Sinergy Crew aren’t the most well known rappers about the traps but where they lack in recognition they make up for in skill. We catch up with them for a brief chat:

You’re both from Melbourne, How did you guys get together in the first place?

(R)oyalz: We met through mutual bong smoking graff head mates back in high school. He had me at ‘hello’.
(C)hains: The humble mixbowl has always been good at bringing people together.  That’s really what the middle east needs.  Sit down Palestine and Israel with a mix, a buge, and a copy of the Matrix.  Problem solved.

Sin City has been out a few months now, what’s the general reaction/feeling you are getting from heads?

R: The response has been pretty positive so far. The softer sounding hip hop has been blowing up recently, but some people are still wanting the rawer stuff and we try to punch people in the face with our music.
C: Yeah it’s been pretty positive.  In general hip hop around the world, and in Australia, has been gradually losing its edge.  We’re not really conforming to the ‘easy listening’ movement as such.  We also keep in mind the live aspect of our music, most punters want to go out and have a few drinks and let loose, and we provide a vehicle for that.  I don’t know many people that want to stand in the corner being depressed and wiping away tears.  The scene seems to have become a bit emo of late though.  As far as we know we’ve been getting some radio play in Melbourne, Sydney, Canberra and Perth on the independent radio stations.

It’s been 4 years since your Chaos Theory Mixtape, how have you  both evolved since then?

C: It’s hard to notice personally as you go along because it’s gradual.  It’s really when you listen to old tracks lined up against newer material that you can see how far you’ve come.   I think one of the biggest changes you notice is delivery and presence, which grows along with confidence.
R: We started rhyming around the same time so we’ve seen our style grow and become more polished over time. What Chains said is true though. I had a listen to Chaos theory the other week and you can tell a massive difference, both lyrically and beat wise.

Royalz you are also doing beats now? Did you always make beats?

R: I started out as an emcee first, but picked up making beats early on. With my first beat I actually used the same Debbie Does Dallas sample in Funkoars ‘Boxeaters’. I was really proud of myself until Turps showed me the Funkoars track and I crawled back under the rock I came from. Luckily I kept at it and have a sharper cleaner sound then I did back then.

Tell us a little about Sin City.

C: I’d describe it I guess as having a somewhat dark, uptempo, boom-bap style to it.  Hip Hop production should get your head nodding, and the lyrics should get your mind ticking over.  And not only the first time you hear it.  I like it when people pick up on a new metaphor or something even after listening to a track a number of times.

You have a few Aussie collabs including Raven from Hungry Humans, how did they come about. How was it working with similar artists? Do you think you blend well? Where there any problems?

C: Collaboration is a great part of the artform.  We recorded the track with Raven in his bedroom haha. He’s on a similar tip to us and we’ve always loved his music so was great to work on a track together.  The DBO Track was a bit of a problem logistically and was recorded in fits and spurts, and the A.I track was hard to pin Esvee down from Ballarat, but it all worked out.
R: Yeah although it was logistically difficult, I think working with similar artists and being with them at the studio helps the chemistry that hopefully translates to the tracks that we collaborated on. We don’t pay for myspace verses.

What’s your focus at the moment ?

R: We’re currently working on a free mixtape called the GRHYME Lab, which will feature new tracks from Sinergy Crew, Broken Aesthetiks and our crew Associated Illness. Then we’ve also got the Associated Illness album in the works. Dudes aint ready haha.
C: Yeah just doing Sinergy and A.I shows, the mixtape and then 2010 will be the Associated Illness album – gonna be a banger!   There’s also a focus on building up the GRHYME name, as the distribution situation in Australia isn’t great – so were trying to build a platform to release ours, and soon other head’s music.

What’s your hustle game like ?

R: I don’t do drugs.
C: As independent artists on our own label – that’s the only game we can play!

Sinergy Crew are hustling around Melbourne and you can check gig dates and pick up a copy of their LP below. If you like ya shit grhyme – cop this now.

www.myspace.com/SinergyCrew
www.myspace.com/GRHYME1

OG Turnatablist, DJ ROC RAIDA of the X-Ecutioners passed away Friday, following complications from an accident during a Martial Arts session. Roc Raida was one of the first turntablists to visit our shores and I remember that gig in Albert Park like it was yesterday. RIP The Legendary Grand Master Roc Raida.

From his management …

Anthony Williams known to the world as The Legendary Grand Master Roc Raida has passed away unexpectedly today Sept 19 2009. Raida was recently in an mixed martial arts accident. Although he had under gone 2 surgeries with great success, in a rehab center and was in great spirits the past few days. This morning he started to have complications and passed. The family asks for privacy at this time.

Fans can visit his Myspace page here http://www.myspace.com/rocraida.

Revolver Upstairs, McKenna Bourban and Triple R are proud to present the 11th Annual Revolver MC Comp.

Eleven years of unsurpassed talent battling their skills for a heavyweight title that has been held by such greats as The Tongue (NSW), Bias B (VIC), Justice (VIC) and Delta (SA).

The winner prize pack is valued at over $8,000, and consists of cash plus a flight voucher, goods from sponsors including McKenna Bourban, Revolver Upstairs, Triple R, All Of The Above, Burn Crew, Chapel Tattoo, Colonel Tan’s, Factory Sound, Final Outline, Fur, Implant, Inpress, Madman, Obese, Ozhiphop, Razor Paint, Seven Milligram and Sneaker Freaker.

On the night the MC Comp will be hosted by legendary Aussie rapper Bias B, with beats supplied by the legendary DJ Ransom.  So head down on Thursday 17th September to Revolver Upstairs and support the battle with doors opening at 8pm.

