who’s half Argentine) I know I was taking that same concept to Argentina.”
For his latest project, Choripan continues where Provoleta left off, focusing again on Argentinian soccer with its superstars, legends and rich history on the field. The project continues Feo’s streak for choosing solid beats and consistently dope features. Provoleta brought plenty of heat with CodeNine, Panamanian Dro, Flashius Clayton, and Lord Juco as features. MAV, Bub Rock and Fastlife continue that trend on Choripan, with Che Uno providing an assist on both projects.
DRHH: how did Choripan take shape?
“My guy Dre reached out when he got wind of the #DeathAtTheDerby series with Juco & being that he’s Argentinian, he wanted to produce the “Boca vs River Plate derby,” from there, everything is history. He’s an extremely talented cat. It felt like finding a diamond in the rough, even though he essentially found me.”
Feo: “My goal is to have said producer be from the actual country I’m focused on so we’re culturally tapped in & really give the listeners an authentic experience; also led to the idea of titling each project after customary dishes from the host country too. The game is a tale of two halves, so I always make sure to drop two EPs per country. More of a salute to the game. So now with both Provoleta & Choripán out, it’s all about picking the next country to take it too…”
Whatever country Feo chooses as his next focus, it will most certainly be well-researched and precisely executed to embody the spirit of those countries and players.
DRHH: Who are some other artists you’d like to work with?
Feo: Jay Nice is incredible, Left Lane Didon, Koncept Jackson, Sick Jacken, Planet Asia, and SonnyJim.”
DRHH: Dope artists.. How about future plans, maybe beyond the music?
Feo: “Eventually I want to work directly with EA Sports on the future FIFA games or either Nike/Adidas soccer divisions. Become an ambassador of the sport while carving out my own legend as an emcee. What the Wu did with martial arts, or what Griselda’s done with wrestling, specifically WSG gun are examples I was inspired by to run with my concept. Not to blow my own horn, but I feel I’m on the shortlist of cats doing something truly original. Tying a foreign aesthetic into hip-hop & turn heads into fiends for it.”
Cop Choripan here:
Deeply Rooted HipHop 