1. Whats good Koomran, hows things your way?
Stressful because I work a 9-5 plus everyday, but I’ maintaining.
2. Lets get into the basics…how did you come up with your name?
The name is actually Qumran the name of the location where they found the Dead Sea scrolls at and Koomran is how you pronounce it.
3. Where are you from?
I reside in Hawaii but I lived near LA and in the Bay Area for fifteen years. Philly was my foundation growing up as a child.
4. When did you start emceeing and what inspired you to create music?
I used to write for a wannabe “gangster” rapper in Tennessee when I was sixteen years old. I knew him before and he asked me to write for him. Then at eighteen I did a freestyle on a underground radio station one time and the DJ liked it so after that I studied the art of rhyming and music. What inspired me to create music started when I was working at a hotel in California working the night shift and guest would open up about their problems and I would give my two cents and the guest enjoyed the advice so I thought I should do music that you can listen to when you don’t have anyone by your side or no one really pays attention to you, you can listen to a song I did that helps you get through that moment and hopefully uplifts you.
5. Word is.. on top of making music you also teach Martial Arts! That’s cool as hell. Can you tell us a little bit more about what you do exactly and what you teach?
I am one of the leaders of a martial art school called Tian Men Pai and we teach Tai Chi, Chi Gong, and Bagua Zhang to people in our communities and we are cooks also so we show others how to eat correctly along with simple exercises to boost energy and maintain their health with out pills and drinks and we teach self defense. We teach just as our ancestors taught us these things but was lost to most people due to society controlling everything we do now. One of my students Ivan S. has opened a school in Serbia so I am excited about that. Also, we have used our skills in life threatening situations and survived so we are people with experience and not like most schools that are dojo fighters.
6. Is it safe to say WuTang was your favorite group coming up ?
Yes, I was already into kung fu films and once I heard them merge that with rap I was hooked. And later I found out that there was an actual WuDang martial arts school then so I studied it and the martial arts we teach now is from Wudang Mountains a Taoist Martial Arts and my former teacher is a monk from Wudang Dragon Gate (sect) and his name in English is Li FaJun. Here is a video of him: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TwAx-2O8V3Y
7. We saw you like to spit over a lot of classic boom bap instrumentals…
My spirit is naturally drawn to that type of music and that’s good because I grew up listening to that style so I prefer that instead.
8. You have a raw style. Your voice is crazy gritty. Is your style in martial arts as raw as your emceeing, or is it more finesse?
Learning from Li FaJun he taught me to quiet my mind and direct my energy to control it using Tai Chi, Chi Gong, and Bagua Zhang because I was a wild person fighting doing dumb things. So, I learned to balance it all so I can be “like water” in my thoughts and reactions everyday so when you hear me rhyme its a raw controlled sound and my martial arts is controlled but the outcome is raw for the other person.
9. So what projects have you released to date?
I had a few but the people I was working with were shady so I’m on the independent route and that’s cool.
10. We been catching you on several Digital Dynasty mixtapes as of late. Do you have any new solo mixtapes or albums in the works?
I’m thankful to Advo for doing these mixtape and letting us passionate emcees that’s trying to make it have a way of getting our music out to the world. So, you will hear more songs from me on Digital Dynasty mixtapes as long as he continues to do them.
11. Your joint “Call Girl” was pretty vivid. It almost sounded personal. Were you venting on some real life issues or was this just made up?
What I say in all my songs are real life and the “Call Girl” was one of them. We all of had the crazy relationship before or just a toxic relationship in general. But FUCK HER! (laughs)
12. It was good kicking it with you homie and we look forward to hearing more from you in the future. With that said the floor is yours. Give any shout outs or plugs and let our readers know where to find u on the web.
Shout out to you guys for keeping Hip Hop alive. For the readers don’t find me find your selves so you can be free of the system. I’m just a messenger calling back our people to the heritage as our ancestors have done in the past. They worshipped the creator they respected the land and lived and ate from it and family was important to our ancestors and they were peaceful people but warriors to. Stay on the path of Yah and enjoy your existence. Peace _/i\_