You think you’ve got it?  Well we want to hear what you’ve got, and so do the judges. If you are interested in entering the Comp download a form from www.revolverupstairs.com.au, or fill one in at Revolver Upstairs, 3RRR or Obese Records. Revolver, McKenna Bourban and
Triple R presenting the Aussie hip hop MCs of the future!

Thursday September 17 at Revolver, Chapel St, Prahran

“Talking shit with a hero of yours, that’s a good vibe,
As good as the first time you saw Hilltop Hoods live”

The first time I saw Hilltop Hoods live was way back in 2001 (when most of you probably didn’t even know Australian Hip-Hop existed). It was the album launch for Left Foot, Right Foot at Cherry Bar in ACDC Lane – a venue that holds about five people. How far they have come since then, playing to thousands at sold out shows, and tens of thousands at festivals in Australia and around the world.

I have gone to a majority of the shows the Hoods have played in Melbourne over the years, including the Big Day Out and the massive Stopping All Stations Tour at Festival Hall, as well as two or three of the phenomenal four sell-out nights in a row at the Corner Hotel in 2004.

So did I enjoy this show as much as all the others? Well to be honest, no, not really. It was the same hits from the previous two albums that I’ve already seen a number of times before, with the addition of songs from the latest album, which besides Chase That Feeling (in my opinion one of, if not the greatest hip hop song to come out of this country) I’m just not really feeling.

It was great to see Chase That Feeling live, but aside from that, I spent the most part more in awe of seeing the huge crowd all getting into it. While the show itself I could take or leave, seeing three guys from back in the day rocking the stage, and thousands of adoring fans singing along to their songs and loving every minute of it, is a fantastic thing to see. We’ve come a long way from Cherry Bar…

And the atmosphere really was amazing, with the Hoods performing with the same energy as they always have. They are consummate performers, and second to none in this country.

If you’ve seen the Hoods before, you don’t need a review to tell you about their show because you already know how awesome the Hoods are live.

And if you haven’t…well, you’re missing out on a good vibe.

By Fat Ho aka Patrick Ho

Image provided by Kez Photography.

State of The Art is availble now, well, everywhere.  For those after a copy of this on vinyl,  it is now availble for a whopping $100.00. You might want to call a head before heading down to your local record store because chances are they aren’t stocking it and you will need to pre-order. I have no idea why it is so expensive but apparently it’s been blessed by a pope and the wax is actually made from the tears of small children. Ed

THORTS INTERVIEW

G FORCE (G): Congrats on your recent release Bleeding Heart Muzik. The album is a very personal piece of work, how long was it in the works for and do you think it took you longer because it was on that tip?

THORTS (T): Thanks bro, a few of the tracks on this album were originally Mankind tracks and there are a couple that are actually remixes by different producers. I worked on this album at the same time as I was wrapping up other projects and collabs and then once the music part was done all the other shit took time you know, I wanted to plan it out and make it the best release I could, I didn’t want to rush it and just get it out there like my other releases, I wanted to put everything I had into this release and making sure it got out there and heard.

G: I will admit to following your hip hop development closely as I enjoyed the old radio frees, Field Trip, Mankind and other Hungry Humans projects and I commented once that this is exactly where I thought your debut release would sit. Do you think this was a natural progression in your style as a solo artist?

T: Word! Yeh me and my crew use to always spit live on pbs the formula back in 1999-2001, those were some fun days back then, it’s a shame we never put anything out back then though it would have been fresh! Well actually me and Dan Murphy made a cassette under the name “The Alliance” the tape was called Blak Calix but it would be very hard to find now. I have changed a lot since then though, I was a teenager and on drugs so what I rapped about back then and what I rap about now are 2 totally different things. I progressed as a person first, through life experience, getting my life in order, having a family, working hard, so yeh of coarse this came through into my music as well.

G: From these older days we saw acts such as Lost Souls and yourself in Field Trip yet we have not seen anything new from either duo only solo releases from Raven with Humble Beginnings and now yourself. Why not a full length Field Trip and what made you as a solo artist keep pushing to put out product?

T: Well basically, me and 86 live two separate lives, we recorded the Field Trip ep when I was living in Melbourne, but after moving to Geelong 86 had a family and focused more on being a father than making music and I focused more on solo tracks, we basically went our separate ways, music wise, the last track we did together was in 2007 absolute obselenc which I think is on the Field Trip myspace page. I think also we have different tastes in music and what we wanted to do so I decided to branch out and work with different producers and try different things, where still good friends but just work on our own thing, As for Lost Souls I think it’s pretty much the same story although I’m not sure if Budsa is working on anything at the moment but I know Raven is always hard at work.

G: You are influenced greatly by artists that you enjoy and seem extremely passionate about hip hop. What are your current thoughts on the Aus scene and hip hop in general?

T: Hip Hop is alive and well! Real hip hop is FAR from dead; you just have to know where to look! I am inspired mostly by American artists that I listen to and work with people like Pigeon John, Brother Ali, Atmosphere, Escape Artists, Sontiago, Living Legends etc there is so much good hip hop around but I suppose everyone has there own taste with what they like, I just like real, innovative, creative, blue collar sorta stuff. As for the Australian scene, there’s only a few artists that really interest me, I really like Subsketch, Crixus, Morgan Macmanus, all of my mates of coarse haha but yeh there’s not too much I can relate to really, not really my sound, I really just focus on creating my own music, I guess that’s why I don’t have a similar sound to any other artists in this country.

G: There is a range of production credits on the album yet a similar vibe and sound throughout the whole lot. How did you go about selecting producers, beats and how heavily did having a ‘concise, complete sounding album’ weight into this?

