When musicians & performing artist from all across the globe are looking for a particular sound for their recordings, there is one voice that must be considered “Kokane”/ “Jerry B Long.”
Kokane, also known as Jerry B. Long, Jr., was born 1969, in Bronx, New York. When he was still a baby he moved to California, where he was raised in the city of Pomona. Though Kokane had been involved with the West Coast rap scene since the dawn of gangsta rap, Kokane’s life has always included music. He is the son of Motown composer “Jerry B Long, Sr.”, who’s works include: “Just My Imagination” sung by the “Temptations”, “Still Waters Run Deep”, Smiling Faces”, “Papa Was A Rolling Stone” & many more.
With his father being one of the original writers/composer/musician for Motown Records, Jerry Jr. had spent a lot of time with him in the studio. So at an early age he was engaged in the art of sound, which had led him to embrace his natural talents for music. He began to build his craft & style, listening to the old school funk of the 70s. During his school years he won numerous talent shows, he was top student in drama club and acted in many plays. Jerry Jr. had found a comfort in performing on stage.
Growing up as kid he dealt with the hardships and social ills of poverty and the life of violence, but continued to stay focused and stay away from trouble. He began his career as a vocalist in the mid-1980s as rap was first appearing in his native Los Angeles before eventually signing to Eazy-E’s Ruthless Records label at the end of 1989. He adopted his stage name “Kokane” which was given to him by his cousin (Hutch aka Cold 187), of the legendary rap group Above the Law. The name “Kokane (which has no reference or similar spelling to the drug cocaine, and as a matter of fact (Kokane) is a name of a river in Kebbi State, Nigeria, Africa)” is a representation of how dope & addictive his sound is to the ear.
https://soundcloud.com/kokane-aka-jbl/sets/kokane-shut-da-f-up-cut-da
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