Chris Coolout Hawkins's Profile

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Chris Coolout Hawkins

88, Male
Chicago

Hometown:

Chicago

Relationship Status:

Married

About Me:

Coolout recalls his quest to become a music producer began when he was growing up. "Me and my brother would imitate The Jackson Five in the living room and entertain the family. We'd have on our Sunday clothes, and we'd have sticks as mic stand, and we'd be doing it!" At age 10 he began playing the keyboard by ear, giving himself lessons in department stores while his mom shopped. "She always knew where to find me…that's why, for Christmas that year she bought me my first keyboard!"

At age 18, this DJ, emcee, and novice beat maker formed the 90's era rap group Spalaney's, which was also one of the founding members of Chicago's west suburban crew Elements of Nature. The group went on to showcases for Giant/Warner Bros., E.M.I., and performed at the A.S.C.A.P Music showcase in Los Angeles. They also toured with DJ Quik, rocked a show at Prince's Glam Slam nightclub in Minneapolis, and had their song 'Universal Language' featured on the now classic "Talent Fest Compilation" on Beathole Records. It was to be the first nationally distributed compilation out of Chicago.

By the end of the decade Coolout took his experience as a performer-producer-lyricist and teamed up with Amina, a hometown emcee/poet who was by this time, beginning to organize and network local artists. Together they would form Urbanized Music (a production & songwriting crew). In addition to producing tracks and performing with his crew, Coolout has also been in the studio producing songs with some of Chicago's premier underground artists including fellow Urbanized Music members Amina, Absolute Ikon, Mario, and Tree 13; Kevin Coval (Def Poetry Jam poet, educator, activist); Maintain (Waste Management Records); as well as Poetree Chicago (featuring Chairman Fred Hampton Jr.), Idris Goodwin, Jrunk Unklz, LT Dilla, Profound, Presence, Spo, and a host of others.

Coolout is also vice president and co-founder of Chicago Hip-Hop Initiative, a not-for profit community development organization. In 2003 C.H.I. presented and championed the passage of a resolution to declare July as the official Chicago Hip-Hop Heritage month.

Having worked with and mentored some of Chicago's hottest, he vows to raise the bar, and set trends for upcoming generations of hip-hop producers. With a creative range is as broad and as diverse as the people who find pleasure in his music, Coolout Chris will, without a doubt, become the hottest new ticket for mass appeal.

Website:

www.urbanizedmusic.com

Favorite TV Shows: