昨年の自主盤『Chiryu-Yonkers』が識者たちの間で年間ベスト級の評価を集めていた、愛知の知立市をレペゼンするC.O.S.A.。今回ダブルネームでアルバムを作り上げた相棒は、現在NYに拠点を置くKID FRESINOだ。FRESINOのミックステープ『Shadin'』（2014年）や昨年の『Conq.u.er』でもコラボは実現していたが、制作に至った直接のきっかけは今年2月のイヴェント〈Diagonal〉での共演だという。共にトラックメイカーとしても知られる両者ながら、今回はそれぞれ1曲ずつを手掛けたのみ。お互いの人脈からRAMZAやjjj、Gradis Niceらのビート提供を受け、主役としてマイクに専念している。エモーショナルなC.O.S.A.とレイドバックしたFRESINOのラップは柔剛の持ち味が噛み合うどころか、野太い懐の深さに触発されたFRESINOの語り口からも剥き出しの率直さが滲んでくるのが楽しい。OMSBらしいビートがガツガツ響く“KDFS × COSA”がとりわけ耳を惹くほか、コトリンゴ、PUNPEEの声のサポートも効果的。


[English Translation]
Noted for receiving quite a few ‘best album of the year’-rated favorable reviews from the circle of reliable critics for his self-distributed 1st rap album “Chiryu-Yonkers” last year, C.O.S.A. is the highly acclaimed rapper always representing his hometown Chiryu, a city located in central Aichi prefecture, Japan. The double-name album this time has been made teaming up with currently NY-based KID FRESINO. The two had worked together previously on FRESINO’s mixtape “Shadin” (2014) and “Conq.u.er” (2015), while seemingly, the co-performance at Diagonal/exclusive live session event in February this year directly led to this latest collaboration. Despite both being prominent beatmakers, on this the album, they only produced one track each. Thanks to their extensive personal/professional connections, RAMZA, jjj, Gradis Nice and all those mighty fellows who offered the beats, the two are purely focusing on the mics. Defined as emotional (C.O.S.A.) and laid-back (FRESINO), the two fairly contrasting rap styles are perfectly engaged with each other, and in fact most pleasantly, beyond that, FRESINO subtly exposes his naked honesty thru his rapping, possibly inspired by C.O.S.A.’s sturdily deep, big-heartedness. “KDFS × COSA” is exceptionally notable demonstrating OMSB’s sharply blaring signature beats while the vocal supports by the featuring artists, kotringo (female singer-songwriter) and PUMPEE, are also impressive as well.