Koolade


Koolade is a Croatian hip-hop, electronic, and urban music producer. Born in Zagreb, Croatia in the late 1970s, he began his music career in the late 1990s. Along with other members of the Blackout family he played a major role in establishing hip-hop genre in the Croatian and regional music scene, rocking charts, record sales and winning a few national music awards in Croatia and Bosnia.
Later he and his partner/manager Phat Phillie realized that his production would make a good export, and continued to expand his work throughout Europe and the US, where he is perhaps best known for his production work on Masta Ace's "Beautiful" on the album A Long Hot Summer, as well as a number of other prominent American hip-hop artists such as Ghostface Killah and Masta Killa of the Wu Tang Clan, Sean Price, Xzibit, Sadat X, Styles P, Diamond D, Das EFX, Peedi Crakk, Tony Touch, Rah Digga, Too Short, Bow Wow, and others. Koolade is locally and regionally known for his collaborations with the Croatian hip-hop groups Tram 11 and Bolesna Braća, as well as Bosnian rappers Edo Maajka and Frenkie.

Early years

Born on 1 June 1978 in Zagreb, Croatia, he showed great interest in music from his early days. Growing up in the 1980s he listened to artists like Queen, Michael Jackson, U2, Depeche Mode, New Order, Human League, Dire Straits etc. In 5th and 6th grade he took piano lessons, but quit after two years due to a lack of interest in classical music education. He did not play the piano again, until the start of his professional music career in the mid/late 1990s.

Hip Hop

In the years 1989/1990 his sister introduces him to Hip Hop music which he initially hates, but after a year or so, Hip Hop music becomes his obsession. Artists like Run-DMC, Public Enemy, N.W.A., Ice Cube, EPMD would very soon take over his tape deck. Due to a few shows like MTV's Yo! MTV Raps, Rap Attack, and his future manager Phat Philly's own Blackout Rap Show on Radio 101, he keeps track of the international scene and all the fresh new releases. Soon enough he starts forming his first high school demo bands of pretty much no significance like G-Style and Ill Behavior. Having interest in both rapping and beatmaking he makes his first tracks. Although those would end up being just tries and attempts, but a good practice for his later work.

Blackout

As Hip Hop scene would start resonating more and more with the local kids in Croatia during the early/mid 1990s he starts hangin around clubs and people playing, promoting and making Hip Hop music. Hearing the local artist's demoes being played on Blackout Rap Show, he wasn't overwhelmed with the production on those, and decides he wants to contribute to the scene with his musical talent as a beat-maker and producer. Eventually he focuses on beat-making and production, and gets embraced by the local scene very quickly, due to the quality of his material. Very soon he becomes a member of the Blackout Project, the DJ's, MC's and beat-makers revolving and evolving around the Blackout Rap Show. In 1998, his 1st production credit release, which marked the start of his professional career, were two tracks by Tram 11 "Des Mozges" & "Kog je briga za vas", on Blackout Project's "Project Impossible" album. He collaborates with many soon to be renowned local and regional hip hop artists like Tram 11, Sick Rhyme Sayazz aka Bolesna Braća, El Bahattee, Nered & Stoka, Edo Maajka, Frenkie, Shorty, Elemental etc... Meaning, they all make history together, rockin the charts and sales on a mainstream level. In the following years, he gains respect not just in the hip hop scene, but throughout the local, regional, and European urban music scene. In the Balkans region he enjoys a legendary status. He and his manager Phat Phillie continue to work up to date, having a strong bond as partners in crime, and continue shopping and delivering the world music scene with some of that Koolade, placing his music worldwide. He produced "Beautiful" by Masta Ace.

Media & marketing

Being a music producer and sound engineer he does and scores quite a few commercials, locally and worldwide, and copyrights his music in the world of media, TV and marketing. Some of the references are H&M, Nivea, Alizee, EA Sports, Y2K, and TV shows like So You Think You Can Dance & Ugly Betty etc.

Zebra Dots

In 2010 he met a Slovene drummer Ivo Rimc, and they decided to do sessions together. Koolade found the idea of recording and sampling live drums fascinating, and they continued doing sessions inviting other local Slovene musicians. The first one to join was a bass player Jernej Kržič, followed by a jazz pianist Erik Marenče, and a guitar player Andraž Mazi. The five eventually formed a band with the work title London, and continued doing sessions making funk instrumental breaks. Koolade being the producer of the band and their frontman playing talkbox. Later on they decided to take the band further by starting to do a unique combination of soul with a twist of indie music, inviting vocalists and songwriting, practicing and recording.
The vocalist to finally join the band was Sasha Alexandra Danilova. Koolade eventually started singing, becoming the other lead vocal of the band. They eventually renamed the band to Zebra Dots due to problems involving web search engines for London. The name Zebra Dots characterised their music well as being something that does not exist yet. Eventually, local and regional Universal Music offices started showing an interest to sign the band, which eventually happened in spring 2012. In fall 2012 they released their debut single Walking on a Chance, soon followed by the debut album named after the first single.

Recent Days

Today Koolade continues to produce for other acts as he always used to. One of the recent ones he is affiliated with would be Kandžija, High5, Geralt iz Rivije, Frenkie, Kontra, and the whole of Zagreb's and regional underground scene.
His 2016 single "Say Nothing" featured Rah Digga, Sean Price, and Tony Touch, and was released on Duck Down Music.
Koolade also has a stream of instrumental EP's, singels and albums, genre wise ranging from beats, alternative hip-hop, electronic beats to future funk. Since 2016, he's been affiliated with a US label Blvnt Records. His music got picked up and played by many international podcasts and radio shows such as Soulection, Voyage Funktastique and WeFunk.
He also performs his music live, which includes live sampling, fx tweaking, playing bass lines, leads and talkbox.

