ColdPoison is not your typical rapper. As a philosophical vegan diss rapper and independent producer, he blends deep moral reasoning with sharp lyricism and catchy beats, creating a style of conscious hip-hop that challenges listeners to think as much as it makes them move. Born in California, raised in Florida, and now calling Portland home, ColdPoison has faced a childhood full of adversity, from an abusive household to years of isolation. Yet, he turned those experiences into fuel for his art, using music as both escape and expression.
In this interview, ColdPoison shares his journey from discovering his love for music as a teen experimenting with Fruity Loops to developing a distinctive sound rooted in philosophy and animal rights. He opens up about the artists who inspired him, the lessons learned along the way, and how personal struggle became the foundation for his powerful storytelling. Through his music, ColdPoison demonstrates that creativity can be a vehicle for change, a way to confront societal norms, and a method to communicate truths that words alone often cannot convey.
Q. Where are you from, and how did your upbringing influence the person you are today?
Born in California, raised in Florida, cultured in Oregon. Portland is home for sure. From the vegan scene to the beautiful weather and scenery and to our love of protests, I fit like a glove. I still think I’m too weird for even Portland, but that’s exactly why I fit in. I’m the anomaly Portland didn’t know it needed.
As for upbringing, I didn’t have an easy life. No father figure, an extremely abusive mother, moved from dozens of houses due to constant evictions, and was homeschooled up until high school, so I had zero social interactions for almost my entire childhood. Music was my only escape from reality. Now, I use it as a way to embrace a new one, a one where philosophy, not irrational emotions, shapes our world.
Q. At what point did music shift from something you enjoyed to something you knew you wanted to pursue seriously?
I was 13 when I first started toying around on my laptop with Fruity Loops. I was terrible at it, of course. But after putting in countless hours, watching tons of YouTube tutorials, downloading dozens of free drum kits, and trying to get patched versions of fancy VSTs like Nexus (sorry reFX! I was a kid!), I became rather skilled in a short amount of time.
The first track I uploaded to YouTube (The Silhouette) got hundreds of thousands of views and was stolen by people who collected millions more on top of that. I knew that I was proficient enough to pursue music more seriously, so in between homework and on most of my time off, I would spend days making beats. Over the next couple of years, I made several dozen. Unfortunately, my hard drive was destroyed, and I didn’t have a backup, so I lost much of my content, but I didn’t lose the skills.
I think I knew I was going to transition from beat producer to rapper when I was offered $3,000 for the Exclusive Rights to The Silhouette. I declined because I wanted to control what lyrics were being said over the art I produced. I was only 16 when I made up my mind, and I’ve spent over a decade working on beats, lyrics, ideas, and more to make my passion a reality. I had just gone vegan the year prior and knew my priority topic would be a modern animal rights philosophy, not hippie ideas from the 60s, but a consistency test known as Name The Trait, which shows the world that basic animal rights follow logically from human rights.
Q. Who were some of the first artists or sounds that inspired you to start creating your own music?
Michael Jackson has always been my favorite artist, hands down. I also like Stevie Wonder, but everything about Michael is unbeatable. From the sound of his vocals to his writing, his ability to harmonize, create melodies, and everything in between, he influenced me to really get lost in the music, not simply to lose yourself, but to become intertwined with the sound you hear.
When Michael sang, he complemented what he auditorily touched. The rhythm was just another part of him (hee-hee, reference intended). He knew how to balance the grit and texture of soulful jazz and R&B with bright and consistent delivery, producing astounding results throughout his music career.
As for rap-specific influences, I never grew up on the classic rappers like Eminem. I instead found a YouTube rapper named DeStorm Power and then EpicLloyd with the Epic Rap Battles of History. I lean more toward old-school elements than new-school ones, so I prioritize that when making music, though I admire plenty of new-school tricks as well.
Q. Can you walk us through how you began writing and recording music in the early days?
Ah, yes. It all stemmed from my love for the English language. I excelled at it in school, and so I wrote plays, poetry, and eventually lyrics. But the love for music didn’t intersect at the same time as my love for sound. I was only making beats without vocals for years.
It wasn’t until I realized I wanted to become a rapper and spread awareness on animal rights that I combined the two. On just the beat production side, I began by playing around with FL Keys and eventually Nexus. Whenever I found a song I liked from either MJ or DeStorm, I tried to emulate an instrumental that shared the same energy.
