Quick Facts
Biography
Allan P. Grigg, also known as Kool Kojak and stylized as "KoOoLkOjAk", is an American songwriter, producer, film director, and artist notable for co-writing and co-producing Flo Rida's #1 Billboard hit single "Right Round", Nicki Minaj's hit single "Va Va Voom" , and Ke$ha's top 10 single "Blow". Kool Kojak has written and produced for artists such as Sean Paul, Yelle, Waka Flocka Flame, Travis Barker, Dr. Seuss's The Lorax, Britney Spears, Jesse and Joy, Andy Milonakis, Icona Pop, N.A.S.A., Dirt Nasty,Lordz of Brooklyn, Ursula 1000, and Warren G. Kool Kojak was a featured producer on the Simon Cowell TV program X Factor and has appeared as himself on the Nickelodeon show "Victorious". He has won two ASCAP Pop Awards and one ASCAP Urban Award, a WormTown Sound Award, and has been awarded the Key to the City of Worcester, Massachusetts.
Early life and music career
Kool Kojak was born in Worcester, Massachusetts. Kojak initially entered the world of music in the 1990s, producing rap records in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Harlem. His first commercial success was as composer and producer of the Brazilian multi platinum selling #1 Supla album "O Charada Brasileiro".
Kojak served as musical director and performer for the live Supla show, which took the stage at Rock in Rio 3, in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in 2001.
Select production discography
| Year | Artist | Song | Album | Role |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Average White Boys | "Billy Dee Williams Butter Sculpture" | Knuckle Sandwich | Co-Writer/Producer |
| 1997 | Rump Rangers featuring Heather Hunter and Kool Keith | "Toot Toot Beep Beep" | Remixer | |
| 1998 | Binger The Voyager | "Sweet Taste of Nothing" | Co-Producer | |
| 1998 | Supla Zoo | "Bossa Furiosa" | Album | Co-Producer/ Composer / Rapper |
| 1999 | Ursula 1000 | "Arrastao" | Co-Writer/Producer with Ursula 1000 and Dr. Luke | |
| 2000 | Supla | "O Charada Brasileiro" | #1 Album | Co-Writer/Producer |
| 2002 | Holly Tree | "Greatest Shits" | album | Co-Producer |
| 2002 | Average White Boys | "Knuckle Sandwich" | album | Producer |
| 2007 | George of the Jungle (TV show) | Theme song | Producer and performed with J-Radical | |
| 2005 | Being Bobby Brown (TV show) | Music producer | ||
| 2009 | Ursula 1000 | "Zombies" | Mystics | Co-Writer/Rapper |
| 2010 | Miranda Cosgrove | "There Will Be Tears" | Sparks Fly | Co-Writer/Co-Producer with Ammo |
| 2007 | Urban Legend | Tranquilidad Cubana" | Co-Writer/Producer | |
| Three 6 Mafia featuring Tech N9ne | "Shots" | Laws of Power | Backing Vocals | |
| 2009 | Shwayze | "Maneatrr" | Let It Beat | Co-writer/Producer |
| 2011 | Hitomi featuring Rivers Cuomo | "Rollin Wit Da Homies" | Spirit | Producer/Co-writer |
| 2011 | Dirt Nasty featuring Too Short and Warren G | "Milk, Milk, Lemonade" | Nasty as I Wanna Be | Writer/Producer (leaked) |
| 2012 | Victoria Justice and Ariana Grande | "L.A.Boyz" | Victorious 3.0 | Co-Writer/Co-Producer |
| 2012 | Victoria Justice | "Faster Than Boys" | Victorious 3.0 | Co-Writer/Producer |
| 2012 | Leon Thomas III | "365 Days" | Victorious 3.0 (Deluxe version) | Co-writer/Producer |
| 2012 | Leon Thomas III | "Countdown" | Victorious 2.0 | Co-writer/Producer |
| 2011 | Victoria Justice | "Best Friend's Brother | Victorious: Music from the Hit TV Show | Co-Writer/Producer |
| 2010 | Nneka (singer) | "Heartbeat (KooLkOjAk remix)" | Single | Remixer |
| 2011 | Kumi Koda | "4 Times | Single | Producer |
| 2009 | Andy Milonakis | "Let Me Twitter Dat" | Single | Co-writer/Producer |
