Search - Michael Cooper :: Are We Cool

Are We Cool

Sheila Chadwick | Indiana | 08/23/2004

(5 out of 5 stars)

""Hello Sheila, Michael Cooper here." Yeah, it was just that simple. I sent my plans to interview one of the baddest Brotha's in the industry into the universe and thanks to my girl Makeda and fate, so it was. Mr. Michael Cooper is a triple threat who has written some of the funkiest songs and hottest lyrics to date. He's a force behind a force, the kind that has contributed so much that most of what he's touched, you probably don't even know about. Well, I know one thing. Being on the other end of the phone with the driver of "Love's Train" was a ride that I will never forget.



I had the pleasure of a Q & A session with Michael and it was as reminiscent of sitting around, chillin' and as my Daddy use to say "Chewin' the fat" about all `dat. So I coped a squat on the edge of my bed, with a pen and pad in hand, phone hanging between my ear and my shoulder and I learned about Michael the writer, Michael the singer, Michael the musician, and Michael the family man.



On July 27th, 2004, he will drop "Are We Cool" on the Thump R&B Classics label and to say that it's hot is an understatement. I was privileged enough to receive an advanced copy (brushing my shoulders off and poppin' my collar) and I have not taken this CD out of my player yet. Since I Had You, Steppin' To A Love Song, Remember L.O.V.E. and the title track, Are We Cool are just some of the titles of his fifth solo project.



This effort is traditional Michael in that it is engaged with love and romance however; it shows a more mature side of love. He serenaded me with the testimonial track Marry Me Again. He sang, "If I fall on my knee and ask you on the 6th of 10, would you marry me again?" Shoot I didn't the first time but in my head I was like "Hell yeah". He sounded so good. Michael's voice is as clear and strong as it was in his years of singing all of those hits with Con Funk Shun. I used that great moment to ask him what his status is and how he balances family life and work life. "I've been married for 17 years." He replied. " All of my kids are grown and gone so my wife and I have plenty of time to chill with our kids and grandkids as well as with each other. We are able to deal with the ups and downs due to maturity. Most folks under 40 are still out there, per se. I'm content and very happy". This came through so clear in our conversation. He's just an all around nice guy.



"Michael" I asked "What challenges did you encounter while recording this cd?" My guess would have been "none" because the songs flow so well together but he shared that he made an effort, lyrically speaking, to not go too shallow at this stage of his career but also, not to go to deep into political affairs. "I've found my niche and I pay tribute to what Michael Cooper has done in his career."



I thought that "Are we cool" was an interesting title to a cd and when asked how he came up with it, he said "After writing the title track and then moving onto the others, Gino [Blackmale] and I kept saying "So are we cool?" and after a while, it just stuck. Aside from the hot lyrics and music, Michael surprises us with a guitar solo in the song. "I was trying to make arrangements with another popular player when I was told "why don't you just play it yourself" and it clicked and made a whole lot of sense so I rolled with it." Had he not told me that, I would have easily thought it was George Benson, Jonathan Butler or Norman Brown.



I wasn't surprised that Michael graced us with another project but what I was surprised by was Thump Record's decision to create a R&B classics label with acts such as Michael Cooper, Ready For The World, and Val Watson of Club Nouveau just to name a few. "This was created out of concerns for building a platform for the classic R&B sound" he explained. "The focus is on what those mature artists are doing today." Although I (SheShe) am elated about the idea, I am concerned about how much these talented artists will be received. I love some hip hop but it's no secret that it came in and basically killed what we have grown to know and love about R&B music. With that, I asked Michael about his opinion of the state of radio today and how they won't play folks songs. "It's all so political" he said. "When you sell yourself out, there goes your artistry. I don't record what a new school person wants to play or hear. I stay true to myself." I was so happy to hear him say that as I do believe that is the key, along with us supporting these acts by purchasing their products. Our purchases = Sales = Company Backing = Radio Play = More Sales = More Company Support = Success and so back around the cycle.



The one question that I was dying to ask him was who invented the Awweeeeeeeee. We've heard Sugafoot of the Ohio Players do his thing. Larry Blackman of Cameo and Larry Dotson of the Barkays have their rendition and then there's Michael who can Awweeeeeeeee with the best of em. "I patterned my up-tempo style from Sugafoot and Maurice White [Earth Wind & Fire] and my style of singing ballads is influenced by Teddy Pendergrass and Ray Charles." We all know that Sugafoot is in a class all by himself but I asked Michael if there is competition between Con Funk Shun, Cameo and The Barkays. "Competition is plain too late" he says. "Back in the day, yeah it was there but now, I think it's safe to say that we all are just glad still have our talents and to be working."



Are we cool he asks? Oh yeah, Michael, we are beyond cool and so is this project. I have a feeling that this is only the beginning of what Mr. Cooper has in stored for us and I don't know about you, but I look forward to every bit of it. Please support our Brotha Michael by getting that CD. Trust me, it's worth every penny. Look for him on a solo tour as well as with Con Funk Shun at a city near you."