Death is inevitable, yet it always hurts when you lose someone you love, respect or admire. Iâm willing to bet youâre a Hip Hop devotee if youâre reading this. In this genre and culture, much of the death we experience is tragic. Hip Hop isnât old enough to have our significant figures simply pass away from old age. In the face of these heartbreaking circumstances, we do our best to reflect on the lives of those whoâve contributed so much to us. This is our particular duty for some of Hip Hopâs unsung heroes â people who didnât get the recognition they deserved in their lifetime. Koopsta Knicca is one of those artists who shouldâve had a piece honoring him during his life, yet is sadly gone as you read this.
Itâs not shocking that Koopsta Knicca gets overlooked by many fans. Heâs best known as a member of Three 6 Mafia and one who was part of the group in its pre-Academy Award winning days. And in some ways, he never had an easily defined persona. DJ Paul and Juicy J were the masterminds behind the group. Lord Infamous was the lyrical innovator. Gangsta Boo was the badass female standing tall in Hip Hopâs menâs club. Crunchy Black was the eccentric character. It took a diehard fan to truly appreciate just how important Koopsta was.
Much of todayâs emphasis on melodic flows can be traced back to Koopsta Knicca. But Koopstaâs style wasnât manufactured at all. His delivery was hypnotic and meshed so well with the horrorcore style that Three 6 Mafia used during the 90s. There was an atmospheric quality to the way Koopsta rapped that immediately made him stand out on a track. He and Lord Infamous were the two members of Three 6 Mafia that could create a haunting vibe with just their vocal inflection. Koopstaâs voice was high-pitched, but not whiny. It was almost ethereal.
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When you look back at the discography of Three 6 Mafia-affiliated artists, thereâs no better release than Koopstaâs 1999 album Da Devilâs Playground. As the title may suggest, the project was sinister to the core and would fit right in as your Halloween soundtrack. The album was actually a remastered version of recordings from Koopstaâs 1994 underground tape of the same name. With that in mind, it shows how quickly Koopsta mastered his style as heâs in top form on the album. Itâs the quintessential Koopsta Knicca album and displays all that he was capable of as an emcee. What always stood out most to me was how menacing he could be without an intense, in-your-face delivery. It was a unique ability that Iâve rarely seen duplicated.
In 2000, Three 6 Mafia released When the Smoke Clears: Sixty 6, Sixty 1. This would end up being Koopstaâs last album with the group as Sony dropped him due to a breach of contract. His incarcerations at the time caused him to miss shows and video shoots. I remember interviewing Koopsta years ago before the group reunited (sans Juicy J) as Da Mafia 6ix. I was fascinated by how contrite Koopsta was and how much he blamed himself. Itâs not unheard of, but you usually hear artists at least feel they were somewhat wronged when they leave a group or get dropped by a label. Koopsta was different. He regretted his behavior. He only relayed good memories of his fellow group members. There was no ill will. It was a refreshing perspective.
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Much of Koopstaâs post-Three 6 Mafia career flew under the radar. He released some solid albums during the 2000s, but nothing that topped the quality of his earlier work. His 2010 EP, A Murda âN Room 8, felt like a true return to form. While it didnât receive lots of press, his dedicated fan base loved it. The biggest development for Koopsta came in 2013 when Da Mafia 6ix was born. With the exception of Juicy J, all the original members of Three 6 Mafia were reunited. It was an exciting time for fans and a rejuvenating moment for the artists. Their âdebutâ 6ix Commandments was everything a hardcore Three 6 Mafia fan could ask for and Koopsta shined on the tape. But later that year, Lord Infamous passed away. Gangsta Boo would leave the group just a few months later.
Despite these losses, Da Mafia 6ix came back with Hear Sum Evil in late 2014 and Watch What U WishâŚearlier this year. While the excitement had settled down, both were satisfying releases and Koopsta made his mark as the most reliable performer in the group. But no one ever could have expected that this would be the last weâd hear of Koopsta. I certainly didnât see it coming.
Koopsta Kniccaâs death left me feeling empty. I attribute this to how Lord Infamous passed away just two years ago. I remember my jubilation when seeing Da Mafia 6ix perform together at the 2013 A3C Hip-Hop Festival. As a fan, that reunion meant so much. Even if Juicy J wasnât there, it was surreal to see the core of Three 6 Mafia together again. And now just a few years later, a third of the group is gone.
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Itâs hard to process. Fandom, particularly when it comes to a personal medium like music, is weird in that way. I only spoke to Koopsta a few times, yet his death still hurts. Itâs obviously not the grief his family and friends are experiencing, but itâs palpable. Ultimately, I hope Koopstaâs legacy isnât undersold or overlooked. I hope he gets his just due. Perhaps these words can make a few people revisit this manâs hard work. Regardless, Koopsta made an impact on plenty of listeners. While I may wish he was more celebrated, Iâm confident those who did appreciate Koopstaâs contributions will never forget him. I know I wonât.