Welcome To WunderLAnd

Back in the days when Myspace was the place to connect and post music, hip hop nerds were only equated with “Urkel” and Carlton from “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” The Cool Kids, Mikey Rock and Chuck Inglish were already on a roll. Their music was featured in movies, TV and commercials along with articles in major publications such as Rolling Stone and the New York Times. What appeared to be the best of times, was actually not remotely so as they’d realize they signed a bad deal and the first million dollars the duo earned was essentially stolen from them by people they knew. Mikey and Chuck had no choice but to lace up their Timberlands and grow from “lard hard” lessons learned.

While there is new music on the horizon for The Cool Kids, one half of the duo, Chuck Inglish, connected with The Urban Buzz, for his installment of the “Buzz Five.”

How I Got Started:

In 2006, I broke my ankle skateboarding in college and starting to spend time with music and became obsessed with it. I was a mediocre student because I focused on beats, not books. I learned to play five instruments during my recovery, had time to get my plan in order and so I could rep my culture correctly.

I started out behind the scenes as a producer not a rapper. I met Mikey, we formed the Cool Kids and primarily worked as a production duo. We’d only heard rap from the hood and since we were suburban nerds, thought nobody wanted to hear us. By the time I told my mom I was not going back to school, I was already on tour with MIA and being heard in an amazing way.

Musical Influences:

Kashif is the only person that changed my life through his sound. He created a funky R&B sound that is timeless. I wish I could sound like him. He was next level and it seems like his recent passing or his body of work isn’t properly recognized. He had to stop the music and write a book on how to not get f***ed by the industry to educate a generation. In my opinion, his music is not to be sampled, it is to be listened to.

I idolize Raphael Saadiq. Even back to the Tony Toni Tone days, he was ahead of the game! I also listen to Soundgarden and the Red Hot Chili Peppers who made me realize I wanted music as a career.

Even though I was raised by both parents, there are certain songs that raised me like Alicia Myers’, I Wanna Thank You and Brainstorm’s You Put A Charge In My Life.

I wish I could talk to Bob Marley about simplicity in the music that made him that good. He’d leave me speechless.

I had a rare opportunity to sit with Quincy Jones at an event and I asked him about his 90’s classic “Secret Garden.” His response was so deep, I had to hold my head to absorb everything he poured into me. I am always a student. I am not just here to make music but I am also here to listen.

What’s Next For Chuck Inglish?

I want to take the records I have been cultivating for the past year and morph them into a hip hop version of Stevie Wonder’s “Hotter Than July and then The Cool Kids will drop a new album.

What’s next for me immediately is my new record, “WunderLAnd.” This project started when I was in Texas at a party with very diverse crowd. The DJ put a Future beat under a Tejano beat and it was beyond lit! I went home, recreated it and decided to take it to another level. Less than two weeks later, Trinidad James called me, I told him about it and what I wanted to do, sang the song over the phone and the result is “WunderLAnd.”   He is one of a small group that is fearless when comes to music. In the song, we sound like a modern-day Rod Stewart and Seal!!!

Chuck Inglish’s “WunderLAnd” featuring Trinidad James has a worldwide premier via Apple Beats Music, tomorrow, October 19, 2016 at 6:30pm(EST) on the E-bro Show. For the most current info, follow him @Chuckisdope.

Trinidad James

Words To Live By

The most toxic recipe is to do things that you do not want to. Stay true and don’t chase trends. There was a progressive moment in music from the 70’s through the 90’s that is gone and my purpose is to bring it back. People do not care about physical music and there has to be a day soon, when it means something again.

I won’t ever retire. I will not atrophy- it sounds like death to me. I have a mission to complete…..stay tuned.