T: The producers I worked with on this album are all friends of mine, which is great, I basically just wrote to beats I dug and beats I dig usually gel together nicely, I am very happy with the way they work together, I dint think they would gel that easy haha.

G: Lyrically throughout the album there is a similar personal vibe. Be it through story telling or a first person perspective there is a heavy dose of honesty and emotion in there. Are these tales closed books now and what will we hear from Thorts in future rhymes?

T: Is life a closed book? Unfortunately I never really learn from all my mistakes haha I write what I feel at the time, there’s no great story really to why I write, it’s just whatever i’m going through at the time, my music is more like a journal entry, so unless I had a crystal ball I couldn’t really tell you exactly what to expect, all I can say is I will be working with some dope international producers and mc’s and my overall sound will just keep getting bigger and better!

G: Does it bother you at all that you may be pigeonholed as an ‘emotional emcee’ or similar tags and people may not peep your music because of this when obviously there is a lot more to it than just that aspect?

T: Well the only bad thing about being pigeonholed is that yeh some people might not check my music, I know that if people at least got to hear my music then they might open up to it but as for being labeled as an emotional mc haha I couldn’t care less, being real to yourself and expressing what you feel is called being a human, people do this day to day so I do it in my music. I’m not gonna be one person in real life then a totally different person on the mic, there are mc’s that do that shit and it’s not for me, It is what it is, I am who I am.

G: Your partner Kadyelle is also an emcee. Are you guys going to release anything together and how much opinions and influence do you have on each others content?

T: Me and Kady have tracks together on her upcoming releases. She has an ep with Fathom (u.s.a) and a full length album titled “silence the piano” they both should be out later in the year. At the moment we have songs together on her stuff and mine but nothing in set in concrete about doing an album together, I think my brother Esvee is first on that list! Basically we listen to the same music and share our lives together so in that aspect we have lots of the same influences but when it comes to writing and recording we do our own thing, don’t sleep on Kadyelle! She is diggity dope!

G: You have moved around a bit the past few years and had some life changes, did this impact on the topics you were writing about and put hip hop to the background a bit?

T: Well I have only had one move in the last 6 years so it hasn’t impacted me greatly creatively but yeh life changes, I have had a huge life change recently with the arrival of our little boy Isaiah Malekai and moving over to Bunbury w.a with my family that has definitely put my music on hold for a little bit, just trying to find myself here and get settled with a good job which I still haven’t done yet but once that is done im sure I will be able to get stuck into my music again.

G: You and Esvee vibe really well on the album and on past works and live shows as well. Any thing in the works with him and why we are on the topic what is next for Thorts?

T: Yeh me and Esvee first met back in 2005 at a show in Geelong, since then we have been best mates and made heaps of dope tracks together. He is a dope mc and a great person in general. His music is much like mine but he still has a distinct feel to his music that makes him heaps different. We gel together nicely and I hope to work on an ep or album with him sometime in the future. At the moment I am working slowly on a free digital ep with the help from Sydney producer Proph 1 who has some amazing beats! The ep is mostly filled with features with artists such as Reach (u.s.a), 1/6 (melbs), 7ravesty & Rival (Brizzy), Kadyelle, Marksman (Perth) & Morgan Macmanus (Canada/Brizzi), I’m just making this for fun and the chance to work with different artists while I’m trying to settle down. After that I have a couple of albums to work on with 2 different producers and some dope international and oz hip hop mc’s which I am really looking forward to, but that’s all I am going to say about those for now, Oh Kadyelle will also have a new clip up very soon and we will also have a clip together, both clips are for tracks off her new album so make sure you peep them once there up and if you haven’t peeped my new clip for my track “into the wind” then go have a look now!

G: A few tracks such as Sleep at Night are predominately made up of singing. I thought at times it was a bit of overload on something that I thought worked well with hooks. Can you tell us more about this style and the importance of these varied styles of hip hop to your music?

T: Well I am influenced by artists who do what they want when they want no matter what people think or say so I do the same. I sing songy hip hop so if that’s the feeling or vibe I get off the beat and that’s what I want to do then I do it. I know I don’t have a great singing voice but I enjoy doing it, that’s it!

G: There are quite a few lines spread across the album that I replay and really think they are poetic, not just a hip hop lyric. Do you explore other facets of art and rhyming such as poetry?

T: I don’t write poems as such but when I write I try to write in a way that’s poetic and not just straight up rhyming, I like to push myself to write differently each track, make it interesting you know, I think it’s most evident in my track “when it’s all been said and done” I really sat down with that one and though about what I was writing and how I was writing it and I will be doing this a lot more in the future with my new music too.

G: Thanks heaps mate. I really enjoyed the album and I think it is a solid piece of work. Any final shout outs, thank yous and the like?

T: No worries bro, glad you enjoy the release! I just want to say that I aint going nowhere! Music is my life and I will be doing this till the day I die! Peace

THORTS SOLO ALBUM – BLEEDING HEART MUZIK Is availble NOW in all good record stores. Featuring Esvee, Crixus, Class A, DJ Bogues, Amber, Mata, Must, JP, 1/6, Urban Monk & J.Waters plus production by Crixus, Saint Surly, Crytearia, Must, Simple Simon & Geko.

http://www.myspace.com/thortsthescorpion

I don’t get to ride the trains in Melbourne very often these days. But on the odd occasion I find myself standing at a railway track with some time to spare, I normally smoke a cigarette and scour the trains passing in the opposite direction for a piece. Sometimes I get lucky, but most often not. They are a blank canvas.

That wasn’t always the case in Melbourne. I regularly caught the trains to school between 90-93 and was often amazed by some off the pieces. I was drawn to them, to a point where I would often be late to class as I would sometimes see a piece I liked and I would get off at the next stop to go back and take a photo.

‘Kings Way – The Beginnings of Australian Graffiti’ is more than just a graffiti book with pretty pictures. Kings Way is a collaborative effort and nine year project that includes 384 pages & 1200 images of Melbourne Graffiti history.

Spanning Melbournes golden age of graffiti, between 1983 & 1993. Kings Way the book is a retrospective of Melboure street art. If you have ever been impressed by books like Subway Art this book goes far and beyond.

With commentries from various Melbourne Artists including Bathy, Chose, Duel, Duet, Krisy, Merda, New2, Paris, Peril, Puzle, Ransom and Ron the Train Driver throughout this time capsule unleashed, is something for Australians to be proud of as this book is the biggest, brightest and best tribute to Graffiti ever published.

The title ‘Kings Way’ is a tribute to the well known passage between Camberwell and Auburn stations on the Belgrave/Lillydale line. Nicknamed ‘Kings Way’ by writers, with credit to a piece painted there by Prime and The Dskyzer in 86. (pictured above)

(Kings Way was also a Graff Magazine printed way back in 1990 by John Williams aka Duel – you can check his shit here http://www.duelsart.com/ )

This book is more than a Coffee table book for old nostalgic cunts like myself, it’s a fogotten history and to some a look at Melbourne as never seen before. From how it all emerged and how the lines connected three generations of writers.

Compiled and authored by old schoolers Duro Cubrilo, Martin Harvey and Karl Stamer ‘Kings Way’ cements Melbournes place in graffiti history.

Kings Way The Book is available now from most Independent Hip Hop shops and Major Bookstores Australia Wide or you can order direct at http://kingswaybook.blogspot.com/.

G Force (G): Congrats on the release of the EP ‘Ritual Law’ fellas. Was it always on the cards to drop an EP after the freebie ‘Mixtaste?’

Deece: cheers dude. To be honest the original plan was to drop Mixtaste then the LP, but as always time gets away like a runaway bride. As soon as we looked like rapping up the album over a year had passed since mixtaste and we didn’t want to risk missing the stand up citizens of this scene suffering from short term memory lose. We re-jigged a few track arrangements and come up with a formula we thought would give peeps a good ear to who we are and what the LP will offer.

G: You seem to have a good idea of what you want to be doing with the timeline and progression of things. Not many artists would drop a video clip with an EP let alone having two of the four tracks with a clip, what’s the idea behind this?

D: We’re both just mad fans of a good clip and of the opinion that a good clip can give a dope track a whole new dimension, plus there just mad fun to do. We’d do a clip for every track if we had the time.

B wiv: Were also lucky to have a few hook ups that have helped us out and I’ve been able to edit them myself so we thought why not?

G: The professional and serious approach extends to the final sound side of things, using Sing Sing for mixing and Jack the Bear to master. You both have a big interest in equipment and the recording process so did getting the right final sound play heavily on your minds?

D: Fuckin oath! That’s pretty much the whole reason it’s taken us so bloody long. We’ve always been on the hunt for the perfect vocal chain and the perfect mix. We’ve had the tracks written for a while but couldn’t bring ourselves to let them loose not sounding up to scratch. We’ve constantly upped our game in the studio on a mission to get our shit to what we thought was releasable quality. We eventually got the recording down but still couldn’t get the mix exactly we’re we’d envisioned it. We did some research and got onto Tony Espie (his mixed everything from the classic Avalanches ‘Since I left you’ LP to TZU’s latest ‘computer Love’). Working with Tony in a room full of vintage eq’s and compressors was unbelievable. He used what we had already done as reference then took it to the next level. Of course Jack then tied it all together to get it to sound consistent because each track really has a mind of its own sonically.

G: Production wise B Wiv has a pretty unique style, what are your influences and how do you go about your own production?

B: Man my influences range from DJ Premier, The Rza, Nu-Mark, Suffa, Trials to Rage Against the Machine, Bob Dylan and John Lennon. I have no set way I go about making my beats, I guess it starts with the sample or a melody I’ll have in my head and then I’ll structure the beat around that.

G: Deece, the track 40 days and 40 fights is a deeply personal track. Was hip hop a big outlet for you to relieve some stresses and emotions involved with this or was this track used as a closure to the experience?

D: It’s both really. I’ve been on the mic longer than I’ve been sticking myself with insulin. Something I don’t expected people to pick up on is the fact I refer to myself in the third person up until the time I’m diagnosed in the track. When I look back on life before the needle it’s like looking at a different person. I didn’t want the track to come across like I was looking for sympathy because I’m really not. Just being in the hospital after knocking on deaths door made me realize how lucky I was. I was in a bed across from a stroke victim in his 40s who was totally paralyzed and I was kept up at night listening to the nurses trying to shove a tube down is throat to feed the poor bugger. I had nothing to whine about next to that dude and many others around me so from that day onwards whining and wasting time was over with.

G: How would you describe your sound and how it differs from other Aus hip hop releases at the moment?

D: In one word I’d say aggressive. B wiv’s production can be simple or it can be epic, but most of the time it’s just plain epic. His got a good music brain and it comes across in his production, especially when there’s no sampling involved. It’s always suited my style and helping push it. If I had to put a point of difference between us and others it would be simply that we don’t sound remotely like anyone else out there at the moment. Although I see originality as a good thing it is a catch 22 in that it has also alienated us to an extent. I reckon it would take balls to say you think B wiv Deece is the shit to your one track minded hip hop buddies haha.