For example, I vividly remember playing Love’s a Bitch by DeStorm and trying to recreate my own style of sad longing in a piano piece. That hunt for the perfect sound forced me to spend countless hours pursuing that goal. It was daunting, but it made me far more skilled than I would have been otherwise.
Q. What challenges did you face at the start of your journey, and what kept you motivated to continue?
I think money problems have always haunted me. Despite having a terrible start, some days without food, electricity, water, or heat, I managed to do exceedingly well, and my wife and I made a solid income for several years. But one thing leads to another, and a series of unfortunate events beyond your control can change everything.
I have many digital assets, beats, and lyrics I am proud of. Due to our competitive creative landscape and financial strain, those assets are currently limited in their potential. What keeps me motivated are my wife, my cats, a few select subjective experiences that were more hopeful than they realized, and of course, the animals being globally murdered for taste pleasure. Their plight is bigger than any physical or mental strain I could experience. It would be selfish not to combine what I know about their reality with the realization that the world would support animal rights if given the logical consequences to consider.
Q. How would you describe your sound and message to someone hearing your music for the first time?
I would say something like: “ColdPoison is a philosophical vegan diss rapper and independent producer making conscious hip-hop that turns rap beef into moral argument. Known for abolitionist animal-rights lyricism, sharp punchlines, and debate-style storytelling, he writes tracks that challenge public figures with philosophical trials rather than flexing status. He makes catchy melodies instrumentally and vocally that will both make you want to dance and conceptually haunt you at the same time. ColdPoison pushes his sound with a message we didn’t know we could relate to, all fueled by real belief, not branding.”
Q. In what ways do your personal experiences show up in your lyrics and creative choices?
My personal experience of having been abused both physically and mentally shapes my conviction when I empathize with animals who are hurt more intensely every moment we breathe. Some people become emotionally numb, some create philosophy that inadvertently causes similar abuse, and some remain silent out of fear.
I take that pain and make it my power. I see those who spread anti-animal rights sentiments and know better. Those shots they take aren’t just at the oppressed beings anymore. Because I am what happens when empathy meets logic, struggle meets strength, and philosophy meets psychology. A blow to them is a blow straight to me.
Q. What lessons from your early years in music still guide how you approach your career today?
To approach art with nothing less than perfection. I see it not as a hindrance, but as having standards. Too many artists put out material that sounds unpolished. They feel pressured by influencers telling them to churn out X content every Y or get left behind.
Instead of caving to this false dichotomy, they should go back to the chisel and put in a few more buckets of effort. Financial success or fame is not the measure; the masterpiece is. I aim to show that truth can be fun, life-changing, enlightening, and something we evolve with together, not a tool for power and status.
Q. What does making music allow you to express that you feel you couldn’t express any other way?
The strongest way to feel. When you look at physical art, taste food, or smell something pleasing, the impact is limited. But when you hear something you love, it hits more profoundly than you can process in one moment.
Great music does more than make you dance or sing along. It changes your worldview or solidifies what you already feel. It allows you to become the message. Some call this a “flow state.” Let’s let flow states be about ethics and the subjective experience, the things that last, the things that matter most.
Q. For new listeners discovering you now, what’s the most important thing you want them to know about who you are as an artist and a person?
That I believe in them. Unlike other ‘vegan’ influencers who manipulate non-vegans with psychological tricks, I take the road less traveled but more durable. I’m not here to nudge them with peripheral points. I argue the truth, challenge their reasons, and meet them mind-to-mind.
My opponents often claim we must work around human psychology, but this is a category error. Philosophy gives us the power to control our psychology. The more awareness we spread, the fewer places there are to hide. Whether it’s the cold hard truth or a poison that lingers until it takes effect, either way, you get the picture. I’m ColdPoison. I don’t manipulate others.
ColdPoison’s journey is a testament to the power of perseverance, philosophy, and empathy. From a challenging upbringing to a decade-long dedication to music and advocacy, he continues to create art that challenges minds, inspires action, and resonates deeply with those who listen. His music confronts difficult truths, encourages listeners to think critically, and merges personal experience with universal principles. Through his work, ColdPoison proves that passion guided by principle can turn personal struggle into a universal message, and that music can be both entertaining and profoundly transformative.
Connect With ColdPoison
- Instagram: @coldpoison_
- X (Twitter): @coldpoison_
- YouTube: @coldpoison
- Spotify: ColdPoison
- Twitch: @coldpoison_
- Website: https://coldpoison.com/
