[Cokah](https://www.instagram.com/cokah_/?hl=en) is a fierce, bad bitch rapper from Brooklyn, New York, here to change the narrative for female artists altogether. When it comes to her creativity and art, she delivers in all facets of her life: from singing to acting to songwriting to dancing to poetry… a literal artist. Describing herself as “a little struggling girl out of Brooklyn with a big dream,” the sky’s the limit when it comes to her artistry.
Getting her start doing poetry at a young age, Cokah soon turned her rhymes into raps as her peers quickly caught on to her talents. In 2013, one of her freestyle videos went viral on her Facebook page—and the rest was history. Fast forward 4 years, in 2017, Cokah became the only female finalist in Kevin Liles’ Freestyle 50 competition, amongst elites such as Tee Grizzley and Redman. One year later, she signed a development deal with famed producer Jerry Wonda, going on to release her debut EP aptly titled _Pink Pantha_.
Flaunt caught up with Cokah via Zoom, to discuss her biggest influences, love for poetry, advice from Jerry Wonda, working with Billy Ray Cyrus, the inspo behind her EP, love for fashion, running her own business, best encounter with a fan, and more!
**Biggest influences coming up?**
Drake of course, I love Nicki, Missy, Luda, Eve, Biggie, Lauryn Hill, Queen Latifah. Those are my bops. I especially love Drake though.
**What’s your favorite Drake song?**
“Marvins Room” or “Shot For Me,” that’s what puts me in my bag. And “Trust Issues” definitely.
**Bring us back to when you were making poems.**
I actually first started getting into the rap scene through poetry. We used to compete in high school with little poetry slams. My band was big on some poetry shit. One took place in the auditorium in front of a big audience, I ended up winning. My first time speaking in front of the people and Boom! I won the competition. Ever since then, Confidence kicks in..okay this is the thing. My brother said “you should turn it into music,” I said “ehh, I don’t know about that.” He said “and make a video,” I said “a video?! You’re crazy.” I made my actual rap, posted a video and it went viral. That’s my first movement, my first shift.
**What song was it?**
I turned one of my first poems into a rap, on a Meek Mill instrumental called “Tony Story.” I put it on there, my first time spitting and doing it in front of people. I did a little video. I wasn’t getting that many likes on my Facebook, like 20 likes. Okay, my school friends might dig it. It grew to 13K shares and 20K likes. Coming from 100 likes, whoa. It was a dope experience. The internet took it by storm, I continued to do that and it worked for me.
**Was that the point you realized you could do music for a living?**
I always loved music. My dad used to be a musician in Jamaica. He’s always playing music around the house, always singing around the house. That’s our Saturdays and Sundays: cleaning, singing, dancing, rapping, that was it. I’ve always been around music, but poetry definitely lead into my actual love for it.
**What was the inspiration behind your name?**
My real last name’s Coke, that’s where it derived from. I had so many different names before, people would call me KCo, Kasey, Keyana Coke, that’s my real name. It’s a family thing, they’d always call me Cokah. “Why don’t you call yourself Cokah?” It stuck with me since I was young, might as well make it me. My family came up with that in the studio one day: “keep your damn name, stop trying to switch it.” \[laughs\] “Be you, can’t run from it.”
**Why’d you name your EP, _Pink Pantha_?**
It’s my favorite movie, I wanted it to have that bad gal, sultry vibe. When you think of panthers, you think fierce. But when you think pink, you think soft. I wanted those 2 to collide. I love the movie, so it fit.
**What do you like about the movie?**
Bey was in there, I love Beyoncé. The main guy’s funny as hell, I’ve loved him since _Cheaper By The Dozen._ He’s too dope. I loved how they put it together. I loved the theme, I loved how he was. “The hamburger!”, that’s my favorite part. I loved how he incorporated the actual pink panther, the animation. It was dope, I love it. I love everything about that movie.
**What is it you want fans to get from this project?**
I want them to get confidence. I know it sounds corny and generic but I want them to realize if I could do it or get it done, you could get it done. I want you to always be in the mood to bump me. If you’re feeling sad, there’s a song for that. If you’re feeling happy, there’s a song for that. If you’re feeling F this!, there’s a song for that. Always a vibe, set the tone. A place to go when you’re in the mood for something nice and right.
**Who or what inspired “Make Me Wanna”?**
I made “Make Me Wanna” in the Booga Basement, that’s where Lauryn Hill, Wyclef Jean, Akon, everybody used to go kick it at in New Jersey. Part 2 the Studio, not the original one. I work with this producer, her name’s Cruz. I wanted a Caribbean song. I’m fiending to get in contact with my roots, come out with a song that’s vibey. She got on, started doing her thing. I started singing to it, we started vibing and boom. That was 2 or 3 years ago, I finally came out with it.
