The viral video for Cory Gunz “Simple as That” opens and closes with local news footage and commentary characterizing his borough, the Bronx, as the poorest district in America. His rhymes loyally stick to that script: “Fiends blow in my zone / No ice cream in our hoodies / but it’s some Snow in our Cones… / … I’m slow. Somebody say stop / that mean, you know / I’m bold. I’m Riddick Bowe on big show / on Skid Row, with flow / been Pro since kid though.”

Here is the bottom line with Cory Gunz. If you are a true admirer of Hip Hop music and appreciate carefully selected beats laced with true musicianship and cursive lyrics with articulate content – he’s the answer to most questions. Hear him out and you’re good. Fed and full. You’ve eaten. You downloaded young homie’s “Datz WTF I’m Talkin’ Bout” mixtape and been riding to that joint the last six months.

However, if you are a competitor at that craft - here to fight with friend in that field - the end of your career likely just pulled up, stepped out, sat down, and started saying sh!t you never would have even thought of. Now Cory’s a problem. The equation you can’t solve. Not good news. Got you second guessing your rap obsession; has you wanting a refund at iTunes for whoevers bullsh!t you just bought. Cory Gunz possesses arguably the most versatile delivery in rap. And after a couple setbacks he’s back to claim the seat you’re sitting at. ‘Cho a$$ up.

“Run off, Gun out / Gun off, Run out.” – Cory Gunz, Militia Gang

His poetry rolls of the tongue like dice tumbles onto the sidewalk off a hustlers hand outside a corner bodega in the dead of winter, hot wins and hard losses on frozen concrete. Soul on ice.

It’s become consistent fare from Cory, a 26-year-old Militia music maker birthed into the business by his father, Peter Gunz. Discovered as a tween prodigy by legendary music executive Tommy Mottola, quickly cosigned by Jay Z, next taking up deal-residence at Def Jam, and ultimately signed to the YMCMB family by Lil Wayne. The question often asked is this: why hasn’t Gunz popped off on the mainstream scene like many of his label-mates, namely Nicki Minaj, Drake and Tyga, particularly after such a successful guest-appearance on Wayne’s multi-platinum single “6 Foot 7”?

The short answer is… Life. The long excuse is 2012’s gun charge (for which Cory received probation). Somewhere in the middle is the Nick Cannon-produced reality series “Son of a Gun”, a brilliant career move which made Gunz a household name in cribs beyond the block. Collectively, this has paused Cory’s progress in some ways but also constructed a bigger building with harder bricks and, as heard recently, even more to rap about:

“I still ain’t got a license, yet / will I drive the nicest, yes / will I strive and fight what’s left / will I die a priceless death? / I’m coldhearted enough / I keep ice in this chest” - Cory Gunz, Voices in my Head

He possesses all the golden tools, iron techniques, and steel-willed resolve prerequisite to even apply for the nicest MC position: Lyrics, flow, delivery, content, obscure references to arcane urban folklore, multiple styles, a conscious pulse, street cred, dark sense of humor, wordplay, societal vantage point, undaunted self-awareness, commercial appeal, a hometown with Hip Hop history, emcee lineage, major label cosign, and the heart to bark at (bite and tear off, chew up and spit out) any dogs in his yard.

Little more than a week after Cory’s Young Money sister, fellow New Yorker Nicki Minaj, released her controversial convo trampoline “Lookin’ A$$ N!99a”, we were in Queens working to get her brother Gunz look just right. He sat down with our Brittany Smooch to spark up a DOPE discussion.

Written by Tone Swep

Interviewed by: Brittany Smooch

Images by: Corey Daniels

Styled by: Anthony Jackson

Creative Direction & MUA by: Eve Chen of Melange NYC

Location: Melange NYC, Queens, NY. February 24, 2014

Read the Full Length Interview

(Brittany: Smooch) There’s an ongoing discussion regarding New York Hip Hop as being back. With you, A$AP, French Montana, Joey Bada$$. What are your thoughts on that?

(Cory Gunz: Cory) I feel like it never left. Everybody gets their turn. Hip Hop is about growth and expression. The torch gets passed around every once in a blue moon. Everybody has their time. As long as its DOPE music and its hot, then it will go far. But as far as New York, I see it standing back up again. It’s rising back up to that platform. A lot of the artists you mentioned earlier, such as myself that’s from here born and raised, are trying to carry the torch and keep the sound popping.

(Smooch) What is your main focus now?

(Cory) Really, my focus is just turning it up. Bringing an authentic sound. Because when you say ‘bring New York back, it’s almost like you’re trying to resurrect the sound of the past. The past is the past basically. You can’t bring that back. But New York has an authentic sound now. Anybody who is genuinely from here, or anybody from anywhere, can identify with it.

(Smooch) I love it. So you came back hard with the “Datz WTF I’m Talkin’ ‘Bout” mixtape. But there’s this thinking that battle rappers and freestylers don’t make hit songs. But you do. So you’re changing that theory.

