1. Peace and blessings sis, now I have
been a fan of your work for a spell and I know how gifted you are
with your talent. For those who may not be familiar with your work,
feel free to introduce yourself?
“Allow, me to introduce
myself…They call me Coko Buttafli/Let these words and rhythms sooth
you ,groove you/ let me take you higk/Sexy/spunkyfunky grooving,Hip
Hop/Jazzy/Catch these grooves and fly!” Well, my name is Coko
Buttafli. I am known for my gritty funk infused vocals and my
versatility. I was first introduced to the Detroit music scene in
2011. I worked with a local band called Will Sessions, and did the
background vocals for Elzhi’s “Elmatic”. The day before his
release at the Majestic, I received a call from his management team
asking if I would sing live with the band. After that, I started
featuring from time to time with Will Sessions at some of their gigs.
In the meantime, I worked with several bands, musicians, and other
artists in the Detroit are. I even had my own band for a minute. It
was Coko Buttafli and the Ghetto Hippie Experience. Here is a clip of
that Funk Night Show.
http://youtu.be/ff9819tHxDI
2. Now Miss Buttafli, How did your
stage name come about, it seems to have a deep meaning to it, so
what’s the science behind it?
Well back in 2007, I was working
with a producer named Eddie Ed in Pontiac. I use to literally get
off work, go home check on and feed my son, and then work on music.
My stage name use to be Tony Covey. I liked it because at the time I
was singing jazz, r&b and a little poetry so I liked the name fit
the art. My boy Eddie Ed said to me, “you know what would be dope?
You should change your name to Coco Butterfly! ‘Cause you got that
smooth ass voice, like butter and you have that chocolate toned
skin.” So as of October 2007, I was now officially Coko Buttafli.
Truthfully, I was doing what butterflies do. I was reborn, and
finally embraced my own sound. I was like a butterfly who was ready
to spread my wings. I was ready to fly.
3. Who are some of your influences and
how have the influenced your signature style?
4. What is your earliest recollection
of music?
My earliest recollection of music
had to be somewhere around 1976. I remember my brother playing
Parliament Funkadelic all the time. My mom playing “Got To Give It
Up” by Marvin Gay. I remembered I was singing that song and my Mom
looked at me like I saw a ghost. I use to go to Jackson Tennessee in
the summer when I was a child and be around all my cousins who were
musically inclined.. Truthfully, we could have been a singing group.
At this time, my cousin Tammy introduced my sisters to black culture.
She taught us about Langston Hughes, Nina Simone, and the Alvin Ailey
Dance Company. She made us appreciate the arts which opened us up to
a wider variety of musical tastes. We spent a lot of time in church
singing. Then we would go home and have talent shows and sing some
more. My parents taste in music was different. My Dad likes blues,
my mom liked R&B. When I became a musician at the age of 11, I
then got into jazz. I played the clarinet and started doing solo and
ensemble competitions. The biggest influence happened around the same
time for me. Comcast went into all the neighborhoods and all the
families go cable television. There was this cool channel called MTV.
This channel opened up my musical taste in a whole other way. I
heard The Police, Van Halen, Quite Riot, The Thompson Twins….wow!
At that time, a lot of Afro-American artist were not featured but it
did let me experience something other than R&B. This is where my
eclectic styles hails from.
5. What was the moment that you
realized what your gift was and that you wanted to pursue it?
When I sung the Marvin Gaye song. I
realized I wanted to sing and asked my mother if I could join the
choir at church. The funny thing was I was the youngest in the choir
at the time because my church did not have a youth choir. I learned
to harmonize singing in the choir. I think the only time in my life
that I had patience was at choir rehearsal. My first solo was “Rock
of Ages”. Ironically, I didn’t sing a lot of solos at church. I
liked blending with the choir. As I go older, other choir directors
took notice and started working with me on my range. I wanted to be
a choir director (did it for a brief time) but then The Creator had
another plan. I didn’t start pursuing singing until I was around
24. I started looking for bands to sing with.
6. How long have you been a vocalist,
not to show age but what year did you start?
I have been singing since I was six
years old. So about thirty seven years. I took it more seriously in
my early twenties and started singing with bands.
7. We Are both from Detroit, but what
are some common misconceptions about the city, people and the music
scene that you would like clear up?
Actually I am from Pontiac. I just
work a lot in the Detroit music scene. When I was in the Army, I was
shocked with the perception people have about Detroit. They think
everyone from here are “killers” or want to know if you can
“sang” because of the Motown thing. I would say Detroit has a
lot of talent. The funny thing is, when I watched American Idol
once, they made Detroit look horrible! I noticed Detroiters never
get far. That is a high expectation because of all the great music
that has come from here. Detroit has more to offer than a bad
reputation of violence and being broke. I don’t understand why
Detroiters get such a hard time.
8. What is the local scene like where
you live?
Oh boy, I am not sure if I should
answer this. As I stated, I live in Pontiac. Literally, there are
like two bars that do live music right now. I always have to go to
the D to gig. I have some cats I gig with in Pontiac, and I have
learned a lot from them. The thing about Pontiac is a lot of these
cats are older and set in their ways. When I show up to practice for
a gig, I have often been treated like I am green and don’t have a
clue. Cats from my town want to name drop. “Hey man, I worked
with the Fantastic Four” or “Man, I toured the country with the
Dramatics for five years!” Okay, that is cool, but besides
drinking and getting high, what are you doing now?? I tend to humble
myself when I am around these cats. Perhaps I don’t want to seem
pretentious or arrogant. I may not share that I just played a Funk
Night with Gabe Gonzalez (drummer from the Enema Squad and George
Clinton), Edward Tony Green (played a lot of the Death Row bass
lines), or I sung vocals for Paul Riser or Dennis Coffey (Original
Funk Brothers) and as we speak my voice is on Elzhi’s Elmatic (His
Group Slum Village has a song with John Legend) cd. What does it
matter, let’s work! I do believe it is important to embrace where
you’re from. I am proud I am from Yaktown, but I decided to step
outside my city and it was the best decision I ever made!
