The members of The Cool Kids met in 2005 when Reed found a beat on the internet that Ingersoll had produced. The two met to discuss terms of the beat's sale, and eventually ended up recording for two hours. They were inspired by hip hop in the 1980s and artists like Eric B. & Rakim. Ingersoll began promoting the new duo's material, and it was eventually booked by Josh Young of Flosstradamus for a DJ performance. At this performance (in a venue called Town Hall Pub), the duo met the electronic musician Diplo who offered to release a mixtape of their unreleased tracks titled Totally Flossed Out on his label Mad Decent, though it was eventually released on C.A.K.E. Recordings. They also received an offer from the DJ A-Trak to sign to his Fool's Gold label, which they did, but only for one single.
Up until recently, all material had been released solely on the band's MySpace page—their recording contract came after performances at the CMJ Music Festival and Pitchfork Music Festival, on July 15, 2007. Eventually, The Cool Kids signed to Chocolate Industries, another independent label, which had previously been the label of rapper Lady Sovereign. Ingersoll has been the producer for tracks released thus far, but both work in rapping and production.
They have been and currently are on tour, opening for M.I.A. One of the duo's singles, Black Mags, is featured in a late 2007 Rhapsody TV commercial, along with Sara Bareilles. In the same year, the group collaborated with Lil' Wayne and DJ Benzi through the internet on a track entitled Gettin' It, which will reportedly appear on the DJ's future album "Get Right." The band has been featured in the video game "NBA Live 08" with the song 88, and they have been featured in the video game "NBA 2K9 with the song 2k pennies, and in the episode "The First Cut Is the Deepest" from HBO's TV series Entourage with the song I Rock. They were listed in Rolling Stone's Ten Artists to Watch in 2008.
Their debut LP, When Fish Ride Bicycles, was released on July 12, 2011.
On April 25, 2015, member Mikey Rocks took to Twitter to address the consistent questions about a possible reunion, saying they were "never coming back."
What It Is
The Cool Kids Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Uh.
Yup.
[Chuck:]
Yo mike!
[Mikey:]
I'm just chilling like a villain.
Grindin daily.
Cause I can't get a 9 to 5.
So I rhyme, I rock.
Ya dig?
You don't it's cool.
I take ya to school.
That's what I do.
Yo Chuck!
[Chuck:]
I-I-I Rock.
If you don't think so.
Then nigga kick rocks.
With the time on the clocks.
Da boom on box. You like us?
Homie that's hard-wash.
Boom-box on my shoulder.
And she started walking over.
Like yo.
Looked me up and down.
If looks could kill.
Then she'd be in jail.
[Mikey:]
Well I hope you got the keys.
She got me as well.
I don't wanna let her out.
Cause she is I'll.
[Chuck:]
Um, but I get iller.
Freeze, now take my picture.
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
[Mikey:]
I got a 5.0 GT that is.
Drop top roof.
With the Dayton's on the wheels.
Got bass in the back.
Back to the front.
I can hit a switch.
Make the trunk lift up.
Let me hop in.
Let me lace my kicks.
Then flip the Sidekick.
Peek my options go down the list.
Like mmm... Not that one.
Maybe tomorrow but that's after.
I find out just what shes after.
If it's dough then she gotta get gone.
She never get a call.
Like broken phones.
[Chuck:]
And I suppose that she gonna call me.
I take her and her I'll take all three.
But the truck that I'm in only got two seats
And I'm in one.
So you know what that means.
[Mikey:]
That means it's decision time.
Hop in the women line.
If it's 9, I'm takin' 7UP
Like lemon lime.
To the penthouse.
So it's two left fa you chuck
[Chuck:]
I ain't got no penthouse.
[Mikey:]
We party on the rooftops.
Brand new Blazers.
That came from Malaysia.
Grab your turntable and smack the DJ up.
If he don't play us
We rock it till the AM.
So you niggas better wake up.
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
Yeah. (Comon.) Yup. (Comon.)
The Cool Kids' "What It Is" is a nostalgic ode to the golden era of hip-hop, with a smooth and laidback flow. The song begins with Mikey's verse, where he intros his daily routine, a life filled with hard work and music, the fruits of his labor. He then proceeds to take a girl to school, showing her how he makes things happen, promising her a good time, all while staying true to his passion – hip-hop. Chuck picks up where Mikey left off, with a boastful verse, rapping about his sense of cool and his dope boom-box. A girl is then drawn to Chuck's cool and swagger, as he freezes her for her approval.
The second verse finds Mikey rapping about his ride, a GT drop-top with Daytons on the wheels, where he can switch things up with his bass system. He raps about his decision-making when it comes to the opposite sex and how he can lead them on. Chuck jumps into the verse to show how he can handle his own and that he's the man. The song ends with an optimistic message as the duo invites the listener to party until the AM and to wake up to their smooth vibes.
