Life hits us all differently; we take different paths, we share in the experience; sometimes we find strength in others, but we must also learn to rely on our own ability to pull ourselves through. Along we way we find the power of expression and individuality, channeled through various means but each avenue distinctively vital. The work of Portland rapper/producer Cosmo Problems is autobiographical; the songs visualize real-life experiences and insights, reflecting its creator’s doubts, realisations and truth. Premiering below is ‘Conversations‘—a collaboration with Los Angeles-based soul singer Lostboycrow; in the track the duo create a humbling dialogue that mixes R&B flavor with hip-hop bars.
Speaking of the song’s creation, Cosmo reveals: “I think ‘Conversations’ is the kind of song that comes about when two long time friends get together and make music. One of the things that brings Lostboycrow and myself together as artists is our reverence for the artists’ journey and a duty to safeguard what is sacred — love, humility, curiosity, doubt, beauty, pain.
“The collaboration began at a close friend’s wedding, when I showed Lostboycrow a poem I had written to the score of the film American Beauty, he was inspired to add to it and the lyrics all came together that weekend.”
‘Conversations’ is the first taste of Cosmo’s self-made and self-produced debut album, FauxReal. Scheduled for release in early June, the record’s creation required active and sure commitment from the artist to reach fruition, “Making this album, FauxReal, was intense. In the middle of the three year span of production, I parted ways with my producer and decided to compose, record and mix the entire album myself from limited production knowledge to a completed state.“
Cosmo continues: “The majority of existing songs, including ‘Conversations,’ had to be destroyed and made anew to sound distinctly different from the previous producer while retaining their original magic.
“FauxReal tells a single cohesive story about the real-life experiences and insights of an everyday guy trying to overcome doubt and depression by drawing difficult conclusions from the contrasting forces of the world around him. I chose track 14, ‘Conversations’ as a single, because it represents the clarity that comes as a result of the struggle in the 13 songs before it, and I felt like the best thing that could happen from this album would be to have listeners revel in the joy of transformation even if they didn’t struggle with me.”
You can exclusively stream ‘Conversations’ below, alongside its roll out on streaming platforms today.
