ColdHard Hard
By Sunceree R.
Still Delivering Hard Ass Rhymes
Destructively
By Sunceree R. If you are a true fan of hip-hop then you already know Cold Hard of the group Crucial Conflict of “Hay” fame. If not, let’s take it back to the West Side of Chicago during the early 1980s when the Vice Lord gang ruled the neighborhoods. Here we find a young man, who despite his great upbringing, found himself being influenced by the opulent cars, designer clothes, and large stacks of money the pimps, drug dealers, and gangsters flashed around the hood. When you are raised and live in an underprivileged area, constantly seeing the finer things, can certainly spark a desire to obtain those things.. “You were gonna be a few things in my neighborhood...a pimp, a drug dealer, or a gang banger, those were all the options you had left to come up in my neighborhood.” In the case of Cold Hard, he chose to get those things through unscrupulous means, in other words, robbing and stealing. He was taken under the wing of high ranking Vice Lord Willie Lloyd, who taught him “the game.” He smoked marijuana daily and perfected his craft of criminal mischief. This in turn led Cold Hard to incarceration, but was released at 19. Fresh out, Cold Hard started hitting the house party scene in an area of Chicago referred to as “K-Town.” He had given himself the moniker “Cold Hard-Courageous One Lord Delivering Hard Ass Rhymes Destructively” to set himself apart from other MCs and to bring attention to his flow. There he met up with his neighborhood buddies, Kilo, Wild Style, and Never, where they would battle and rock the underground parties. Deciding that the wicked ways of the streets was not his calling, Cold Hard formed the group Crucial Conflict with his boys. They rocked all local scenes but set their sights on bigger things. While shopping for labels they visited Death Row Records in Los Angeles. Sitting in the parking lot, smoking on “Cali Dodo” the guys brainstormed and wrote their 1996 smash hit, “Hay.” From there their fame spread and they were signed to Palace Records. But this story does not end here as a happy ever after fairytale, it ends as many do for hardworking, aspiring artists, in turmoil. After breakout fame, 7 years of grinding, Billboard chart tops, and
3.5 million records sold, Cold Hard and the rest of the group found themselves under promoted, under paid, and locked into a bad contract with their record label. The guys pressed on and continued to tour the United States, Asia, and Eastern Europe, all while trying to be released from their contract. Cold and his fellow group member continued to work as a group but also pursued individual pursuits
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His new album, “The Party Animals” is all about igniting fun all over the world and is due out in late May.
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as well. They dropped the album Planet Crucon on indie label Buckwild Records, worked on solo albums, and took time for family and spiritual needs. Cold began filming “The Chronicles of Cold Hard” on YouTube, made an internet miniseries about Chicago called “The Block Diaries,” and mentoring his son Lil Cold that is following in his Dad’s MC footsteps. He has recently performed on the Midwest Legends Tour with Bone Thugs N Harmony, Da Brat, Twista, and Do or Die, had an April 1st performance with Too Short, and will soon be promoting “The Party Animals” with Crucial Conflict. “Love is what pushes me to do music.” Even after a bum record deal Cold still strives to have fun and make music with the same passion as when he was 19. His new album, “The Party Animals” is all about igniting fun all over the world and is due out in late May. With over 20 years in the industry Cold still smokes regularly to relax and have fun. He agrees that Veterans and disabled should be able to use cannabis as their treatment alternatives because he saw firsthand how it comforted his father who battled diabetes, suffered a leg amputation, and died in 2005. From him, he learned about the lighter side of life and to always have fun and enjoy yourself, and that desire is what keeps Cold Hard delivering destructive rhymes. @CruConColdHard, CrucialConflictChicago Where Where the the grass grass isis ALWAYS ALWAYS GREENER GREENER on on the the other other side side
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