(Cory) Thank you. I appreciate that a lot. A lot of guys have that perception, like dudes who battle rap can’t make records. Or that some guys in the mainstream can’t come get in the battle ring, you know what I’m sayin’. But at the end of the day it’s all an art form. It’s up to you. It depends on what your versatility is. I grew up in a well-rounded Hip Hop household. I can battle. I can write songs. I can freestyle. I can do whatever I want.

(Smooch) Was there a specific audience you were trying to reach with “Do Something” and “Get Touched”?

(Cory) Those are really just me coming from the chest. On a lot of my stuff now, I just come from the chest. I’m not targeting a specific group in particular. As far as where my music is concerned, I want everybody to turn up. Be on the same page with me. An artist like Tupac. An artist like Wayne. Artists like Eminem, Jay Z. They bring you into their world. Music is a mood changing thing. I just want to bring people into my world.

(Smooch) What’s the next challenge for you musically?

(Cory) My album, honestly. I’m working on an EP right now called Kriminal Minded. And the follow up is definitely going to be the album. That has been the biggest challenge so far. Making that transition. Seeing how things work differently from a mixtape, to an EP, to an album. The industry ins-and-outs. You know because, I’m outside. I’m still learning. There is so much to learn in this business. I’m just happy to be one of the survivors. A lot of guys that came out when I did aren’t here anymore. I’m glad to be one of the last few standing.

(Smooch) You were born into Hip Hop with your father also being in the industry. But what would you be doing if you weren’t in the recording industry?

(Cory) I’d probably be a historian. I like knowing my history, knowing how things came to be. I like reading. I think it would be something in that field.

(Smooch) Lyrically, you are your only competition. From that standpoint, is something different about you now, in 2014, than say a few years ago? Back in 2010?

(Cory) Growth. Changes in life period. Adulthood. Situations, things I’ve been through both publicized and personal. But really just growth. I think people who have been following me since early on can hear the difference.

(Smooch) What new projects are you working on now?

(Cory) Mainly just the Kriminal Minded EP. I was working on a mixtape called Timbs and Hoodies, just me jackin’ beats. But I’m going to hold off on that and just focus on my EP. And the Young Money album, Rise of an Empire. The whole team is on there. Plus Wayne is working on Carter 5. I’m working on my album. Just the family, you know what I mean. And mainly that’s my focus. Just to try and soak up game and keep working.

(Smooch) Can’t wait for all of those projects, especially your debut album. Now let’s get into some fun questions.

(Cory) (Laughs!) Ok, yeah. Let’s go.

(Smooch) What are the three most important qualities in a lady?

(Cory) Hmmmm (weighs the question)… Her personality first of all. I can’t be around nobody that’s stiff or too into just they self. Or someone with no sense of humor, not cool to be around. I like a woman that’s down to earth. And, you know, any dude or anybody in their right mind would be lying if they didn’t say attractive. Everybody has their own preferences with that. So attractive also. So those things. And as long as she has something going for herself. Not just sitting around expecting something.

(Smooch) What’s in the Cory Gunz go-bag? What are the must haves you simply cannot leave the house without?

(Cory) (Laughs!) I don’t know, man…. My phone is my lifeline. I can’t breathe without my phone. I write my rhymes and everything in there. My headphones also… Everything else is either immoral, too expensive, or illegal (Laughs!).

(Smooch) Favorite fast food?

(Cory) Depends on where I’m at, man. In New York the torch right now for fast food is Burger King. It tastes fresh off the grill. Chick-fil-A too. They don’t have those up here though. That’s one of my like regular spots too. They need to get those up here.

(Smooch) Name some of your early musical influences and also your top 5 MC’s.

(Cory) Me, me, me, me and me (Laughs!). Nah, but I feel I’m up there though. I grew up listening to Jay Z, Nas, Eminem, Biggie, ‘Tune. That’s Wayne, of course. Luda, Bone Thugs–N-Harmony, Twista, it’s so many I can name. But KRS One. My EP Kriminal Minded is based off one of his early projects. People are going to learn that though after it comes out. Pun, The Lox. And not just rap neither. My pops put me on to Prince early. So Prince too. Michael Jackson. My grandmother put me on to gospel music, The Temptations, that era.

(Smooch) Do you like to travel? Where are your favorite places in the world, that you haven’t been to yet, but plan on going?

(Cory) Yeah, I like to travel. See more of the world. I want to go to Egypt. And I want to go to Venice. Venice, Italy. Water in the streets. Leave your hotel and get in a boat, sail through the city. I want to visit other parts of Africa. I’ve been to Paris. I’d visit there again. I want to go to Japan. Become a Ninja eventually. Attend a Samurai school in Japan (Laughs!). I’m going to take this ninja thing seriously. As seriously as I do the music.

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