Ever wonder what it’s like to watch an artist at work? Look no further than this video we stumbled upon of Cognito in the studio with Krizz Kaliko and Chapman engineer Robert Rebeck recording the song “Born 2 Be Fly” from Cognito’s Strange Music debut Automatic. In the video, Cognito gives a shout out and then directs the camera to the Genius himself in the vocal booth. Click here or watch below to see the clip.

Cognito in lab recording “Born To Be Fly” w/ Krizz Kaliko

COGNITO | MySpace Music Videos

Cognito took the time to chat on the phone with DJ Pimp of Xplosive Magazine for a three-part interview. The interview has been recently posted but apparently took place long before the release of Automatic, given that he refers to the album in future tense (as well as Tech N9ne’s K.O.D. Tour). Cognito discusses how his deal came about on Strange, collaborations with artists on the label for Automatic, his stellar reputation for live performances, his plans for the future and also fields questions submitted from fans. Click the following links or watch below to listen to the entire interview: Part One, Part Two, Part Three.

During his time in Los Angeles on The Strange Days Tour, Cognito had a chance to sit down with ChopperHead Magazine for a video interview. Cognito discusses how he was signed, his home the Bay Area, his love of motorcycles, and his approach to making music. It’s a good interview with a friendly rapport. Click here or watch below to check it out.

Strange Music cohorts Tech N9ne and Cognito were featured on Wyoming’s news station K2TV during their time in Casper on the Strange Days Tour. The two conducted an interview with weekend anchor Neema Vedadi on the Strange Days tour bus. Tech N9ne discusses the benefits of being on an independent label, stating “the major labels kept wanting me to be somebody else and I cannot be anybody else–I must be myself.” Tech N9ne gives advice to those watching: “You have to celebrate life, ’cause people are trying to blow this place up over money, you know what I’m saying? So you have to tell the people you love, you love them.”

Cognito is introduced and talks about ”Outcast”, the first single from his his Strange Music album-debut Automatic. The spirit of the single is definitely under the independent train of thought, as it isn’t your typical dance-and-party number. Cognito explains the message of the song and who he wrote it for: “For other fans and kids out there, that might be an Outcast like I was growing up–that didn’t have that kind of recognition or weren’t noticed as much. [It] brings me joy when we do a show like in Wyoming, or Denver, or Seattle, wherever we go to where they’re singing it and when they come up and tell me that this has touched them that much–that means more to me and that’s basically what makes my life complete.”  Cognito adds his advice for the audience: “Look, you can be poor, broke, black, white–it doesn’t matter what you are–if you want to do it, go get it.”

Click here or watch below for the full story.

Cognito’s long awaited Strange Music debut Automatic is now available in stores and on iTunes. Automatic features appearances by Tech N9ne, Brotha Lynch Hung, B-Legit, Krizz Kaliko, Kutt Calhoun, Big Scoob, Stevie Stone, and Cait La Def. The first single “Outcast”  features a music video available on YouTube. Purchase your copy from The Strange Music Online Store, at your local retailer, or on iTunes.

4/20/10

The music video for Cognito’s debut single “Outcast” from his Strange Music debut, Automatic, has hit the web. Directed by Dan Hedman (director of the Brotha Lynch Hung video trilogy) of Liquid 9, the video features Cognito in an Independence, Missouri junkyard over imagery of pictures of him and his grandfather. The shoot was done during the coldest day of the year so far. Cognito, being from California, probably had a little getting used to when it came to the seven-degree-weather, but after coming this far, did you really think that would stop him from making a dope video?  Check it out here or watch below.

Check out some of the behind-the-scenes photos taken during the “Outcast” music video shoot!

Cognito's music featured in "Dead Tone" Movie

The new movie Dead Tone, a horror flick presented by Flavor Flav, features a few tracks by Cognito! Check out the trailer!

Cognito, the newest artist to join the Strange Music label, took the time to answer your questions posted on the Strange Music forums. Cognito talked about his recent experience on the K.O.D. Tour, what to expect from his Strange Music debut release Automatic, and about how he got the chance to be signed by Strange Music.  Take a look at part 1 and part 2 of the Q & A videos and submit your questions at the forums on therealCognito.com!