Coolzey

With Po Ivey $12ADV / $15DOS It sounds strange to say, but the idea of a white dude from the Midwest starting a hip-hop label doesn't even seem that unique anymore ever since Atmosphere turned Rhymesayers Entertainment into an emo-rap empire. The latest MC and would-be label mogul from America's heartland is Iowa City, Iowa's Coolzey, and his Public School Records imprint. Coolzey's lyrics are what you might expect from an MC who grew up in rural Iowa — funny tales of Coolzey's superiority on the mic, his distaste for sucka MCs, and his affinity for weed and psychedelics. With a diverse list of collaborators that includes Brand Nubian alum Sadat X and Iowa troubadour William Elliott Whitmore, Coolzey has already made an impression on fellow musicians with his homemade beats and lyrical dexterity. Bru Lei, the wordplay driven Ohio rapper rounds out the bill with support from local artist Po Ivey.