Coco Solid Shares Mixtape 'COKES' For Waitangi Day

If a new single from Auckland-based rapper Coco Solid aka Jessica Hansell is an event, then a whole new mixtape from the artist is cause for celebration. Hansell has dropped a powerful new collection of tunes for Waitangi Day titled COKES, her first since 2011's Pacific Rims, with an all-star lineup of guest producers featuring Big Fat Raro, Yumgod, Lilstiffy, Haz Beats, Detroit's Filthiest, Jizmatron and Party For One. A multidisciplinary artist of Māori, Samoan, and German descent, Coco Solid's output encompasses music, writing, comics, mentoring, television (check out her fabulous animated show Aroha Bridge), and much more. Written and produced over a six year period, each track on the mixtape showcases a different aspect of Hansell's formidably diverse talents. Coco Solid generously took time out from a hectic schedule to reflect on the ideas surrounding COKES, read her words below and listen up to the twelve-song collection via the artist's website HERE. [UPDATE: you can now also hear it via Soundcloud below]

"I think that there's no umbrella theme (with 'COKES') but if I look back with a macro lens at all of my work, and everything I've ever done In any medium, I'm inclined to say sovereignty is usually the enduring idea. That's probably why I felt compelled to put it out on Waitangi Day, because that's the day when my sovereignty is always disrespected as a Māori person. I would say each track, they all have completely different energy, completely different people, different styles. But for me personally everything I do in the process and in the outcome of the work, that seems to be the idea that never really goes away. Me having a say and control of my work and my life.

(The artwork is by) Pati Solomona Tyrell. He is a photographer and artist and performer and one of the co-founders of FAFSWAG. We have been friends for a while and FAFSWAG has a lot of creative input into this record because a lot of collective members are featured on it. I just told him where I was at with the record. What it was about, what I hoped to achieve and I really loved that he interpreted me in that way, it was actually quite empowering. I think when people take your photo, it's a lottery. Especially if you're a woman you just don't know what they're going to project on to you.

I felt he totally got the kaupapa, and then we were both talking about the Parental Advisory (warning), because it is pretty explicit, the record. I was like "I want to have a Māori warning for the aunties who might accidentally listen, to tell them not to." It all just came together and I was really happy because he got me on that Tekken bonus character kind of look. I didn't know that was a dream of mine until I saw the 'achievement unlocked' tone of it."

Coco Solid is hosting a 'COKES' listening party tonight at Auckland's Golden Dawn Tavern.