G: Being brothers you probably argue at times. How does this work with creating music together? Are you honest and critical with each other on both production and lyrics and has this led to any problems?

D: You know what? I probably argue with Mr Wiv the least out of the whole crew. We grew up 2 of 7 siblings and there was plenty of arguing no doubt, but our personalities are chalk and cheese and the only reason we’ve got this far. I’ve been involved in plenty of musical relationships and this incest situation has defiantly been the most productive. I’d say we’re very honest and critical of each other but in a positive way. One of the reasons we work so well musically is because we grew up sharing bunk beds with the same posters on the wall listening to the same shit. We both know what we like and have very similar tastes, so when he goes na that sounded whack, nine times out of ten I take a second listen and agree. The other one time I slap the shit out of him.
B: Yea that’s pretty much how it is except the complete opposite haha.

G: So, from here what can we expect? A full length release and when?

D: the full length is in the can awaiting its chance to shine. At the moment we’re pushing the EP to ready people for it. We’re also sorting out all the behind the scenes stuff like lable/distro. Ritual Law is a 100% independent release but for the full length we’ll be seeking assistance to get it out to as many suckers as possible. Regardless of how we end up releasing it, it should be out late this year.

G: Maundz features on the EP, any plans for him or other features on the full length?

D: Not at this point, however I’ve just recorded a verse for his upcoming LP ‘Mr. Nobody’. For the amount of time we spend in the studio together it’s lame how much we don’t rock tracks together. At the end of the day it’s probably just that we have such different styles that rarely relate to the same beat and concept. In saying that though we’re talking about dropping a joint 12” after we both finally get our LPs out but we’ll see.

G: What else should we be looking out for from B Wiv Deece, live shows, guest spots, production credits?

D: Defiantly some shows in the next couple of months. We’re working on getting interstate as well for some launches. As far as guest verses from myself go there’s not too much on the cards apart from the Maundz LP. I guess I’ve been so busy recording that foul creature as well as mixing the whole thing I don’t have time for much else. I then of course have to deodorize the house after he leaves, it’s a lot of work but it’s very nearly done!

B: I’ve laid down some beats and cuts for Maundzs LP, he pretty much gets all the B wiv Deece leftovers haha

G: I thank you greatly for your time, good luck with the release and do you have any shout outs or final words?

D: Go out and cop it! The easiest way is directly from www.myspace.com/bwivdeece via paypal. You get the EP + postage + your very own B wiv Deece stubby holder for the bargain price of $10! It’s a steal. It’s also in local shops and on itunes so keep an eye out.

B: You can also check out our clips on Vimeo or Youtube

Universal Music continue to pick up Australian Hip Hop acts as part of their distribution network (see Central Station thread).

Seems like a long time coming for a release that everyone has been sweating on, what has been happening in the life and times of Newsense and Ciecmate since the Hospice debuted to this LP dropping?

Since The Hospice’s debut? Shit, that was like 2003 that we put out Stormwater. A whole lot happens in 6 years. Basically we have been working on our own material and poaching from it for different albums and projects, helping other people with beats and so on (mostly Ciecmate in that regard). Also there was the epic Hospice Crew ‘Visiting Hours’ album and ‘Dental Records’ compilation that took up a bit of time and energy. We’ve always got a lot going on in our personal lives, alcohol binges (mostly me on that one), getting evicted and moving houses every 6 or so months and having to re-setup the studio, plus I’ve shifted between Canberra and Melbourne quite a lot which hasn’t helped.

With the advances in technology is the fact you are based in different cities irrelevant when it comes to recording music together? Or are you the type of artists that thrive off of each others energy in the room?

Most of our back and forth shit was written together in the same room, and most of the ideas and initial work is done while we meet up for weekend studio sessions or on tour. A lot of the time we’ll take shit away and come back when we got a verse because i find forcing a verse turns out shithouse. You need to write something around whatever mood you are in. It’s been good having the separation and meeting back up, both having totally different inspiration since we last saw each other. Of course phone calls and email help a lot for trading ideas and playing or sending beats back and forth… which is kinda how the concept for linking up the album and the intro came about. It became pretty essential towards the last two or three tracks of the project having Ciecmate send up the files to me via email and hit the studio up here and get them back to him to meet our final deadlines.

What sort of feel does the LP take? Is it mood music to woo your lady to or that typical no bullshit BTE hip hop? Are you surprised at the beat choices and song directions you found yourself taking?

Man we took it back to the hospice roots on this having some really diverse topics and concepts on there. After Visiting Hours and Dental Records people may have pigeonholed us back into just that braggadocio and posse track style shit. I mean, we love that stuff and there is that shit on there but we like dropping all sorts of shit and using all kinds of beats. The topics go from like a travel track in “Men Still Moving, to a ‘From Dusk Til Dawn’ type recreational drug track in “Club Meds”, to some dark story telling on a drug dealers downfall in ‘Labarynth of Shadows’, to some less serious shit about picking up cougars at the local pokie parlour in ‘Codename Cougar’. Ciecmate’s beats have a lot more depth as you can pick up the natural refinement in his shit over time and I’ve also stepped up to the plate and pulled a few beats out of the hangar.

When you look at how far hip hop has come in Australia in terms of exposure and acceptance are you excited or perhaps is it a feeling of worry as you look around at a pure product being diluted?