9. Explain the difference between and
vocalist and singer as you see it?
10. How do you feel about the state of
the music industry currently?
Well the music industry is a
business. The goal is to make money for all parties involved. This
means the artist has to meet a certain standard that the masses will
gravitate to. Singing doesn’t matter. Actually, it is the last
thing the record company is worried about. The record company wants
to sell an image. They want artist to have crossover appeal. Now
for independent artist, they should have some skill set to create a
buzz. The best thing about being an underground artist is that
people will appreciate your work, not your look or your antics. I
was telling someone how Erykah Badu will always work, because she has
a big underground following. That is the artist that you want to be.
I don’t want one hit then I have to perform this damn song for the
next twenty years! Lol
11. What does your creative process
consists of?
Good question. I get inspired by
different things. I may witness situation and right about it. I may
be in love and write about it. If my man up and quit me, I will most
likely write a Grammy winning album! But for real, I go and listen to
my favorite artist. When I need to create harmony, I listen to the
Clark Sisters. Or I will listen to Ta Ta Vega when I want to get down
home with it. I go deep in my psyche and write. Sometimes I meditate
before I write. I get my Cabernet Sauvignon roll up and think. Then
I hum. Then I rock then I sang. It depends what I am writing about.
12. If you could lock in the studio
with any three artist, groups or bands to create an album who would
they be?
I would like to be in a studio with
D’Angelo, Georgia Ann Muldrow, and Prince. That would be awesome!
After of course being revived from fainting! lol
13. What are some of your current
projects and where can we find them?
My vinyl’s are on websites all over.
I will include some links.
14. What are some of your future
projects and which ones are you looking forward to most?
I am trying to get this “Buttafli
Effect” EP completed by late Spring. I have been working with O1
from The Almighty Dreadnaugtz on some of the tracks. Dope producers.
I also have another song coming out with Will Sessions. I am
excited about this, because this song really show me how to record a
funk record.
15.Do you represent any companies or
labels? if so who are they and how long have you been affiliated?
I am affiliated with Funk Night Records
(FNR) shout out to the Soul Controller Frank Raines! If one of the
bands who record records needs a vocalist, they may hit me up. I
recorded “Boss Lady” and a remake of “Good Things” with Will
Sessions on FNR. I recorded “Lady Lucy” and “Wicked” with
the Soul Surfers (a band out of Russia) on this label. I love this
funk realm, because my music is on wax!
16. How would you define your brand of
music and art, what sets you apart from everyone else?
I would define my music as eclectic
soul. See, music comes from the soul. I take all the elements that
music is made of and incorporate it into my show. My live show takes
you on a journey. I want the person who witnesses to come out with a
better understanding and love for music. I want people to ask me,
“did you just make that Cream song funky?” or “never heard it
sung like this before”. Being a chameleon sets me apart.
17.How can we stay connected to you?
Hit me up on my Facebook fan page
Twitter Cokobuttafli
Instagram Cokobuttafli
18. Any jewels for aspiring artist that
you have gained in your career?
Humility! Listen to people who have
knowledge of the business. However, express your views in a
respectful manner. In order to be heard, cockiness doesn’t have to
be your weapon of choice. Artist need to know, your reputation
precedes you; so if you are an azz clown, the word in the street is
going to be just that. Most of the gigs I have gotten was because of
my attitude. Personally, I will work with a person with a little
less skill than one with massive skill who is a jerk. If an artist
makes me want to kick him in the balls or punch her in the ovaries
then we shouldn’t collab!! Treat fans good, because they buy your
product and spread the good word about you. Dig this, if you run
into a fan, and you are polite they may tell a few people about it
and go on about their day. But if you run into a fan and you are
rude, arrogant and flaming jackass, they are going to social media
and blast you!! The other thing, STAY THE HELL OF SOCIAL MEDIA WITH
DRAMA AND BULLSHIT! Stop advertising your love life, your beefs,
smoking, and all your other vices. Social media is free advertising.
Use it wisely. I could go on all day about this one.
19.Any special thanks or shout outs, if
so feel free to show them here?
First of all, I want to thank you for
thinking of me to do this interview. Thank you so much! I want to
thank my band The Urban Hippie Project, my producer Gary Samuel aka
O1of The Almight Dreadnaughtz, my brothers The Almighty Dreadnautz.
My girl Venus Skye, Most Wanted, Will Sessions, The Soul Surfers, The
Hip Hop Shop, Frank Raines(Funk Night Records) and everyone who has
showed support and love for my craft!
20.Any final thoughts or anything we
didn't cover feel free to do so here?
Keep going. Sometimes, it seems like
this is in vain but there is a bigger picture if you stay in it.
There is an artist named Charles Bradley who was discovered at the
age of 61. His first debut album came out in like 2011. If you
really want this music to work, you have to believe in yourself and
believe you can do it. It is up to the artist to promote and
produce. Make it happen!!! Never give up on your dreams.
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