The Jew Spot

I have to ask the obvious question. How did you come up with your stage name Kosha Dillz? And what were some of the other names for consideration?

Kosha Dillz was originally KOSHER DILL. It was a name that stuck with me back in the day when I was rapping with my boy in high school. But, I got to say, I didn't have so much support when I wasn't rapping good at the time. I went through big drug phases and what not and figured I'd be someone else.

I've become KD FLOW, but my nickname was actually "islam." Ram Matan is my first and middle name, so once people thought I was "rammadan," they just switched it to "islam." Hence there birthed the Zionist rapper! Haha! Isn't that funny. At one point Kosha Dillz was "islam."

Anyway, I got back to Kosha Dillz, the essense of my name, after I sobered up and got a new start.

How much would you say being Jewish influences your music? Or has it been more the other way around that music has influenced how Jewish you are?

Wow, that is a great question. I must say that being Jewish makes me rap about Jewish stuff. I mean I am Kosha Dillz. So let me think...ummm...my music has actually influenced me to be "more Jewish" specifically in levels of observance.

I actually pursue more knowledge in my music because my fans demand it. It's unfortunate to say I am pretty insecure with lots of things about Judaism, but the good thing is I continue to push forward. You can check me rocking the yarmulke on many occasions on stage. Many times, I'll also be rocking a fresh one on the streets.

The thing I notice is that everyone points fingers in this game of entertainment. Life in entertainment. At the end of the day, my path in each will help me be more comfortable with myself, and that energy will transfer to the crowd and they shall experience it. Hope that's not to emo for you. In this case, I guess you can call it "Jew-mo."

What type of message are you trying to send with your music, your style, your name, etc.?

I try to bring the fun outside your insides. Although my music might not be dance music, it doesn't mean you can't dance. I wanna show G-d through my music. I want to show stuggle through my music. Personal message is how I interact -- through lyrics and the beat.

Many Jewish artists seem to put the fact that they're Jewish in the backburner. But you pride yourself as being Jewish. Did you always have that pride and why is it important for you to showcase it?

Pride is what it's all about. It's the initial part of what one man Baruch and I discussed at yeshiva. He said that yeshiva is the bread. It is the backbone. I personally disagreed. I feel "pride" is this thing you have in Judaism. I mean, I didn't know anything about anything. I was just proud.

Then all of a sudden you go to Israel and you regain all this pride after seeing your history. You see Masada and the Dead Sea and Jerusalem. But check it out...

I was always the only Jewish person in Rap battles. I was always against the odds in many situations. I'm not sure what I needed, but I always loved saying I was Jewish. Some people would think calling me "a Jew" is derogatory. Me, I personally like it because that's what I am.

I loved the fact that my record label was self-released and it charted on college radio and it was so ill to see Kosha Dillz above everybody else. People must've been reading the charts and they were like..."Whats this Jewish Kosha matzah thing with the pickles?"

The social value of my name is the truth. It's a tough name to roll with so you gotta be nice. Ask Wu Tang. Ask Ghostface. Ask anybody in the rap game. My name sticks in people's mouths one way or another. I want people to know that they can be cool, kick ass, be somebody and still represent. You know how many Jews come up to me in the middle of nowhere America after seeing me perform? They don't say, "Hey, I'm Jewish!" They whisper it in my ear.

I just rocked Christmas Eve with SHi 360 and Subliminal and all of Tact in Brooklyn NYC. Five hundred kids were waving flags and loved being Jews. It was a good feeling to finally get the pride back 100%.

It's something I've always envied in Blacks, Irish, and Italians. There is a lot of pride evident in these cultures. They stick together with closed fists. Jews? We used to do that more before. We stick together but are very quiet a midst other circles. Someone has to step up . Someone has to be a voice. I am one of the only Zionist figures in Hip Hop. It's not always comfortabale. I guess we got to get comfortable wit not being comfortable.

one love
kosha dillz
cool as a cucumber!

PS. Look for my album with C RAYZ WALZ in April entitled "Freestyle Vs Written" on Modular Moods. I also got an E-book dropping at the same time! Also check me on the spare change tour with Roebus One in 40 cities across the USA this February and March!

Shout out to Kentron da Mastadon and Nate the Great Greenberg! My Jewish lawyer M-Eighty! Y love and Dj handler...go cop "This is babylon" in April too!

http://www.koshadillzmusic.com/
www.myspace.com/koshadillzinyomouf
www.myspace.com/crayzwalz
www.myspace.com/freestylevswritten
http://www.modularmoods.com/
http://www.shemspeed.com/

Like what you've read? Check out more on Kosha Dillz in the links above. Feel you know someone as cool as Kosha Dillz who should be on this site? Email me at FindMyJewSpot@gmail.com.