It’s a case of a little from column A and a little from column B. You do have these herbs out there that haven’t payed their dues trying to be the next big thing. In most cases Australia is pretty fortunate in that most of the people that are getting a heap of recognition have been on the grind with the same sound for years and just refining it and getting their live shows popping off more hyped. There isn’t too much of a case of people switching up their shit, but a whole gang of so called artists come out wack from the start! Shit does come down to publicity, marketing, and budgets, but Aussies aren’t idiots. They can sniff out a lot of the bullshit and not support it, but it can be a challenge getting it out there sometimes. There are a few that switch up their shit, but you find that they lose their initial fan base and end up on some whole other genre and different heads at their shows type shit. So I’m not really that worried… suckers will be suckers, and innovators and the skilled will just keep on keeping on. At the end of the day if you’re doing this shit for money and haven’t got the hunger or love, you will most likely give up a year or two down the track as the bills pile up!

How does the lack of radio support for BTE releases affect the label? Is it something that even enters your thoughts when looking at the music to make or artists to sign?

For starters, we don’t really ‘sign’ people. We’ve got a full roster that we are happy with and are all likeminded friends. Shit, we have enough trouble trying to give the heads we do have with us enough time and support! Our shit is under resourced on some Somalian shit. If someone is a mate and they are working on stuff we always keep our eyes and ears open, and it’ll most likely come up casually over a few drinks somewhere what they want to do with it and if they’d like us to help. Our mates know we’re always there to lend a hand even if we don’t have the budget or schedule to put their shit out.

Radio play is always a factor if you are concerned in moving units. We get some pretty strong support across community radio and myspace, plus the internet obviously makes shit a lot easier. Having Hau hosting the hiphop show on Triple J has seen a bit of a lift as well, he’ll give a track or two of all of our different artists a play here and there. Basically most of our shit isn’t made for the masses, so we understand why it doesn’t get played to the masses. Just makes things an uphill struggle financially, but we’ll always keep on the grind!

How does the release feel to you as its creator, are you happy with the end package or are you still picking up bits and pieces you would like to tweak?

If there aren’t bits and pieces you still want to tweak when you get something out then you are either an arrogant fuckwit, or have become too complacent. As an artist there should always be shit you wanted to do or improve. I mean, I’m pretty happy with what we put out – but there was so much more we wanted to do with a few skits and more songs we wanted done… there’s a few bits and pieces in recordings and beats I look back in hindsight and wish I had time to flip. At the end of the day you gotta just get it out or it will sit in the studio for years and never see the light of day cos you will feel it’s too outdated. It’s just the nature of the beast!

The release has been out for a little while now how is the feedback going? Are people feeling the overall sound and content?

The feedback has been dope! There are tracks on there that are like 6 years old, some that are less than 6 months old. Some of them I just can’t listen to cos we’ve had them sitting there so long – but the heads hadn’t heard them yet. I was pretty much over most of the shit by the time it went to press and was a little apprehensive as to how people will feel it after its been on the back burner for so long. We’ve gotten some really positive feedback from artists and fans alike though, which has been great affirmation of the efforts we put in.

What’s on the cards next for both yourselves as a duo and the label as a whole?

As a duo we’re starting to get our tour dates booked to try and cover as many places as we can. We’ve got a few beats and concepts left over from the project that we’ve talked about forming the basis as a follow up, so perhaps in another 6 years you will get another one! nah seriously, After we’re done touring we’ll talk more about what time frame we will need to bang out another joint album and it won’t be a 6 years in the making thing again. Ciecmate & myself will both have some solo shit in the pipeline, and we’re starting to spread some murmers through the label of a Dental Records Vol 2. There’s a few artists that are always diligently working away, and heads will be happy to know that Bigfoot’s album is really coming along. I’m amped to get that one cranking, personally!

The label seems to be one of the most respected by fans Australia wide, is that far more important to you than accolades such as awards or hottest 100 charts?

Fucking oath! We don’t make chart music, we don’t try to make chart music. Radio play, commercial viability, and all that shit is the furthest thing from our minds in the artistic process. If something does get some strong radio support, that’s dope, but wasn’t really what was on our mind when putting pen to paper or sampling something. We just want to make some banging shit we like and that our peers can relate to. It’s great when shit spreads wider, but if they don’t understand what we are talking about then it kind of defeats the purpose. Having a random keeno chew your ear about how you are ‘a mega fresh rapper’ sucks balls, but having a head come up and comment to you about the way a message in a song is conveyed, something that you have done out of the norm, or generally the way you artistically did something means a lot. It’s for our peers, and most humans don’t get down on the same shit we do.

Finally some up the album in 3 of your own words….

THATS THE SHIT!

By Shane Scott

A Tale of Two Cities is OUT NOW on Broken Tooth Entertainment and availble where all good Hip Hop is sold.

Thursday night’s are usually reserved for a few pre-weekend drinks down at the local tavern, but not when The Main Ingredients rolled into town last week. Boasting a juicy lineup of some of Australia’s, UK’s and USA’s finest up and comers, everybody helped to serve up a good dose of that banging live hip-hop you come to expect from all artists on the bill.

Killaqueenz did a good job dishing out the entrée to get everybody in the mood being backed with some fine original beats as well as some tried and true classics, but it was Polo Club who truly got the party started.
Using their catchy, eclectic electro sounds, they managed to draw the crowd in to prepare them for the evening. With dense, bassy production and some incredibly crowd friendly chorus’, in no time at all was the crowd feeling the vibes of this one-to-watch Melbourne duo.

The quality just continued as New Zealand producer P-Money coupled with Australia’s own heavyweight producer M-Phazes brought on the producer showcase, giving the audience a taste of what they both had cooking on the backburners. As well as that, each producer flexed their skills by crafting a beat from a sample the other one would give them, which was nothing short of spectacular and resulted in some crazy head nodding on the crowd’s behalf.

