Aaron Cohen Thinks He’s The Best Rapper In Seattle | Interview

Aaron Cohen is a rapper many know from the internet. He’s toured the US and Europe multiple times, made a name in New York, and been featured on every hip-hop platform from Complex to Noisey, but in his hometown of Seattle, he isn’t quite yet a household name.

His record ‘206‘ with Sam Lachow was a HIT on our site. That was one of the last singles we have heard since his ‘Off The Ground’ project released last year (the title track on that slaps). ‘206’ was followed up with the hype ‘D.E.N.Y,’ a turnt up banger produced by Brakebill.

Today we premiere a new record ’24,’ dedicated to one our region’s most iconic individuals, Ken Griffey Jr. Much like Ken Griffey is baseball’s Michael Jordan, Cohen thinks of himself as the gawd 23 of Seattle’s hip-hop scene. Okay maybe he didn’t go that far, but in talking with him about his music and career, he mentioned he believes he’s the best rapper in the town.

Aaron Cohen – 24 (Prod. by Kemal)

“’24, 24 I’m the motherfucking kid” 

Check out our interview with Cohen below where we talk Europe, Seattle, and his music. Young artists around the town can definitely find inspiration that there is plenty to gain outside of your local scene as well as outside of your home country.

Respect My Region Interviews Aaron Cohen

Q. RMR – What’s up man? I know you just got back from being in Europe for a few months, how was that?

A. Aaron Cohen – Europe was amazing honestly. Just to be able to go out there and perform in like 15 different cities is amazing to me. The fact that good crowds were coming out to my shows and showing a lot of love, made it that much better. So many different opportunities kept coming up while I was there that I ended up extending my trip.

Q. You’ve been out there a few times. How did your music reach out there?

A. I don’t know if it was one specific incident. My music made it out there on the blogs and then kind of took off. I ended up getting a few big shows out there, then they started playing music videos on TV and some of my songs on the radio and things started moving. Funny story actually, a year or so ago, due to a technical difficulty at a TV station out there, one of my music videos (Why You Mad For) ended up playing on repeat for like two days straight haha. That definitely gave me a boost, you can’t pay for that kind of promo.

Q. How have they received the music compared to people back home?

A. Hmmm. I think that my music resonates with people of a similar mindset in the States and Europe.

Q. Originally from Seattle, you’ve lived out in New York for a while. Got music popping in Europe. Where do you call home?

A. Seattle’s home cause that’s where I’m from. But I’ve been in New York for a long time, so it’s home too really.

Q. Kemal produced ’24.’ You work with him a lot. How’d yall link up and what’s it like working together?

Q. You guys work in the studio a lot of send stuff back and forth?

A. Me and Kemal are part of the same crew called ICK. So we were pretty much teammates from the jump. But when we really started working together was when I broke up with my girlfriend and started crashing at his studio. Eventually, I just moved in and we split the rent on the studio. The studio was one tiny ass room, so there was nowhere to go and nothing to do except make music. We both pushed each other real hard to just constantly create. We both grew a lot artistically through that process. Me and Kemal never worked through email, it was always organic from scratch.

Q. How do you few the music scene in Seattle compared to New York?

A. They’re really different. New York’s music scene is a crazy mix of legendary rappers and all of these new rappers who come to New York from all over the world because it’s the mecca. Seattle has it’s own really creative scene where tons of bands have came out of. I see the Seattle rap scene as an extension of the rest of the scene, really independent and weird. There’s a certain Seattle vibe, that you have to see for yourself to really understand.

Q. Who do you consider the top rapper in the town?

A. Me.

Q. What else you got coming up?

A. I’ve got a show at Barboza on July 13th with some of the most original acts coming out of Seattle right now. And I’m not just saying that. That show is going to be the first date on my Summer tour. I’m hitting like 25-30 cities, a lot of them for the first time. So I’m mad excited for that, I love being on the road, meeting fans, that’s where I feel like I’m supposed to be right now.

(Cover photo by Bokeh Rang)

To stay up to date with all the latest hip-hop news, be sure to follow us on Facebook & Twitter.