They’re from Chicago, but when it comes to hip-hop, they’re all over the map. And that’s a very good thing.
And now, Ernest “Tuo” Clark and Marcos “Kosine” Palacios, better known as the hip-hop songwriting/producing/hitmaking duo Da Internz, are awaiting the results of their latest Grammy Award nod for producing the Nicki Minaj hit song “Anaconda.” The song is about a subject matter dear to their hearts: butts.
To put it bluntly, 2014 was “the year of the ass” for Da Internz, a badge they proudly wear. They’re also the producing duo behind Rihanna’s 2011 megahit “Birthday Cake” and Big Sean’s “Dance (A$$).
In a recent interview with Spin.com, Kosine explained it thusly: “There is a very healthy way to be an ass connoisseur and respect the power of the ass. You don’t abuse the power. We just know how to make that ass shake when we need to. That’s it.”
The duo spoke to the Sun-Times recently about their Grammy nomination for best rap song and making music their way.
Where were you when you got the news about the Grammy nomination?
TUO: I was in the car driving and got the call.
KOSINE: I was in a restaurant. We’ve been nominated before. But this is the biggest one, because it’s the rap song of the year.
You’re both from the Chicago area. Tell me about your early lives here, high school, college — all the fun stuff that helped shape who you are.
KOSINE: I’m from Maywood and Broadview. I went to high school at St. Joseph High School in Westchester. I was into music big time. I won the Louis B. Armstrong jazz award at the school then went to Florida A&M University in Tallahassee and majored in music. Then I transferred to to Columbia College in Chicago and graduated with a 4.0 average. For two years I worked as a professor at Columbia teaching my own customized class in hip-hop beatmaking and another class in music production. You know, there’s so much we do in the studio that we don’t learn in school. All the beatmaking stuff, man, we were doing that in my mother’s basement when we were making mixtapes there. So I used all my cylinders to develop the curriculum for the classes.
TUO: I’m from Harvey and Chicago. I grew up there and went to Thornton Township High School. We met as college interns back in 2003.
What was Chicago’s hip-hop scene like when you guys started out?
KOSINE: To me, Kanye was starting to blow up “The Blueprint” with Jay Z. It really made me start thinking ‘This s— is possible.” Kanye’s story was so regular. He was regular Chicago guy. Kanye, for some reason, really got the Chicago scene going. … Rhymefest was a guest speaker at my class. In those early days we were looking up to those guys. For us to be here 10 years later, with a best rap song nomination, is inspirational because it’s part of a huge dream.
TUO: For me it wasn’t so much the golden years. The music was so segregated and spread out at the time. You had Kanye and Lupe [Fiasco] and Bump J.
You’re now L.A.-based. What was the process of getting out there, to the West Coast rap scene?
TUO: We moved out to L.A. around mid-2005. All the way up to the present we were flying back and forth between L.A. and Chicago. We were getting a feel for the hip-hop scene in L.A., going into the major labels. Around 2007 we had the opportunity to go out there and work for an indie label and we were actually offered salaries! But even with that, for nine months we were still packing bags and going back and forth because the rent is so expensive out here [in L.A.]. We finally just decided to move out here full time and the rest is history. It took us four years to achieve steady income out there and make the move permanent.
Was L.A.’s hip-hop scene welcoming to two guys from Chicago?
KOSINE: It wasn’t an outward welcoming thing. L.A. is all about the music business, and you gotta have a hit to get noticed. You got a hit, you’re welcomed. I was born to live in Hollywood. Tu was “Mr. South Side.” “Mr. Harvey, Illinois.” [Laughs] He was not about leaving Chicago. We were on a plane arguing about it even as we were deciding to move out there.
Fast forward — how did you get to producing “Anaconda”?
KOSINE: [Laughing] It was God’s mercy! God got us to Nicki’s butt! She’s very tough. And she sat right there with us and we worked together. It’s very intense and very exciting to work with her.
TUO: She called and it was perfect timing. It’s our second album with her.
So 2014 is seen in some music circles as the year of the ass. You guys had a lot to do with that. Why continue to make music about the derriere?
KOSINE: [Laughs] Da Internz do not chase the ass. The ass has been chasing us! We just make good music. It’s these songwriters and the ladies that won’t stop shaking their ass to our music. We didn’t ask Rihanna to name [her hit song] “Birthday Cake.” We know how to make the ass shake.
TUO: I definitely agree.
You worked on Usher’s upcoming album. Any word on that?
KOSINE: We’re not done working on an album till it’s in stores. Other artists working with other producers are part of the mix on Usher’s album. Nothing is guaranteed for Da Internz. We have to hope the songs we produced and wrote with Usher make the final cut. We have to hope and pray our music is strong enough.
What’s the songwriting process like for the two of you?
TUO: There’s no one definition of the writing process for us. The process is based on the vibe. We can be writing on the way to the airport. Kosine makes it up in the middle of the night. Then he says, hey come in to the studio tomorrow!
KOSINE: At this point we know how to achieve whatever we want to achieve sonically in the studio. So we’re more about talking about what we’re gonna do. That’s way more important than being in the studio doing it.
What advice would you give to up-and-coming Chicago rappers?
TUO: The most important thing to remember is that you can do it. You can make it. When you’re in a city where there’s not a lot of industry but a lot of talent, you gotta get out there and just roll the dice and have faith. Don’t look for anyone to say, “Hey, you sound dope. I want to sign you.” It will only happen through hard work.
KOSINE: I’m just sick to my stomach of everyone blaming other people; blaming life, blaming mommy and daddy. Michael Jackson had it right: the man in the mirror. Just get out there and work on your music. Learn an instrument. Take the time to educate yourself in music. One thing we do in the studio is we research. Our songs result from tons of research. The key is to study. The schooling should never stop. The “earning what you want in life” should never stop. Music is art. A song is no different from a movie. Hip-hop is violent, it has a lot of strong messages in it. If that’s not your kind of art, then don’t mess with it. If you do like it, support it and work with it.
What do you guys think of Chief Keef and the new Chicago school of hip-hop?
KOSINE: I salute Chief Keef. He’s part of the young culture right now, and expressing that Chicago music scene now: the killings and the shootings, the flashing and the guns. Everybody’s got their own perspective on life.
TUO: One thing I can say about the culture in Chicago now: [Chief] is explaining the story in his way. One thing I want to say to parents is that nobody takes a gun to your head and forces you to listen to music. If you choose to listen to the music and participate in the culture and lifestyle, that’s your choice. There’s all kinds of flavors out there. Just depends which one you want to drink in.
Editor’s note: The Grammy Awards will be handed out on Feb. 8.
