With a passion and drive for perfection, Prophet Rayza draws from his musical inspiration the likes of Nas, Rakim, Ice T, KRS One and Wu Tang Clan. In 2009 he released the first Spits and Pieces mixtape which went on to move all of the limited 5,000 copies pressed within two months of its release. Prophet Rayza now brings you the follow up to Spits and Pieces with Volume 2.
His last record Six Books (Born Fresh Records), saw him working with some of this countries and abroads most up and coming producers including 5th Seal from New York, Dats of The Optimen, Tommy Illfigga and DJ Butcher of Crate Creeps, Cam Bluff of Vegas Aces and you can be sure to expect big things from this. Spits & Pieces mixtape Vol. 2 is available now as a free digital download below.
Tracklisting: 1. In The Presence Of Greatness (Intro) 2. Wolves Are Loose 3. Broken Wings 4. Always Ft. Tommy Illfigga 5. Cold World 6. What I’d Do 7. You Better Write… Ft. Prophet Rayza, Skwid Rocca, Joe Average, Mr. Hill, DJ Butcher, Tommy Illfigga, Thomacide & Discrete Pete 8. Real 9. It Ain’t A Game 10. Shadows 11. Like I Can Ft. Sunny Dread 12. Wordology Ft. Pi-Emc3e 13. Monster Shit Ft. 4th (Vegas Aces) 14. What It Is 15. Paper Chase 16. Who Fresh? Ft. Joe Average 17. This Is (Soul Marauder Remix)
A vision of two of Brisbane’s premier hip hop producers, Bankrupt Billionaires has now culminated into a super group featuring the powerhouse production of Sammsonite and Dats (The Optimen) and the strong emotive vocals of Brisbane diva Kel on Earth, with a host of regular special guests.
Reminiscent of singer/producer teams like Gnarls Barkley, Little Dragon, Mark Ronson and the late great Amy Winehouse, Bankrupt Billionaires have established their very own world-class sound that blends head-knocking beats with soul drenched vocals and themes of love, compassion and frustration. After honing a wealth of quality material behind closed doors, Bankrupt Billionaires finally debuted 2 singles Daze of the Dead and Feelin This in 2011, earning them #4 and #5 in the unearthed Hip Hop Charts and a healthy dose of ongoing national radio play. Their impressive 7-piece live show has received rave reviews and high demand since debuting in November last year.
Bankrupt Billionaires released their debut, self-titled EP on Friday 19 Jan, following the release of their goresome video for Daze of the Dead and brand new single Turn the Other Cheek which has already received triple j interest and airplay. Check it out.
This is the official film clip for This Is, the lead single off Prophet Rayza’s (QLD) debut EP Six Books. Released November 12th 2010 on Born Fresh Records and distributed nationally by MGM.
For ten years now Prophet Rayza has been a stronghold in the Australian Hip Hop scene perfecting his talents across the four elements of Hip Hop as an emcee, breakdancer, graffiti artist and beatboxer.His passion for the art form stems from his first train trip from Brisbane to Melbourne at five years of age, when he first saw graffiti and told his mother when he grew up that he would do it too. At 16 he was exposed to Hip Hop through graffiti and soon after became a bboy (breakdancer). At this point in time, rhyming was second to break dancing and purely a hobby.
As the years passed and he perfected his craft, his natural ability as a performer through break dancing led him to pick up a microphone and hypnotize the crowd in a whole new way. As anyone who has been to one of his live show can attest, Prophet Rayza is one of the most vibrant and energetic performers in the country.With a passion and drive for perfection, Prophet Rayza draws from his musical inspiration the likes of Nas, Rakim, Ice T, KRS One and Wu Tang Clan.
His performance past reads like a who’s who of Hip Hop having performed alongside such greats as Grandmaster Flash, DJ Q-Bert, Kool Keith, Lord Finesse, Grandmaster Roc Raida, Q-Unique, MC Supernatural, Talib Kweli and local legends Def Wish Cast, Muph and Plutonic, Drapht and the list goes on. In 2009 he released the Spits and Pieces mixtape which went on to move all of the limited 5,000 copies pressed within two months of its release (and over 650 downloads to date) and was Nominated for Oz Hip Hop Awards “Mixtape of the Year” 2009.
Recently releasing his debut EP Six Books on Born Fresh Records, Rayza has worked with some of this countries and abroads most up and coming producers including Daneja (pronounced Danger) from New York (production for Kool G Rap, KRS One, Immortal Technique, Joell Ortiz), Dats of The Optimen (production for Thiristin Howl III, The Optimen, Pure Product), Tommy Illfigga and DJ Butcher of Crate Creeps (production for Mantra, Thundamentals, Rakaa Iriscience of Dilated Peoples) and Cam Bluff of Vegas Aces (production for Spit Syndicate, The Tongue, Raven), you can be sure to expect big things from one of Australian Hip Hops fastest rising stars.
This Is produced by Cam Bluff (Vegas Aces)
A Rebel Era Production Directed by Isaac Bell Edited by Isaac Bell & Tim Bell
Following the enormous success of The Spits and Pieces Mixtape (moving ALL 5,000 units within two months of its release, and over 650 downloads to date) Prophet Rayza returns with his latest offering 6 Books on Born Fresh Records. Comprising of 6 original tracks composed by 6 different producers, 6 Books is themed around 6 being a perfect number mathematically, hence the writing of 6 Books depicting the ways of the world as seen through the eyes and pen of a Prophet. The first single This Is, produced by Cam Bluff is your classic boom-bap drum driven hip hop anthem portraying Prophet Rayza’s passion for hip hop in its purest form, and how the culture can make you feel empowered in the worst of life’s situations.
The second single The Lesson, produced by Daneja (NY) is a story of two men leading very different lives at the opposite ends of the scale only to find out they have more in common than they think. Featuring the smooth and soulful vocal talents of HUA (lead singer of Brisbane reggae band Darky Roots); The Lesson is classic storytelling for a modern world.
Featuring guest appearances from Hua (Darky Roots), Tommy Illfigga and Adverse and production from some of the most up and coming beat makers from here and abroad including – Daneja (NY), DATS of The Optimen, Tommy Illfigga and DJ Butcher of The Crate Creeps, Cam Bluff of Vegas Aces and Prophet Rayza. 6 Books is an experience. From the flawless lyrical tapestry perfectly woven into the meticulously crafted musical fabric, right down to being designed and packaged to resemble a book, 6 Books will awaken your 6th sense. Release date November 12th 2010 through Born Fresh Records. Distribution nationwide by MGM. Available at all good record stores (inc JB Hi-Fi) and online.
On recent return from a ‘management speak’ workshop (ManSpeak2010 – not to be confused with the instructional ‘how to speak like a man’ workshops – ManlySpeak2010) we’d like to take this time to ‘touch base’ and ‘help us to help you’ (to help us) by having a brief discussion about The Optimen’s latest project The ‘We Currently Have Our Funds Tied Up In Private Offshore Ventures‘ album (‘The Out Of Money Experience‘).
Just as an ‘FYI’ about the release of this album, you can actually ‘TCB’ your purchasing prospects ‘asap’ by pre-ordering ‘The Out Of Money Experience‘ from JB HiFi. Doing this will ‘ensure the better likelihood of being elligible to be in receipt of your very own signed poster’ – yours to keep! Tell me that’s not a plus and I’ll tell you that junior and I won’t win the three-legged race at this year’s family picnic fundraiser! * pause for laughter * But seriously, folks…
On the agenda also for today, ladies and gentlemen, is the next generation of forward thinking in future purchasing power and online merchant enablisation. Yes, I’m sure by that you all understand I am of course referring to the launch of ‘Optimoney‘ – your own exclusive ‘cashola’, as the kids say these days, to spend on selected items of merchandise from the Optimen website (still in ‘advanced stages of development’ and ‘awaiting the green light’ – but will be up soon) www.theoptimen.com
But to ‘fast track’ the chit chat about ‘Optimoney‘ and streamline this presentation for time efficiency and mutually beneficial outcomes for all parties, we would like to inform you that the first 500 retail copies of ‘The Out Of Money Experience‘ will come complete with $5 of Optimoney to save you money when shopping online – terms and conditions will be up when the site goes live, but you can be sure it will include a whole host of ‘incentives to spend’ and ‘synergies’ and shit.
The Out Of Money Experience – out April 9th through Red Tape Entertainment and distributed nationally by Inertia.
Below you can check the latest film clip taken from the album The Out Of Money Experience – 80s Babies.
Though the title might sound like a desperate plea for help in these trying times of economic uncertainty or, more predictably, the old as the ages cliché of the starving artist, The Out Of Money Experience is really anything but. This much-anticipated sophomore album by The Optimen (The OPees to their friends – and they can take all the friends they can get) is the result of work: hard work. The sort of work that keeps you up late at night and makes you late for the next day’s “working for the man”. And it shows.