| 2011 | Dirt Nasty featuring Too $hort, Warren G, Andy Milonakis and Benji Hughes | "As Nasty As I Wanna Be" | Nasty as I Wanna Be | Co-Writer/Producer |
| 2011 | Dirt Nasty featuring Kesha | "Boombox" | Nasty as I Wanna Be | Co-Writer/Producer |
| 2009 | *N.A.S.A. featuring Kanye West, Lykke Li, and Santo Gold | "Gifted" | The Spirit of Apollo | Co-writer/Co-Producer |
| 2009 | N.A.S.A. featuring Kool Kojak | "O Pato" | The Spirit of Apollo | Co-writer/Performer |
| 2010 | Matisyahu | "Miracle" | Single | Co-Writer/Producer |
| 2011 | Travis Barker | "Can A Drumma Get Some KoOoLkOjAk SuRfPuNk mEgAmIx" | Single | Remixer |
| 2011 | Travis Barker featuring Bun B and Tech N9ne | "Raw Shit" | Give the Drummer Some | Co-Writer/Co-Producer with Travis Barker |
| 2011 | Travis Barker featuring Snoop Dogg, Ludacris, E-40 and Dev | "Knockin'" | Give the Drummer Some | Co-Writer/Co-Producer with Travis Barker |
| 2009 | Flo Rida | "Right Round" | R.O.O.T.S. | Co-Writer/Co-Producer with Dr. Luke |
| 2010 | Kesha | "Blow" | Cannibal | Co-Writer/Co-Producer with Dr. Luke and Max Martin |
| 2010 | Lights Over Paris | "Fallin'" | Single | Co-Writer/Producer with J Kash & Robb Mahweenie |
| Roberto Carlos | "Jesus Cristo (Zegon Kojeazy Official Remix)" | Single | Producer with DJ Zegon of N.A.S.A. | |
| 2012 | Ariana Grande | "Voodoo Love" | Single | Co-writer/Producer |
| David Choe | Dirty Hands (DVD) | Producer Kojak Beatz | ||
| 2012 | Shyne | Gangland Mixtape | Producer | |
| 2012 | Michel Telo featuring Becky G | "Ai Se Eu Te Pego" | Single – UK Remix | Producer |
| 2012 | Matisyahu | "Sunshine" "Crossroads" featuring J Ralph and Adrien Brody – "Searchin" "Buffalo Soldier" featuring Shyne "Breathe Easily" "I Believe In Love" "Fire Of Freedom" "Desert Eagle" "Bal Chemptov" "King Crown Of Judah" featuring Shyne "Shine On You" | Spark Seeker LP | Producer/Co-writer |
| 2012 | Owl City | "Take It All Away" | The Midsummer Station | Co-Writer/Co-Producer |
| 2012 | Chelsea Peretti | "Coffee Crankin Thru My Sys" | Single | Producer |
| 2012 | The Lorax (film) | "How Bad Can I Be" | Dr. Seuss' The Lorax: Original Songs from the Motion Picture | Co-Writer/Co-Producer with John Powell |
| 2012 | Kesha | "Gold Trans Am" | Warrior (Deluxe version) | Co-Writer/Producer |
| 2012 | Kesha | "Wonderland" | Warrior | Co-Writer/Producer |
| Jean-Michel Basquiat | "SAMO" (film) featuring Fab Five Freddy, Money Mark, N.A.S.A. & Kool Kojak – | Co-Writer/Co-Producer for MOMA Films | ||
| 2012 | One Direction | "Rock Me" | Take Me Home | Co-Writer/Co-Producer with Peter Svensson and Sam Hollander |
| 2012 | Nicki Minaj | "Va Va Voom" | Pink Friday: Roman Reloaded | Co-Writer/Co-Producer with Dr. Luke, Cirkut and Max Martin |
| 2012 | Matisyahu | "Happy Hanukkah" | Single | Co-Writer/Producer |
| 2013 | Emblem3 | "Chloe (You're the One I Want)" | Nothing to Lose | Co-Writer/Co-Producer with Peter Svensson |
| 2013 | Kesha: My Crazy Beautiful Life (TV Show) | Music producer | ||
| 2013 | Icona Pop | "On A Roll" | This Is... Icona Pop | Co-producer with Shellback |
| 2013 | Scott & Rivers | "はじける" | Scott & Rivers | Co-writer with Rivers Cuomo / Producer |
| 2013 | Los Barkers (featuring Lando, Bama and Travis Barker) | "We Like Vegetables" | Songs for a Healthier America | Co-Writer/Producer |
| 2013 | Matisyahu, Ariana Grande, Travis Barker, Kool Kojak and Salad Bar | "U R What U Eat" | Songs for a Healthier America | Co-Writer/Producer |
| TropKillaz featuring Kool Kojak and Lloyd Pop | "Klap Ur A$$" | Writer/Producer | ||
| 2013 | Kool Kojak | "B-Boyin' Freak Freakin'" | Battle of the Year Official Soundtrack | Writer/Producer |
| 2013 | Britney Spears | "Hold on Tight" | Britney Jean (deluxe version) | Co-Producer with A.C. |
