Don’t feed the gorillas!! Michelle’s older brother, Jeff McCool, has started a band with his friend RP. Together, they are DubbleWide and they’ve got something to say! Check out the exclusive interview with Jeff that you’ll only find here. He talks about his band and it’s start, the name, etc. and also dishes a little dirt on his baby sister. Think you aren’t interested? Ask yourself what a former football player would be afraid of: critics and their brutal words, a tall, blonde female who happens to be a wrestler or frogs? The answer may surprise you! After the interview, make your way to the website and get your copy of their self titled album, DubbleWide.

01.) You make up one-half of the DubbleWide Boyz, with R.P. Stevens aka “Flo-Master” making up the other half. For those of us that didn’t know you were in the rap game, why don’t you tell us exactly who the DubbleWide Boyz are, and what kind of music they bring?

Jeff: It’s definitely different. I mean, growing up in the south, most people would assume I am just a country bumpkin that likes songs about moonshine and big trucks. Neither one of us dislike country music, classic rock, or your typical southern music; however, we each grew up listening to hip hop. RP and I each were college athletes, and when our athletic careers ended, we really didn’t know which route to take. We got together about a year ago and said, “Let’s do this”. We had freestlyed at a bunch of parties together, used to ride around in the truck doing the same thing, and finally came up with the conclusion, that TWO fat white dudes from the south had never been done. So, we said…. “Let’s do it!”

02.) What’s the secret behind the tag team duo of “Cooler” McCool and the “Flo-Master” – what makes this team interesting?

Jeff: I think what makes things interesting is that when we step on stage, a lot of people are actually surprised that it’s two Fat, out of shape, ex athletes that are grabbing the mic.. that’s the first thing. Secondly, I think that the music is very different and hits a wide genre of music listeners. I mean, who has a song about big jacked up trucks? Not many people. Who has a song about hunting? Not many people. I mean, it’s all rap, yet the majority of it is done about country themes. We do however, show our versatility on songs such as “The DubbleWide Slide”, and “Freaky Deaky”. I think what sets us a part is we aren’ trying to be somebody different. We’re not pulling the Jamie Kennedy card in “Malibu’s Most Wanted”, were not trying to immolate Bubba Sparxxx, and we definitely aren’t trying to compete with Eminem. We are just two big country boys from the south that has something a little different for everybody :-)

03.) Who came up with the band’s name, and why did ‘DWB’ settle on Gorillas for your self-titled debut CD?

Jeff: Actually we were doing Karaoke one night before we ever got startedm, and the guy running the karaoke machine made the comment when we were done, “give it up for the DubbleWide Boyz”.. we laughed, and it kind of stuck. The album is self titled DubbleWide Boyz just so that people don’t forget our name, and get confused. The “redneck gorilla” part of it derived from the fact that we are just two big guys on the mic, and someone once told us, ya’ll look like two big gorillas up there, and the nickname kind of stuck…

04.) Growing up, which artists did you listen to? Who are your musical influences as far as today’s artist are concerned?

Jeff: Growing up, I was a huge Too Short, KRS 1, and LL Cool J fan. I also loved a lot of country music, and southern rock such as Lynard Skynard, and Creedence Clearwater Revival. RP liked a lot of the same. As far as current musical influences, it is hard to say. I don’t know that they are necessarily influences as much as they are stepping stones to what people are apt to listening to. I have always liked the way Kid Rock can work a crowd, but not necessarily his music. I have always found Snoop intriguing. I think the Black Eyed Peas and Outkast are musical geniuses as well. We try to incorporate something from everyone and mix it all in to one big pot and hit all genres.

05.) What inspired you to start working in the music industry?

Jeff: That’s a tough one. We each always thought we would play ball professionally, and once that didn’t happen, it was tough with being out of the lime light all the time. I have always craved on attention, and making people smile and laugh anyway I could. Basically, I have always wanted my 15 minutes a fame. However, as far as the music industry goes, it started as a joke, and someone one night said, “You guys are marketable. You have a different look, and your music isn’t half bad”. So in turn, we just ran with it.

06.) Describe how you felt before your very first performance.

Jeff: I actually wasn’t near as nervous as I thought I would be. Neither was “P”. I think this was because we were in front of a local crowd that expected it to be humorous more than entertaining. As soon as we got into our first song and saw the dance floor covered, we just started feeling it. Now that we are actually considered performers, and have a CD out, I think we get a bit more nervous before we play, due to the fact that we know that we have to exceed the last time we’ve played, each time we play in order to progress and get people to support and buy our music.

07.) Time for the inevitable: What was your sister’s reaction when you told her about your rap career? What did she think about the live performance at the Brick House for Steamboats Live?

Jeff: LOL, I think she was more or less saying to herself “it doesn’t surprise me”. I mean, I did move to Vegas at one time on a whim to try stand-up comedy, so I don’t think anything really surprises her. I think she was a little surprised though at the crowd response and the show we put on. Although, it is DEFINITELY not her type of music, I think she would say she enjoyed it.

08.) Say you were to have a little free-style battle against WWE Superstar, John Cena. Why don’t you take the Doctor of Thuganomics to school and bust out a little flow for us?

Jeff: Put me on the spot one time, huh? As much as I respect Cena, I would hate to start a conflict between he and my sister by hurting his feelings ripping him on the mic. :-) I would love to, but I don’t know if he’s ready for all that… and if it’s a battle, its not true unless its face to face… we will have to see what the future brings!

09.) What’s a band you have on your iPod that you’d be ashamed to admit?

Jeff: Wow, NKOTB, Kenny G, and probably Taylor Swift… don’t ask, but I do.

10.) Would you ever let a certain WWE Diva, who just so happens to share the same parents, star on a track or in a future music video?

Jeff: I don’t know that she would star on a track, but I wouldn’t mind having her in a video. Because you know, the divas are pretty tight, and if she came along, maybe the rest would follow. It would be absolutely awesome to do a track that ended up being some entrance music…

11.) Be honest, on a scale from 1 – 10 how bad is your sister’s voice?

Jeff: Phew…. 3, maybe 4… but hey, I can’t sing a lick either. Rapping is completely different.

12.) Prior to your latest rap endeavor, you were actually an all-star athlete yourself. With a legion of fans able to read off your sister’s accolades and credentials, why not share some of yours?

Jeff: Well, looking at the pictures of today, you wouldn’t know it, but in 96′ (I’m dating myself) I was one of the highest recruited Quarterbacks in the country. I hold every passing record at Palatka High School, and went on to the Univ. of Cincinnati. I was a stellar baseball player, as well playing in several All-Star games, and leaving high school with a career .400 batting average. Some of my close friends will tell you that basketball was probably my best sport, it was just hard to dedicate anytime to it between baseball and football. I was fortunate enough to play a couple of years professionally in the arena football league before injuries shut my athletic career down.

13.) Time to be honest once more, what’s scarier: your sister so angry that she’s willing to bust out moves from her arsenal on you, a handful of tree frogs, or your rap critics?

Jeff: I think I can still take my sister, and critics are critics… at 6″4, 300 lbs. it’s embarrasses me to say, it has to be tree frogs! I will walk into a swamp, knee-deep at night to grab a 10 foot alligator, but a 2-inch green tree frog will put me in a coma.

14.) What’s next for the DubbleWide Boyz?

Jeff: Whatever the world brings us. We are starting to get some radio play at some smaller stations down here in the south. We have a few songs playing in several clubs in the area. We ultimately want to finish up our first video before July, and start a viral video. On top of that, we want to put together as many live venues as we can…. promote, promote, promote, that’s it.

15.) Last chance to sell yourself!

Jeff: Plain and simple: there is something on the CD for everybody! Go to www.dubblewide.com www.myspace.com/dubblewide2424 or the DubbleWide fan page on facebook… become a fan, spread the word, buy the CD! on a personal note, I could not be any more proud of my sister than I am right now. watch out world, I gotta feeling she is going to get the belt soon!!!! Keep it up sis… I love you!