After featuring on Coolio's final track, Melbourne rapper Katija shares her top five experiences with the hip hop legend
Unexpectedly marking a posthumous release for one of the most successful rappers of his time, the single ‘Do You Want It’ by the legendary Coolio features Melbourne rap and pop artist Katija, is a cheeky yet dominant jam loaded with lashings of vivid sensuality.
Having been in motion prior to Coolio’s untimely passing, ‘Do You Want It’ dropped on October 28, as previously planned by both Coolio and Katija, arriving exactly one month since the world lost the pioneering rapper, producer and actor.
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Having met Coolio while he was in Melbourne, Katija’s fateful introduction inadvertently grew into creative and collaborative magic, with Coolio soon reaching out to Katija to feature on a new song he’d been working on.
“It was one of those times in life where the stars just aligned,” shares Katija of meeting and eventually working with Coolio.“I had just started working on my first few singles at Cosmic Bounce Records Studio’s in Brunswick with my talented producer, KB. Coolio was here in Melbourne for the Made In The 90s Tour and he was introduced to the studio by Scorpion Media who had met him behind the scenes at the Bliss N Esso concert where he performed Gangsta’s Paradise in February this year. Coolio had a creative itch to start writing music again, you could see it and feel it in his energy.”
A bittersweet last musical gift showcasing Coolio’s incomparable artistic talents, ‘Do You Want It‘ is unapologetically fun and fearless; a modern nod to the rap gods of old alongside an enigmatic showing from a magnetic Aussie artist. In honour of the legend and his single, we spoke to Katija, who shared her favourite experiences and memories with Coolio.
- Watching Coolio make his mic saber (yes that’s what he calls it like a lightsaber but for a microphone). One day I came into the studio and Coolio had been to Bunnings and had some sheet metal, fairy lights and a pair of scissors. He was making his own light up microphone cover and it was amazing. You can see it in all of his last few Instagram videos, the gold one. I love how creative he is and the fact that he likes to create all types of things, he was supposed to make me one next time he was in Aus in hot pink.
- Being on stage with Coolio at the Made in the 90’s tour. I was fortunate enough to spend time with Coolio travelling to and from the show in the car, hanging out in his Green Room and then getting up on stage with him for one of his songs. The whole evening was very wholesome and it was one of my favourite nights to date.
- Watching Coolio come up with lyrics to one of my songs. The first night when we met I was doing the video clip shoot for my first single Lullaby and Coolio was hanging out. While I was in the studio filming, Coolio was inspired to write and he wrote 2 verses to my song, it was such a cool experience to watch.
- Seeing the way Coolio interacts with his fans. This is something maybe not many people realise about him, but he ALWAYS has time for his fans. He will always stop and take a photo, strike a pose or have a chat with them and make them smile. It really shows his character and what a kind-hearted person he is.
- FaceTimes with Coolio were hilarious, he wasn’t the best with technology so getting FaceTime call was always a pleasant surprise. It was great to be able to see what he was doing and what he had been up to and share some funny moments. I am so sad now that I can’t pick up the phone and reach out to him, but I will cherish the memory.
‘Do You Want It’ is out now.