**What is it you want fans to get from your story?**
I want them to know it’s not all pink glitz and glam, it’s really some hard work that gets done behind the scenes. Waking up going to Platinum Sound for sessions, vibing out at "Wonda/Land" known as the house of production to brainstorm ideas with my team. I want the fans to understand my personality, which I’m going to start putting myself out there. Make them see my daily grind more so they can catch my vibe. I know looking at somebody through Instagram, you get a whole different narrative about that person. It’s really not easy, I’m not playing around with it. I’m not doing all this shit these other girls are doing to get to where they gotta go, I’m putting in the hard work and prayer. I want them to understand me better. Once you understand something, you mess with it more. I have fans in London, Tokyo, Jamaica, Amsterdam & all over. They love Hip Hop and our culture so my platform is on a global scale.
**Best piece of advice Jerry Wonda has given you?**
That every beat is yours. One time I first got signed here, I didn’t want to rap on this beat. I said it out loud: “I’m not really rocking with this beat.” He took me outside and said “don’t you ever say you don’t rock with beats, every beat is for you. Even if you don’t like it, find a way to make that beat for you.” Ever since then, I’ve gotten on anything that’s been put in my face. Country, I did a song with Billy Ray Cyrus. We do rock, Spanish music, reggae, hip-hop, rap, all types of different perspectives on the music vibe. Him telling me that made me more confident in jumping on anything, even if I don’t really like it. When you rep Brooklyn, rep New York it’s a whole different vibe.
**How’s working with Billy Ray Cyrus? That’s legendary.**
He’s so damn dope! He showed me so much love. He’s so touching, such a God-fearing man. He’s very motivating. His energy’s unmatched, he’s so humble. If you ever see that movie "Lost in Translation" sometimes you just come from 2 different worlds but you meet somewhere and something just clicks. For me and Billy Ray that was our organic music connection. The vibe was right. Oh and big shout out to Damon Elliot for his vision and believing in me.
**How important is social media for your career?**
If you’re trying to be a somebody, social media’s really important. It’s a way to connect with the whole world by one click of a button, why wouldn’t that shit be important? I can be sitting here and somebody’s playing my song in Africa, it’s very vital to be present on the Internet. I can create a whole new business just off of instagram giving your fans new content, new products, always delivering. Never take that long of a disappearing act because people don’t like that. The tool of marketing and social media is needed in this world.
**Do you write or freestyle?**
I write and freestyle, but mostly I’m a writer.
**What inspires you the most?**
My future self, because I really want the best for her. I really want her to be a dope, wealthy, educated, well thought out chick. Manifesting my life, trying to work towards what I really want in my life is what motivates me. Not the materialistic things because anybody can have a little Gucci or Louis, it’s about where I want my mind to be. I want to stay consistent within the music industry. I don’t want to be a one and done, I want to have longevity.
**3 things you need in the studio?**
A blanket, I'm always cold. I have one right here, I be freezing! A spliff, and some Casamigos to get me in the mood. A little shot.
**What would you be doing if you weren’t doing music?**
Doing what I’m doing right now girl, I have a lip gloss business going. Definitely would be dibbling and dabbling in them stocks more. I do nails, I did my own nails, I’d be working on trying to open my own beauty shop. I’m always making sure I’m getting to the bag no matter what. I dropped out of school for this, I dropped my day job for this, so this is my life. Either way we’re going to make it baby, whatever it is we're doing. Get up everyday sunrise to sunset work until the job gets done.
**What’s your love for fashion?**
I love fashion. I’m not that type of shorty that needs designer shit to feel like a baddie. I’ll put together ones and twos, make it look like a hundred. Fashion goes a long way. Fashion isn’t about designer, it’s about the look. It’s how you make it rock. I love to look nice, I love to smell nice, I love to feel nice. Right now I'm rocking with black owned businesses, a big supporter of women entrepreneurs, there’s crazy talented dope designers in Brooklyn and honestly I'm going to keep it underground and bring back that unique style New York City & Hip Hop is known for.
**Talk about the fire merch you have.**
I have shirts coming, sweaters coming. I have a lipgloss line coming, rolling trays, grinders, and some glasses. Cokah is about to expand the empire.
**Best encounter you had with a fan?**
One time I was in Kings Plaza Mall with my best friend, I had this fan follow us around the whole mall rapping my freestyle. I wasn’t even making real songs at the time. \[laughs\] Straight doing freestyles on Facebook. She followed us around Forever 21, rapping my shit. So amazing to me because it’s my first encounter with a die-hard, ready to go fan. Also one time in Miami, I was mad far. She ran up to me while I was on a date and asked for some pictures. I’m like oh wow, even in Miami okay! It's great for people to know I'm approachable and I appreciate them. I may not be able to hug you with the corona going on but just know Cokah loves her fans.
**What can we look forward to next?**
I’m about to drop a record called “Boom Boom Boom” produced by Benny Wond3r and Jerry Wonda, with a music video I directed. Add that to my resume now, I’m a director. I have a project coming as a collective at the peak of the year, starting January. Wonda Music/Empire. Ready or Not here we come.
.webp)
.webp)
