As NEH’MIND continues to tear up the charts since it’s release, we thought we’d catch up with Oobergeek and talk about his feature on Krizz Kaliko’s “Gumbo”. During the interview we also touched base on what it’s like to be related to the KC King himself, Tech N9ne, his musical influences, new projects to be on the look out for and more!

Check it all out down below, and keep an eye and an ear out for this guy, you’re about to see/hear a whole lot more of him!

How did your feature on “Gumbo” come about?

I was actually at Krizz Kaliko’s house and he was playin’ some beats for me and – you know that feeling when you hear a nice beat like, “Woah, uh, dang!”, and he had seen how I reacted do it and it was on from there.

How does being Tech N9ne’s cousin affect you musically? Does it make it easier or harder to get gigs or to collaborate with notable artists at all?

Yeah it’s definitely an advantage when Tech N9ne is your cousin. I mean, sometimes you might be looked at as a dark artist – which I’m not, that’s his own thing – but it’s a good thing being related to Tech. I love it and I’m gonna take advantage of it, I’m gonna take advantage of all them! [Laughs]

Was Krizz Kaliko around a lot while you were growing up?

Actually, I met Krizz in 1999. That’s when they was performing at the old [Chapman Recording Studio] that was downtown and I met him there and he was a cool cat and ever since then we’ve been family.

Does being so comfortable with Krizz make it easier for y’all to collaborate?

Oh yeah, he’ll tell me the subject of the song and I’ll already be on it, cause I spent so much time around him. He’s also helped me develop into of the artist I am today, so we work well together.

I gotta ask, is there any talk of you being signed to Strange Music?

I dunno! As far as that goes if they want me to be signed to Strange Music then I’ll be there but right now, I dunno, I’m just taking things one day at a time.

Word. Now I read that you’ve been going to school for audio engineering and music production. What do you think of the musical direction that Krizz has been taking latey with the more soul & doo-wop influences?

I love it all, really everything that everyone on Strange Music is doing right now. Especially with these EP releases, just keeping their fans busy with great music. I just love it all, everything they’re doing.

I also saw on Twitter that you’ve been looking for new books to read. Do you have a favorite book or novel?

My favorite book to read is The Autobiography of Malcom X. I read it when I was real young, my mom had forced me to read it when I was like in third grade, but I’m starting to read it again with a better understanding of how life works and yeah, it’s really interesting.

What would you say are your most prominent musical influences?

I look up to the 90s hip hop. Basically the music that was around when I was not old enough to really understand. A Tribe Called Quest, Wu-Tang, Brand Nubian – just all them. I look back into that music and it was really thought provoking and really enlightening and I love it. And of course Tech N9ne!

Of course! Do you have any upcoming projects that fans can look forward to?

Yes! I’m actually going to meet up with a producer named Seven.

Oh shit!

Yeah man, we about to do an EP, we about to come out with some songs. I read some verses off to him a while back and he was like, “Aw yeah I got somethin’ crazy to go with that!”

Dope! You got me excited! How about a Krizz Kaliko feature on the next project, can we expect one of those?

I dunno! I gotta see if he’ll fit on there. Most artists just put the biggest names on their song just to hype ’em up or whatever but… I just gotta feel him on there. I gotta hear him on there and feel it, you can’t force nothin’ – but I’d definitely be down to work with Krizz on my next project.

-Interview conducted by Brent Bradley, Strange Music Social Media Dept.

Click here to grab your copy of Krizz Kaliko’s NEH’MIND!

• Have you heard Neh’Mind yet? What’s your favorite track?
• Are you excited to hear an Oobergeek/Seven EP?

Let us know in the comments section below!