thePULSEBringing The Edge Back
By Jillian Locke, Music Editor
When life is tough and you feel as though you’ve hit rock bottom, it’s all about perspective and gratitude ~ especially for hip-hop veteran DannyBoy O’Connor, former second emcee, hype man, and graphic artist for 90s badass Irish white boys rap conglomerate House of Pain. These days, DannyBoy and his former hip-hop brothers have banded back together to bring the hip-hop scene what it’s been salivating for…I proudly introduce you to La Coka Nostra.
“Gratitude is 100%,” says DannyBoy, who, at 40 years old, looks back at the life he used to live, and the life he couldn’t appreciate more. “My life during House of Pain was like a really good movie that I watched, and would have to watch again to really remember everything that happened.”
Life certainly presented its own set of unique trials and tribulations, and for Danny Boy, the downward spiral was extreme. “I’m four years sober now,” he states proudly. “I used to be huge into crystal meth, sitting on my couch, feeling sorry for myself.” But when life’s got you down, the only way to go is up…up…and up. “Once House of Pain split up, we all went our separate ways. It took a lot of growing up on all our parts, but it’s all water under the bridge now.”
Comprised of Mr. White (House of Pain, Everlast), Slaine (Special Teamz), Ill Bill (Non-Phixion), and DJ Lethal (Limp Bizkit), La Coka Nostra is bringing back the old school, edgy, original hip hop that kids who loved House of Pain will devour now, as adults. “Back then there was a danger to that music ~ parents didn’t want to hear it in the house and the cops would pull you over if they heard it blasting from your car,” DannyBoy reflects. “The edge is gone, and the political aspect of rap has gone down. The good news about us is that it’s allowed us to go outside the niche of House of Pain; we were very pigeon-holed for a time, which is what ultimately separated us. With La Coka Nostra, we all have a vested interested in doing this just to feel that feeling again. We’re not doing it for the paycheck; we’re doing it because we’re all enamored by the way it’s going down around us.”
With guest appearances from such hip hop heavyweights as Snoop Dogg, B-Real, Big Left and Sen Dog (Cypress Hill), Sick Jacken (Psycho Realm), Bun B (UGK), and Q-Unique & Immortal Technique, La Coka Nostra is delivering the dirtiest, rawest, back-to-basics thug-hop that kids young and old will eat the hell up.
On July 18th at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, witness the phenomenon that is Rock The Bells, featuring La Coka Nostra, House of Pain, Ice Cube, Busta Rhymes, Nas, Damian Marley, Tech N9ne, the Roots, Big Boi, Common, and more.
“We’re really fortunate – to see these guys come back and do the old stuff. It strengthens everybody…in this collective, there are lots of chiefs and no Indians ~ I feel honored to be a part of it.”
Check out their debut release, A Brand You Can Trust, on Suburban Noize Recording, on July 14th.
Nice, sooo nice! good cover brother! I have been waiting for this album feels like forever! Its going to hit hard and no one will no what it was! These dudes pack so much heat and rhymes it so unpredictable and its just what we have been needin! Thanks man ! PURE COKA!