William Cooper may be an unfamiliar name to some but it shouldn’t be. A vet in the hip hop game, Cooper gained the attention of many hip hop fans by being a member of the supergroup Black Market Militia. Teaming with Killah Priest, Hell Razah, Tragedy Khadafi & Timbo King, he created a critically acclaimed LP in their self titled Black Market Miltia. In 2009, it was time for Cooper to showcase his solo skills and he accomplished that with Beware of the Pale Horse. We got the chance to chop it up with the New Jersey emcee about his solo album, the origins of Black Market Milita, if we’ll see another BMM album & more. Hit the jump for your chance to know more about William Cooper
Introduce Yourself:
Peace, I go by the name William Cooper a.k.a. Booth…. I been in this game for almost 10 years now, though some folks are still just getting introduced to me and my work.
Where You Reppin:
I represent New Jerusalem (New Jersey) and I go hard for the people that want to see beyond the surface, the people who want to remove the blindfold.
Why the name William Cooper?
I took on the name William Cooper because I was greatly inspired by Milton William Cooper. He was a Conspiracy Theorist who wrote the book Behold a Pale Horse. If you never read this man’s book, do yourself a favor and take some time out to digest this material. It may even change the way you attack life day by day.
Who are your musical inspirations?
Stevie Wonder, Al Green, and The O’Jays are a few… MC’s would have to be Nas, Kool G Rap, AZ, and Cormega if I had to name a few…
Current projects readers should be looking for:
My debut solo record: Black Market Militia Presents… William Cooper “Beware of the Pale Horse” is in stores and online right now. It was released on October 20, 2009 and has been getting very positive reviews from all the big websites, blogs, and the people. I feel it is an extension of the Black Market Militia album. It gives the people a chance to step into the William Cooper chamber. The record has stellar production and features Kool G Rap, Killah Priest, Ill Bill, Nature, 9th Prince of Killarmy, Hell Razah, and Blue Raspberry.
Past projects readers should know about:
Everyone should of went out and copped our Black Market Militia debut record; which is a must have for any cd collection. Also Tragedy Khadafi’s “Still Reporting” album which I A&R’ed and handled the bulk of the production.
How did Black Market Militia come together?
Me and Tragedy was out at a Source Magazine party and I met Killah Priest there and we kicked it exchanged math and never stopped building ever since. The original Black Market Militia was Me, Trag, and Priest. Hell Razah and Timbo King was always in the studio with us and contributed some great material to the album to the point that they became membersof the group as well. Its one of the best times of my life. At that time we truely were a group and it comes across on that record. The chemistry was crazy.
Was it difficult to come into a group with established veterans like Killah Priest, Hell Razah, Timbo King & Tragedy Khadafi?
I wouldn’t have wanted it any other way, It forced me to really step up to the plate and go toe to toe with these Hip Hop Greats. I work great under pressure and working with all of them made me a better MC without a doubt. It was a great experience.
Will we ever see another Black Market Militia album?
BMM 2 will happen, Me and Priest actually started picking beats and did some recording for the new album. It may take some time because everyones schedule is real crazy now… But we will keep chipping away at it until we sculpt yet another Classic.
Before BMM, you were doing A&R work as well as producing. How did these opportunities materialize?
Well I was doing A&R work at Steve Rifkind’s LOUD RECORDS. At that time it was the home for acts like Big Pun, Wu-Tang Clan, Mobb Deep, Dead Prez, and 36Mafia to name a few. When Sony bought out the label I continue to A&R. I A&R’ed Trag’s “Still Reporting” which sold over 20,000 records and Starr Blazz’s “The Way of the Bullet” which charted on Bill Board.
If you had to pick one song that defines your career up to this date, what would it be?
That’s a real tough question. I would probably have to say “Beware of the Pale Horse” which is the title track on my album. It features Ill Bill and was produced by BP…Its one of my fav’s right now, but I seem to have a new fav every other week.
If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one album to listen to, what would it be?
That’s another tough question… It would probably have to be Mobb Deep’s “Murda Musik”… that is one of the best albums of all time.
What’s next for you?
Keeping busy recording new material for my next solo record and BMM2, then hitting the road with Killah Priest and DJ Notion to push both of our records…We plan on touring for about 3 months straight…I am really looking foward to rocking them stages with my brother Priest. Also you can hear me on 9th Prince’s new album “Revenge of the 9th Prince” on a song called “Sour Diesel” featuring me and Shyheim.
Any shout outs or last words?
Peace to KevinNottingham.com for always showing love…Everyone go out and support good Indie Hip-Hop and pick up my record on iTunes, Bestbuy.com, Amazon, FYE, or any other place music is sold. And if you are going to steal it by burning it off the Net, at least be gangster about it and steal it from the store because then the artist still gets credit for the sale…Peace
One Roll of the Dice
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Beware of the Pale Horse (Feat. Ill Bill of La Coka Nostra)
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American Gangsters (Feat. Kool G Rap)
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Dont sleep on Beware of the Pale Horse, very good album.
very good book too..
Tracks sound ok. Might check the album out. I must live under a rock because I’ve never heard of him. Thank goodness for the internet.
Yeah….BAPH book was enlightening to say the least. Read it back in 97.
One Roll is a banger! It sounds like he knows how to make a dope album since he helped assemble Still Reporting and he’s in Black Market Militia .
I LOVE his closing quote: “And if you are going to steal it by burning it off the Net, at least be gangster about it and steal it from the store because then the artist still gets credit for the sale” That’s some real shit right there! lol
Dope album – and like RoadsArt said – dope book too. For all of those who don’t have a clue, here’s what it’a all about: the real William Cooper is a former CIA agent and in his book he collects allegedly true copies of top secret documents that are meant to be proof of all kinds of conspiracy theories, from secret governments over aliens to AIDS
dope interview, This album is incredible, this and ob4ql2 are the 2 best of 2009, this record is like a movie, i play from bginning to end!!! “heaven” and “american gangsters” are the dopest, cd is off the chain, i co-sign