West Coast funk architect Kokane has returned with a hard-hitting new single, “Come Up Like Me,” featuring hip-hop heavyweight Ice Cube. Produced by Leviticus Black, the track is accompanied by a stark visualizer crafted by Fly Keith Logan. The single marks the latest installment from Kokane’s trilogy, Da FUNKIN Adventures of Dr. Kokanstine.
Known for fusing melodic G-funk with street wisdom, Kokane once again draws from lived experience, this time pulling Ice Cube into a gripping message aimed squarely at the youth. “Come Up Like Me” steers clear of glorifying street life, instead delivering a warning rooted in firsthand reality: the cycle of hustling, violence, and incarceration is a trap that robs futures. Both veterans urge listeners toward education, entrepreneurship, and self-reliance as more sustainable paths forward.
The song tackles themes of systemic struggle, community dysfunction, and personal accountability with unflinching clarity. It’s a message that hits especially hard coming from two voices who’ve spent decades narrating the complexities of West Coast urban life—from N.W.A.’s Compton chronicles to Kokane’s prolific collaborations across the G-funk era.
The single artwork was designed by Naj Long, complementing the track’s raw honesty with a bold visual statement.
“Come Up Like Me” is available exclusively through www.BudEBoyMusic.com, along with Kokane’s full Dr. Kokanstine trilogy.