The three original members and emcees of The Optimen (Sammsonite, DATS and Kristoff The Russian) have never wavered in their commitment to being independent. From release to release, whether their own or for label-mates, and all on their own Red Tape Entertainment imprint, they have done it their own way – even turning down record contracts that most upcoming artists would lay aside a baby-maker for to do it. Add DJ Damage on the turntables and Peter Beaty on live samples and studio mixing detail and you have one of the country’s few thoroughly independent acts, through and through.?
This insistence on in-house production carries forward from the beats (courtesy of Sammsonite and DATS) to the cuts and scratches (a tip of the hat to DJ Damage), and even the samples used to give the album its sonic slap to the face were provided by Kristoff The Russian (with the occasional offering by former crew member DJ Sheep). This self-reliance has also been integral in the cultivation of their truly unique sound – warm brass, even warmer bass, gripping guitar riffs, shimmering strings and drums that move through you so freely they could make a religious sister renounce her faith and take a part-time job at a bikini carwash. Add to this the trademark Optimen rap presence and precision of Damage on the cut and you might begin to have an idea of what The Out Of Money Experience sounds like.
Only it’s bigger… And it’s better.
Featuring some of their favourite emcees, both from Australia (Tommy Ill, The Archetypes, Pure Product, Adverse, Lazy Grey and Rainman)and two international legends in the field – Jehst (UK) and Phil The Agony (USA) – and also local vocalists Laneous(Mr Laneous) and Kel (The Kelly Gang), The Out Of Money Experience is galvanized by its strength of guest appearances and not stirred into a turbulence by them as can be the case.
The Out Of Money Experience also represents some standout ‘firsts’ for The Optimen: First time using session musicians – including drums, saxophone, trombone and a range of keys, the first time working with some of their own international rhyme idols, with Jehst bringing his signature introspective reflection and effortless flow for Dust (an exploration into what it means to be human when you take away all of the constructs that society has placed here), and Phil The Agony (Likwit Crew/Strong Arm Steady) with his characteristic commanding of attention on the album ender (and bonus remix track) Number One.
The album isn’t only advanced and progressive in terms of its production values and musicality, however. It is also the most diverse work that The Optimen have released topically – which is what really gains attention. While they still deliver their standard (though stepped up) form of ‘battle’ inspired rhymes, replete with ‘bragadociousness’ they have dug deeper this time around, mixing through a palette that begins with reminiscing on days past (80s Babies and time pre-money troubles in Pay Cheques) to the approaching of 30th birthdays (all this year) for emcees Sammsonite, DATS and Kristoff in 30 Rock. On The Rocks gives insight into the rocky relationship goings on the boys have with alcohol, which has been personified here, and Something in the Air featuring local heroLazy Grey is a pseudo-socio-political address on how we could all be making greater efforts to connect with each other and put our differences aside in the name of getting high… really, really high. Before the album is through, though, The Optimen have to pay hommage to the mostly African American musicians who paved the way for them as a sample-based act but also just for the incredible and inspirational music they have gifted the world with. This track, Respecognise, features the newest Red Tape signess, The Archetypes, as well as the powerful and soulful singing voice of Kel, who takes the track out appropriately.
Indeed, if this album were an outside-of-the-genre musical performance, it’d be Frank ‘Old Blue Eyes’ Sinatra, complete with the New York Philharmonic, performing ‘My Way’ to a packed Madison Square Garden in the mid 70s – only you know that to reach that earth-moving crescendo at the end you first get to enjoy the journey it takes to get there. And that’s what The Out Of Money Experience brings – it’s a journey. An expedition for over an hour that will leave you wishing there were more artists out there who were in it for the music and not the semi-permanence of praise and empty accolades.
If this isn’t your new favourite album for this year then it won’t be far from it, or your money back*. *Not a real guarantee.
You can check out the latest leak from The Optimen below. The track titled 80′s Babies is off the upcoming album The Out Of Money Experience. Due out April 10.You can also check out the video clip for the track here.
With the release of their sophomore album The Out of Money Experience just around the corner, Brisbane’s The Optimen are proud to present the first single to be lifted from it, Fire Fighters. For a limited time Fire Fighters is available for free streaming and download at:
The Optimen are also proud to announce they have signed an exclusive distribution deal for the forthcoming album with Inertia.The Out of Money Experience is due for release early 2010.
Fire Fighters
In writing the new album, Fire Fighters was the first track that didn’t take much convincing on any part. Already introduced as a staple to their live set, with its infectious hook and ground-moving bass groove, it set the standard early and in many ways served as an indicator to the direction the album was heading. Starting with a breathy drum break lifted from a mysterious Japanese LP that Kristoff purchased for 100 yen in Shibuya, Sammsonite didn’t waste any time in building a track around it. When DATS suggested the minimal vocal flourishing sounded like an exclamation of “Fire! