Brothers Naithon and Kris Cook, also known by their stage names, Holistic Meditation and Emcee Monkey D., are a dynamic hip hop duo you may have seen on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube. They go by the Freedom Renegades, and they rap about consciousness, but in a hard-hitting style influenced by old-school legends like Rakim and Scarface. In their own words, they are “two brothers on the adventure of a lifetime, making beautiful music for beautiful people.” Well versed in the psychedelic realm, Nate and Kris recently returned from a trip to Beond where they took ibogaine for the first time. To end their 10-day stay, they played a concert for guests and staff. 

What We Disscuss

• What separates the Freedom Renegades from other hip hop artists

• What influences their music

• Looking at the lyrics of “One Last Ride”

• What it’s like to freestyle for 2 hours a day on TikTok

• Nate & Kris’ different expectations and experiences of ibogaine

• Being in the same room together during treatment

• How they are integrating their experience

• How ibogaine has influenced their creative process

Why It’s Important

As the Freedom Renegades, Nate and Kris write lyrics with the goal of uplifting and inspiring listeners, drawing on musical and spiritual influences alike to deliver a message that you won’t find on the latest Billboard chart. Though Nate and Kris are the first guests on this show to have been in the same room together during their treatment, they had very different journeys. Learning about their experiences with ibogaine provides insight into how distinctly personal an experience with this medicine can be, and how one’s creative process might be influenced by a deep psychedelic journey. 

Relevant Links

• Freedom Renegades official website
• Freedom Renegades on YouTube
• Holistic Meditation on TikTok
• Emcee Monkey D. on TikTok
• Holistic Meditation on Spotify
• Introducing The Freedom Renegades, a Rap Duo on the Rise