COOLIE RANX
 
Coolie Ranx never ceases to amaze the underground music scene.  After almost a decade of singing in the Toasters and fronting his band Pilfers, Coolie Ranx is back with a new music endeavor as a solo artist.  He’s now pushing the envelop with a new fusion of reggae/dancehall and hardcore, dubbed “raggacore”.
 
The raggacore sound is so intense, that it’s impossible for anyone listening to stay still.  Coolie blends lyrics of deep thought with the heavy-hitting sounds provided by his backing band, Fear Nuttin Band.  Coolie often sings about tales of love and issues of social consciousness, to which everyone can relate.  His fans are often inspired by his positive attitude toward life.
 
Born in England, Coolie came to the United States as a child and was raised in Brooklyn, New York. He began his career in the late 80s, and recorded four dancehall tracks in 1988. This caught the attention of the Toasters, a well-known ska band in from New York City. Soon after, he ended up joining the Toasters. While with them, they recorded two albums Dub 56 and Hard Band for Dead. Dub 56, which completely went out of print, showcased two of his own songs "Legal Shot" and "Goody, Goody".
 
After four years with the Toasters, Coolie felt the desire to branch out and form a band of his own. Along with Vinny Nobile of Bim Skala Bim fame, they formed Pilfers, a band which pushed the envelop of ska/reggae/punk music. Their flavor, which was the precursor to raggacore, was well received.  They toured all around the U.S. and Europe with the likes of Reel Big Fish, Buju Banton, and the Roots. On the road, they sold over 10,000 copies of their self-titled CD on their own, which led them to a recording contract with Mojo Records. On Mojo, they recorded Chawalaleng. In mid-2001, differences in the band led them to split.
 
Since then, Coolie has already released a five-song EP and is in the process of finishing a full-length.  Open your mind and ears to the intense vibes of raggacore and you won’t go home disappointed.

Official website: http://www.coolieranx.net