As the night progressed, the relatively unknown Buff1 from Detroit smashed out an unexpectedly big live show that definitely got people moving. Even aware of his lack of exposure in Australia, this didn’t stop him bringing the crowd some of those tailor made live bangers that would have more then certainly woke a few heads who had been sleeping.

Finally, the much anticipated return of one of UK’s finest – Jehst. Backed by another unknown, Sonny Jim, also from the UK, both brought fans what they had been eagerly awaiting almost a year to see. More of a fan based show, Jehst brought his renowned UK monotone raps to the stage with an up tempo vibe that definitely kept the followers happy and satisfied at the worthwhile wait. Bringing out tunes from the past right up to the present, everybody was able to enjoy a large, mixed plate of Jehst goodness and definitely left everybody on a high at the end of the proceedings.

The crowd was very comfy, not necessarily packed, but it was full enough to call the night a big success. Big ups to all who put this together and who performed, including DJ’s Ology and Flagrant who provided the light entertainment between acts.

Continue to support these gigs and they will continue to happen!

BY Brad R

Let’s hope the receivers responsible for Central Station/Destra manage to keep these guys in business. MORE INFO Ed.

Featuring Fraksha and Scotty Hinds from Nine High.

Check this shit out YO! And don’t forget to tune into RRR every Friday night for Top Billin radio.

And a reminder that Top Billin’s own Doc Felix hosts his free hip-hop night every week in Gertrude St, Fitzroy. So get down there and give him an earful!

Putting a gig on in Melbourne on Cup weekend has always been a risky venture, whether it’s on Cup Eve or any other night over the long weekend. There are so many things to do in Melbourne it can be hard for anyone to prioritise what they want and need to do. I was lucky enough to have absolutely nothing on last Friday and as there where a couple of gigs (Hermitude @ The Prince – check back for review later) on in Stkilda plus Terra Firma at The Espy. As I had to prioritise what I wanted and needed to see I got down to the Terra Firma (AUS) gig at around 12.40 am, I had been told they where coming on at 12.45am so I thought I had scheduled this perfectly. When I got to the front door I saw they where already performing and was in a hurry to get in there and cop the show. Unfortunately I wasn’t on the door, but there is a saying in the music industry ‘if you think you belong there, then you probably do’. Well it’s not commonly used but essentially if you can talk shit enough, you are going to get in. The first thing I noticed was that the (Gershwin) room was empty and by that I mean it was fucking empty. There was so much room in there that I could have held a rave, from the bar to the back of the room without the few diehards at the front caring too much. No wonder my name wasn’t on the door, I thought to myself. Whoever promoted this gig, really fucked something up and this gig wasn’t just running at a loss it would have been equivalent to the current US deficient. For those who haven’t heard of Terra Firma (AUS) or who haven’t (didn’t show up) seen them perform before are missing out. As members of Adelaide’s legendary Certified Wise collective, MC/producer Simplex, MC Raph A.L, MC Mic Lez and DJ Dyems are possibly one of he best outfits in Australia at the moment as far as grass roots Oz Hip Hop goes, on a world standard these guys are beyond up there. Which again brings me back to being truly disappointed with the crowd size. This didn’t seem to phase the lads at all, they performed as if the room had 1000 punters in it. Playing a mix of tracks from there recent release Music To Live By (out now dist. By Shogun Distribution) and older releases from Culture of Kings compilation and Walking The Past (2003). No tracks performed stood out as any better than the previous as mthey where all performed with Gusto. And having not actively listed to these lads and not received their current album it was hard to judge on anything other than pure merit of the performance. Which was gold. I do have some footage from a shoddy camera phone, which I will try to upload for you soon. On a rating out 10, these guys deserve a 10 for performance and effort. WHEN you get a chance to see them again, check them out, you will not be disappointed. I have invited Terra Firma to drop by and make some comments on the gig and maybe fill in the blanks on tracks.

Check out there myspace page here http://www.myspace.com/terrafirmacrew

While I realise I should have been covering this from the get go, The 2008 Aria awards where held last week and after being nominated for the past 3 conscutive years our Oz Hip Hop boys ‘Bliss n Eso’ took down the Best Urban Release for 2008. This is a massive step forward for the boys and well and truly deserved. While Bliss n Eso don’t always get the respect they deserve from new headz possibly due to their party style of Hip Hop, they have been hard workers in the scene and definitely deserve this award.

I would have published thir acceptance speech but the video is no longer available due to a copyright claim by Channel 10. Which is a shame.

We will try and catch up Bliss n Eso for you shortly. In the mean time you can send your congratulations to the boys by visiting their website – http://www.blissneso.com/

I was looking forward to hearing ‘The Festival Song‘ when I got my first glimpse of the back cover. Every time i think Pez, 360 also comes to mind. You guys obviously have a history together, how important was getting this track just right?

It was definitely important cos I knew the song had a lot of appeal and potential. But working with Sixty is always a very natural thing and not something that we have to put much thought into, we just let it come. That being said, I still know when somethings not quite right and I wasn’t going to let up until I thought the song had everything that it needed. Which I think it does and I’m really happy with the result!

‘It All Starts To Show’ definitely let you speak your mind. Do you see this as common knowledge to most?

Yeah it definitely gave me a chance to talk about some things that were on my mind. I wanted to have a song on the album that would give me a chance to open up and see where I end up, so ‘It All Starts To Show’ was a very important song for me and turned out to be one of my favourites. I don’t see the things that I talked about as common knowledge though, that’s probably the reason behind why I wanted to talk about them, because I get so annoyed at people’s lack of awareness and it’s my way of expressing it and letting go of it.

This being your debut LP, how has everything been at Soulmate? Any plans for future releases, what’s in store for Pez?

