Ep. 5: Star Wars, LA Symphony Rap Crew, & (Losing/Not Losing?) Faith - A Raw Conversation with Rapper Cookbook

Brews, Beards, & Shipwrecks

Not safe for work, ya turkey.

Hanging out at Peter Winsky’s house.

Game of Thrones references we don’t understand.

The guys take a shot of Jameson together. They’re also drinking water.

Other drinks: Two Hearted Ale by Bell’s Brewery. Popfuji by Brouwerij West in San Pedro.

On beards. On growing hair with Flynn Adam.

Star Wars. Lots of Star Wars. More Star Wars.

“As far as me and my house, we will serve the Force.”

The political side of Star Wars.

Rogue One. Ewoks. Oh my.

About films and music: find your niche; do your thing. Add a personal touch.

Royal Ruckus Christmas Postcards

“Presente!” by Cookbook and Uno Mas from C & U Music Factory album.

Chunjay tells a urination story about him and Peter.

Peter and Cookbook talk at length about Game of Thrones.

“Phantom Menace” by Cookbook and DJ Rhettmatic from the Phantom Menace EP.

Next drink: “It smells like Tang and beer in here.” Colt 45 Pile Driver beer.

“Tang” by Bob & Tom.

LA Symphony was known as Christian dudes, right? No Christian gimmicks.

LA Symphony history. Clubs, bars, church shows, and so on.

On the unique nature of church shows vs. mainstream shows.

“Broken Tape Decks” by LA Symphony from the unreleased album, Call it What You Want.

LA Symphony as “the bad boys” of Christian rap.

“In life you choose what you do and what you don’t do. We weren’t making good choices, we were letting it happen to us instead of saying, ‘No, we dictate who we are and how we present our brand.’”

“The one rule we always obeyed as LA Symphony is basically, ‘Keep it real.’ So whatever we felt, we were allowed to talk about it. But there were rules, there were parameters…”

Cookbook’s journey out of Christianity.

“We’re all still on a journey. I don’t claim to know anything. Really.”

“Like nobody knows, really knows, what happens after you die. Nobody knows that. You know who knows? My dad. You know why? Because he’s dead.”

Clip from “Where Will I Go When I Die?” by self-proclaimed Christian rapper from the 80s, Stephen Wiley, from his album Rap it Up!

How Cookbook started questioning his Christian faith.

On questioning prayer. Living in gratitude.

“California Grit” by Royal Ruckus, featuring Cookbook, Uno Mas, and Manchild of Mars Ill from the Rumors of Our Demise Have Been Greatly Exaggerated LP.

Cookbook’s feelings about death while he was a Christian.

“I don’t think that nothing is out there. I just don’t know what he or it is.”

Cookbook on why he doesn’t pray anymore.

Olivia Chug voices her opinion.

On Islam, non-Christians, and hell? Religious faith in cultures.

People who claim to know with certainly? Cookbook says you’re “arrogant and full of shit.” J

“Blood Suckin’ Freaks” by Cookbook & Blu, featuring KRUM (formerly Playdough) from the Yes EP.

Cookbook wants to know what’s up with denominations.

Chunjay on the historical road of Eastern Orthodoxy. On Roman Catholicism.

Cookbook pushes back on Biblical authority and Christian denominationalism.

“The God of the Gaps.” https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/God_of_the_gaps

“I live by Biblical principles. I feel like you can bank on that. ‘You reap what you sow.’ You can bank on that, that’s true. How you treat others, you know, and giving love and all those things, you know, serving people, those things’re important and you can live by those things.”

“Little Shirts” (Remix) from the Cookbook & Uno Mas Stereo-Types LP.

“Do you ever fear death?”

“We all die, so it’s about how we live.”

“Do you ever miss the Jesus story?”
“What’s your favorite taco?”
On mofongos and pasteles.

Hip-hop pet-peeves?

Game of Thrones podcasts are awesome.

Socials: @cookbookthepr
Favorite rap song? Slum Village “Fall in Love”

Shout outs: C.S. Lewis’s The Chronicles of Narnia, Dewar’s ice cream and candy shop, Hilary Clinton and Bernie Sanders, Steve Taylor, KJ-52, Lecrae, and Rootbeer (Pigeon John and Flynn Adam), Really Tho??!! Podcast, Stereo-Types Radio Show.

Background music: The 37th Chamber by El Michels Affair, and Wu-Tang’s The 36th Chamber.