Overall, "What It Is" is a song that captures the essence of hip-hop, where one can show their cool, individuality, and swag, all while pursuing their passion.
Line by Line Meaning
Yo mike!
Chuck greets Mikey
What it is yo?
Mikey responds to Chuck's greeting, asking how he's doing
I'm just chilling like a villain.
Mikey is relaxing comfortably without any worries
Grindin daily.
Mikey is constantly working hard towards his goals
Cause I can't get a 9 to 5.
Mikey is unable to find steady employment
So I rhyme, I rock.
Mikey turns to his passion for music to make a living
Ya dig?
Mikey checks if Chuck understands what he means
You don't it's cool.
Mikey is fine with Chuck not understanding
I take ya to school.
Mikey is willing to teach Chuck
I-I-I Rock.
Chuck confidently states that he 'rocks'
If you don't think so.
Chuck challenges anyone who disagrees
Then nigga kick rocks.
Chuck is dismissive of those who don't value his skills
Da boom on box.
Chuck refers to his boombox or sound system
You like us?
Chuck asks if the listener enjoys their music
Homie that's hard-wash.
Chuck thinks highly of their music
Boom-box on my shoulder.
Chuck is carrying his music equipment on his shoulder
And she started walking over.
A woman begins to approach Chuck
Like yo.
The woman starts talking to Chuck
Looked me up and down.
The woman is checking Chuck out
If looks could kill.
The woman's gaze is intense
Then she'd be in jail.
The woman's intense gaze could be considered a crime
Well I hope you got the keys.
Mikey hopes Chuck has a way to leave with the woman
She got me as well.
Mikey is also interested in the woman
I don't wanna let her out.
Mikey doesn't want the woman to leave
Cause she is I'll.
Mikey thinks the woman is attractive
Um, but I get iller.
Chuck thinks he's better than Mikey or the woman
Freeze, now take my picture.
Chuck wants someone to capture how cool he looks
I got a 5.0 GT that is.
Mikey has a car with a 5.0 GT engine
Drop top roof.
Mikey's car has a removable roof
With the Dayton's on the wheels.
Mikey's car has Dayton rims
Got bass in the back.
Mikey's car has a powerful audio system
Back to the front.
Mikey's car audio is powerful both in the back and front
I can hit a switch.
Mikey has a control in his car for his audio system
Make the trunk lift up.
Mikey can make the trunk of his car raise up
Let me hop in.
Mikey is ready to get into his car
Let me lace my kicks.
Mikey puts on his shoes
Then flip the Sidekick.
Mikey turns on his Sidekick phone
Peek my options go down the list.
Mikey looks through his phone's options
Like mmm... Not that one.
Mikey doesn't want to select a particular option
Maybe tomorrow but that's after.
Mikey plans to deal with something later
I find out just what shes after.
Mikey wants to know what the woman wants
If it's dough then she gotta get gone.
If the woman is only after money, Mikey doesn't want her around
She never get a call.
If the woman is only after money, she won't receive a call from Mikey
Like broken phones.
When a phone is broken, it can't receive calls
And I suppose that she gonna call me.
Chuck thinks the woman is interested in him
I take her and her I'll take all three.
Chuck wants to be with the woman and her friends
But the truck that I'm in only got two seats
Chuck's vehicle only has room for two people
And I'm in one.
Chuck is taking up one of the two seats
So you know what that means.
There's no room for the woman or her friends
That means it's decision time.
Chuck has to make a decision
Hop in the women line.
Chuck has several women to choose from
If it's 9, I'm takin' 7UP
Chuck prefers a lighter drink, specifically 7UP
Like lemon lime.
7UP has a lemon lime flavor
To the penthouse.
Chuck goes to an upscale apartment
So it's two left fa you chuck
Only two women are left to choose from
We party on the rooftops.
Chuck and Mikey party on rooftops
Brand new Blazers.
Chuck is wearing new Nike Blazers sneakers
That came from Malaysia.
Chuck's sneakers are of foreign origin
Grab your turntable and smack the DJ up.
Chuck wants people to dance to their music
If he don't play us
If the DJ doesn't play their music, he'll face consequences
We rock it till the AM.
Chuck and Mikey keep playing music until the morning
So you niggas better wake up.
Chuck wants people to pay attention to their music
Lyrics © Warner Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: EARNEST LINDSEY JR REED
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Noah Duncan
The N.E.R.D/ Pharrell influence is crazy on this track
Paisano92
You and beastie boys would be a dope collab for a track oweeee
西谷 聡志
Midnight Club : Los Angeles！
The Cool Kidsの中で1番好きな曲名！
Hongo Haruhisa
THE COOL KIDS
Barry Gause
If looks could kill then she'd be in jail
Chuckleberry Sneed
YEAH
YUP
YEAH
YUP
mari gold
Midnight Club!
VoidMaster101
now take my picture
faisal.s.k 500
midnight club la
goat
MIDNIGHT CLUB LA