Starbuks and his label Cofey Houze Entertainment aim to give the Northwest music scene a full energy boost. “I’m trying to help the Northwest movement grow and let people know that we’re serious,” he says. “There’s talent out here.” Starbuks recently released his debut album Side Up, featuring the single “AK State of Mind” which will soon be accompanied by a video. As for the talent in his camp, Starbuks says, “We’re not trying to be the hardest, most gangsta niggas. We’re just trying to work harder.” In order to stay ahead of the competition, Cofey House is involved in numerous projects, including Starbuks’ sophomore LP Meeting Mr. Cofey and Sluggz’ solo album Pressure Makes Perfect. Mr. Cofey also has a unique concept project titled Throw Away Muzik, a digital mixtape in which one track is released via the internet every week for eight weeks. Over the years, Starbuks has worked and performed with artists like Cool Nutz, Goldie Loc, Scarface, Devin The Dude, Yukmouth, and Too Short. He’s also obtained production from Mr. Johnson, who is most known for scoring the Beef series on BET. And he’s not stopping there. “We’re not weekend rappers – people that rap on Friday, Saturday, or whenever there’s a show,” he concludes. “For us, this is every day.” Don’t let his name fool you. Jak Frost is heating up Alaska. Starting out with the rap group AK 49erz in Anchorage, Jak and the 49erz built a foundation with their first project, The Gold Rush. Keeping with the gold rush theme, the group released a second album titled The Prospect, which solidified their buzz in the scene. “We started big doing shows and getting fans. We were making it cool for people to say they’re from Alaska,” he remembers. “We’d do shows and everyone was screaming ‘907.’ That’s when I knew this was it for me.” Once he realized he had a genuine impact on listeners, Jak went full force with his career. In 2007, Jak put out a solo project alongside his group efforts, and he also has his sophomore album on deck for 2009. As CEO of Cold Blooded Musiq, Jak works closely with his cousin Baydilla, who promotes parties and provides plenty of local performance opportunities. He and his crew have opened for artists like Young Buck, Young Dro, Lil Scrappy and several others, which in turn opened many doors for him outside of the city. Now with a reputation for reppin’ Alaska, Jak Frost’s movement is snowballing state to state.
As the owner of OG Entertainment, Biggbody is experienced in all facets of being an artist. As an engineer, he runs a successful studio in Anchorage, AK. Aiming to be the best, he’s labeled as the go-to guy for quality sound. “When I got out of jail I wanted to start a business. I started a studio to cater to the Hip Hop crowd out here,” he says. “Now I’m known as the guy in town that helps people step their game up.” As a producer, Biggbody is a skilled instrumentalist that prides himself on playing the guitar, saxophone, piano, and keyboard. Recently earning respect as an artist as well, the OG front man released his album, BiggBody II, which earned several nominations at the 2008 Alaska Hip Hop Awards – Album of the Year, Producer of the Year, Song of the Year, Favorite Studio, and Best New Rapper. Running a studio and a label has allowed Biggbody the chance to work with many individuals and he wants the rest of the nation to know his state has something to offer. “There’s some incredible producers and artists coming out of Alaska, and OG Entertainment is definitely a part of that,” he summarizes.
Rapper Scoe almost didn’t make it to age 19. A few days before his birthday celebration began, he was shot twice in his back. But that didn’t stop him, and three days later he was back on the streets rapping and drinking. “Shit, I left the hospital and got right back to it,” he recalls. “I was drinking and everything when I wasn’t suppose to because of the antibiotics I was on.” But that same “right back at it” attitude has now transformed into a more positive direction, helping build his work ethic in the studio. Scoe and labelmate All Day are working on their collaborative mixtape Ham Volume 1. He’s also putting together his solo debut, and his newest single “Stop and Go” featuring Mistah FAB is heating up Alaska nightclubs. Words by Ms. Rivercity & Jeevan Brown
PATIENTLY WAITING: ALASKA 50 // OZONE MAG