| 2014 | Brooke Candy | "Bed Squeak" | Opulence EP | Co-Writer with Brooke Candy & Jesse St. John / Co-Producer with A.C |
| 2014 | Matt Hunter | "Minha Mina Ta Loca" | Single | Co-Writer with AJ Junior & Bilal Hajji |
| 2014 | Yelle | "Florence en Italie" | Complètement Fou | Co-Writer with Yelle Dr. Luke & Cirkut| |
| 2014 | Jesse & Joy | "Live Life" | The Book of Life Soundtrack | Co-Writer with Jesse Joy and Nate Campany |
| 2014 | Sophia Black | "Vibration" | Single | Co-Writer / Producer with Aaron Joseph and Sophia Black |
| 2014 | Chelsea Peretti | "One of the Greats" | Netflix Comedy Special | Composer |
| 2015 | The Wedding Ringer | "Party & Bullshit featuring Affion Crockett" | The Wedding Ringer Soundtrack | Producer / Mixer |
| 2015 | N.A.S.A. | "Hands Up Don't Shoot!" featuring Sean Paul & Lizzo" | Single | Producer / Mixer |
| 2015 | Yelle | "ThE KoOoL kOjAk A.D.D. Ba$$iN MeGaMiX" | French Radio Hot Track Single | Remixer |
| 2015 | Waka Flocka Flame featuring Good Charlotte | "Game On" | Pixels Movie | Composer/Producer/Mixer with RAS |
| 2015 | TimeFlies | "Burn It Down" | Single | Composer/Producer with TimeFlies |
| 2015 | N.A.S.A. | "Iko" | Single | Composer/Synths |
| 2015 | N.A.S.A. featuring KRS-One | "Jihad Love Squad" | Single | Composer/Synthesizer Master |
| 2015 | N.A.S.A. featuring DMX and Priyanka Chopra | "Meltdown" | Single | Composer/Synthesizer Master/DMX Rap Coach |
| 2015 | Sean Paul | "Bust It" | Single / Soundtrack "The Perfect Guy" | Composer / Producer |
| 2016 | Diego Boneta | "UR Love" | Single | Composer / Producer |
| 2016 | KoOoLkOjAk | "!!!Holla Deck StackEmUp!!!" | Original Film Score "Passengers" | Composer / Producer / Artiste |
Art
Kool Kojak is also a graffiti artist and sculptor in the USA and Brazil. His body of art includes an album cover for Ultramagnetic MCs and New York City murals he painted for Free Tibet Campaign. In Brazil, Kool Kojak has provided hiphop and graffiti symposiums for city run youth programs in the Favelas of São Paulo. He has painted murals with Brazilian artists, such as Os Gêmeos, Vitche, and Juneca. In 2103, Kool Kojak auctioned off a graffiti sculpture to benefit Pete Carroll's charity A Better L.A. Collectors of KoOoL kOjAk artwork include The Disney Corporation, Claude Kelly, Martin Johnson, Dr. Luke, Peter Svensson and Ammo Pro. www
Filmography
| Film | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Year | Film | Role | Notes |
| 2005 | Being Bobby Brown | Score Composer | "The Infamous Chicken Beat" & many others |
| 2009 | The Hangover | Composer - End Credits | "Right Round" |
| 2009 | The Ugly Truth | Composer | "Right Round" |
| 2009 | Couples Retreat | Composer | "Right Round" |
| 2012 | The Lorax | Composer / Vocalist | "How Bad Can I Be" |
| 2012 | 21 Jump Street | Composer / Vocalist | "Boombox" |
| 2012 | Pitch Perfect | Composer | "Yo Mama" |
| 2013 | Battle Of The Year 3D | Composer | "B Boyin Freak Freakin" |
| 2013 | One Direction : This Is Us | Composer | "Rock Me" |
| 2013 | Victorious | Composer / Producer / Actor | "The Bad Roommate" "Best Friend's Brother" "L.A. Boys" |
| 2013 | Walking With Dinosaurs | Composer | "Live Like A Warrior" |
| 2014 | The Book Of Life | Composer/Producer - End Credits | "Live Life" |
| 2015 | The Wedding Ringer | Producer and Additional Programmer | "Party & Bullshit" |
| 2015 | Pixels | Composer/Producer/Mixer | "Game On" |
| 2015 | The Perfect Guy | Composer/Producer/Mixer | "Bust It" Sean Paul |
| 2015 | We Are Blood | Soundtrack | "Meltdown" featuring DMX and Priyanka Chopra |
| 2016 | Passengers | Original song for film | "!!!Holla Deck StackEmUp!!!" |