Awards and recognition

In 2007, Los Angeles-based URB magazine named Koolade one of the top 100 best up-and-coming urban artists, alongside with artists like M.I.A. and Block Party.

Discography

TitleRelease TypeLabelYearFeatured SongsFeatured Artists
Koolade Presents...12" EP singleBlackout Entertainment/Wordplay2001Survival b/w Hate Me TooMasta Ace, Strick
Beautiful b/w Follow12" EP singleBlackout Entertainment/ABB2004Beautiful b/w FollowMasta Ace, El Da Sensei
Get Addicteddigital EP Blackout Entertainment / Foundation Media2009Get AddictedJ-Ro
You & Yours b/w Philly Morningdigital EP Blackout Entertainment / Foundation Media2010You & Yours b/w Philly MorningMaylay Sparks
The Makingsdigital EP Blackout Entertainment / Foundation Media2011The MakingsDiamond D, Sadat X
No More Musicdigital EP Blackout Entertainment / Foundation Media2011No More MusicStyles P
Beautifuldigital single re-releaseBlackout Entertainment / Foundation Media2011BeautifulMasta Ace
Koolade Beats Rockydigital LP Blackout Entertainment2012...Maylay Sparks, Peedi Crakk, Rasheeda B, Lovro Ravbar
All Round Phillydigital EP Blackout Entertainment / Foundation Media2012All Round Philly b/w First DatePeedi Crakk, Maylay Sparks, Rasheeda B
Walking on a Chancedigital EP Universal Music2012Walking on a ChanceZebra Dots
Walking on a ChanceLP Universal Music2012...Zebra Dots
Don't Trydigital EP Universal Music2013Don't Try original + remixesZebra Dots
Don't Try ft. SevdahBabydigital EP Universal Music2013Don't Try Sevdah Baby RemixZebra Dots, SevdahBaby
Outta My Mind/Pokvareni Telefondigital EP Universal Music2013Outta My Mind, Pokvareni TelefonZebra Dots
Koola od karatadigital LP Koolade Productions2014...Koolade
Juice Crew Special EP ft. Masta Ace & Craig Gdigital EP Koolade Productions / Blackout Entertainment Croatia / Foundation Media2014Love Crazy ft. Masta Ace & Strick, From The Soul ft. Craig GKoolade, Masta Ace, Craig G, Strick
Park St. EPdigital EP Koolade Productions / Blackout Entertainment Croatia / Foundation Media2015...Koolade
After The Storm EPdigital EP Koolade Productions / Blackout Entertainment Croatia / Foundation Media2015...Koolade
Fallin EPdigital EP Koolade Productions / Blackout Entertainment Croatia / Foundation Media2015...Koolade
Daze EPdigital EP Koolade Productions2015...Koolade
Swan Pond EPdigital EP Blvnt Records2015...Koolade
Pay Me What You Owe Medigital singleBlvnt Records2015Pay Me What You Owe Me Koolade and Ben Bada Boom
Greyscale EPdigital EP Koolade Productions2016Avalan, Feelings get hurtKoolade
Night Shifts EPdigital EP Blvnt Records2016Songs @ 2AM, Moon Thug, Nite Moth, The Lamp Lamp, Pod to Venus ft. Robot Orchestra, The Night shifts, Dawn YawnKoolade, Robot Orchestra
Say Nothing digital singleDuck Down Music2016Say NothingRah Digga, Sean Price, Tony Touch, Koolade
Eastern Lights EPdigital EP Blvnt Records2016Eastern Lights, Avenue Feel, Moving into LightKoolade
Od pješaka do raketedigital albumBassivity Digital2016...Burky x Geralt iz Rivije x Koolade
Swag Bag EPdigital EP Blvnt Records2016Took off, Gimme a MinuteKoolade
Kune i Dinaridigital singleAristokrat Music2016Geralt iz Rivije, Kendi, Koolade
Živim po svoem ft. Žugi & Riđi Riđ digital singleGeralt iz Rivije / Koolade Productions2017Geralt iz Rivije, Koolade, Žugi, Riđi Riđ
Papirni avionialbum Aristokrat Music2017Kendi, Koolade, Wikluh Sky, Nensi
Jarundigital singleKoolade Productions2017Sinke Fresh, Burky, Koolade
Bistadigital singleGeralt iz Rivije / Koolade Productions2017Geralt iz Rivije, Koolade
Nodigital albumKoolade Productions2018AAY, In a Dream, Kooloma Rinolade, Lotus Blossom, NO, Rainstorm, Tzar Hun, Straight Talk, Come up a StarRinoma, Koolade
Purple Orangedigital albumBlvnt Records2018Purple Intro, Let's use Hands now, Stalling, Reminisce Sunshine, Purple Orange, Orange Peel, Walk Away, December, Purple OutroKoolade
Goodlifedigital singleKoolade Productions2018Geralt iz Rivije, Koolade
Palmviewdigital singleKoolade Productions2018Koolade
NASAdigital singleKoolade Productions2018Koolade
Can I kick It ft. Tibordigital singleKoolade Productions2019Tibor, Koolade
Benchesdigital albumKoolade Productions2019Benches, Liquidated, Bring You Flowers, A Bird called Bossa, Thumpin' in a Daaze, How We used to, One for AlanKoolade
Crewzenalbum / digital / physical Koolade Productions2019JRN Anthem, Mirage, Sunset Crush, Crewzen, Shades of Gold, Jalibu, Malibu, Zonin', Dippin', Finale Koolade, Dust, Sinke Fresh, James Perri, Gorica Šutić
Crewzen Pt.2album / digital / physical Koolade Productions2019Low Ride, Delorean Bounce, Dippin' Pt.2, Baby Blue, Kadillaxx, Ridin' OutKoolade

Croatian & regional production credits