Well being that this is my debut LP, this is definitely my whole focus at the moment and will be for some time, though a ForthWrite album and a project i’m doing with Raymes are both in the works. Everything at Soulmate has been great and hopefully there will be lots of future projects for us to embark on together but it’s early days at the moment so we’ve just got to take it one step at a time.

Working alongside someone like Count Bounce must of been a great learning curve, what was his overall influence?

Working with Count Bounce was a great learning experience for me and Matik because it was the first time we’d seen our music come to life. We were both strongly involved in the mixing phase so we kept the brakes on him to some degree but he was able to suggest some cool things throughout. Plus I loved the result of having him feature on ‘Ain’t Got Time’! That song wouldn’t have been the same without him on it.

What’s the usual process between yourself and Matik, from making a beat, to concepts etc?

The process usually involves Matik sampling something or having a rough composition that really grabs my attention. Once that happens, he’ll bounce out a rough version for me to take home and write to, and we might have a little discussion about ideas for the track’s direction if something doesn’t immediately jump out at me. Then I like to be alone and get in a zone so I can put the beat on repeat and write until all of the lyrics come together. And finally comes the exciting part, where I get to go back and show Matik what I’ve done and he gets to show me all of the other things he’s added to the beat and we watch it come together.

Cheers for your time mate, any shout outs, upcoming gigs? Where can peeps find a copy of A Mind Of My Own?

Shout outs to everyone involved in helping the album come together. My album launch is on October 24th at Roxanne Parlour in Melbourne which is extremely exciting! And people will be able to find a copy at JB Hi – Fi, all good hip-hop stores and hopefully Sanity and HMV as well. Cheers brother. Pez

By Jeans

Well I am fuckhead for not posting this last week and before the gig oops – Ed.

Update – For those who missed the album launch Pez and 360 will be supporting The Winnie Coopers at “The Spot” 133 Sydney Road, Brunswick this Friday 31st October

Tickets $10
Doors open 9pm

There’s an unspoken truth in hip-hop that a true head will listen to hip-hop only, avoiding all other genres in the musical spectrum. Well if that’s the case, these guys aim to bring all that you’re missing to the table. Meet the Saturday Knights, a Seattle hip-hop trio comprising of emcee’s Tilson, Barfly and DJ Suspence who have just dropped their debut LP ‘Mingle’, a composite of many rock and rap styles.
For those not aware, emcee Barfly is a member of the gigantic hip-hop crew Oldominion but for those already acquainted, it’s quite common that the Oldominion side projects can be, let’s say, a little abstract and some just down right weird. This is no exception.

Mostly engaging in concepts and themes surrounding socialism, hence the aptly titled ‘Mingle’, there are some genuinely good little tracks on this debut including the opening track 45 – featuring drums by Nirvana producer Jack Endino – , Motorin’ and Foreign Affair. On the other hand while tracks like Mutt, Private School Girl and Surf Song work, the attempt at bridging the gap between genres doesn’t quite gel and could leave fans of both separate genres scratching their heads as to which style has been violated more.

Considering the fact that the Saturday Knights formed just as a bit of fun, a few drunken freestyles over some 60′s pop music, it’s good to see hip-hop isn’t all business and serious shit. However, if you’re strictly hip-hop and struggle to have an open mind on all that is musically enticing, it’d probably be best to continue scouring that shelf for a new hip-hop joint. Fresh, but too far gone

BY Brad R.

The Saturday Knights are out now on http://www.inertia-music.com/

Or check em out here myspace.com/thesaturdayknights

What is a live show? In fact, what is hip-hop without all the elements? Well, not hip-hop, but a group who definitely don’t neglect any element of the culture is Sydney hip-hop pioneers Def Wish Cast. Complete with turntablism, emceeing and a dash of graf and b-boyism, nothing could have been more visually exciting then experiencing the full force that was DWC.

The group had incredible solidarity and unlike many emcees that grace the stage, Die-C, Def Wish and Sereck couldn’t have orchestrated themselves better. Dropping all the classics from both ‘Knights of the Underground Table’ and 2006’s explosive sophomore ‘The Legacy Continues’, nothing but the heads were there to show their support.

Also there to support musically were some of Melbourne’s originals including RKS and also one of the founding members of the AKA Brothers, Pac Diesel both delivering short but no less large performances. A highlight however was the nowadays seldom seen b-boy show put on by Melbourne’s Fresh Sox Crew with J-Red on the decks, pushing out that old skool steez to accompany the boys in showing you how it’s done.

Apart from the sadly minimal turnout, the night was a huge success and definitely kept the audience active, satisfied and hopefully prompted all those hip-hop enthusiasts to get off their arse and get to doing.
By Brad Reich

The Australian Idol for Australian rappers – The 10th Annual Revolver Battle took place last night for the biggest prize pool in history, which had a value of over $10k. An unknown Melbourne emcee ‘Yak i’ll’ defeated Illuminate. I won’t go as far as saying he had any pre-written raps but he definitely played on illuminates largish physique and punch lines aimed at illuminates Mum where also fair game. Illuminate seemed fixated on being called a ‘red head’ and while he was able to make few punches out of it in response, it got boring pretty quickly and he lost the crowd. Illuminate fell apart in the final round while Yak ill was able to dominate with some steady punch lines. Yak had hyped the crowd for his set when he opened and maintained participation throughout. Bias B who hosted the night got progressively drunk from the sponsored bourbon he was drinking and managed to slur through the sponsors at the end of the night. Third and Forth went to Nymphlow and Prime. Congrats to ill Yak, look forward to seeing more of him and what him makes of his prizes which included 200 pressed Cd’s which should help him with his first release.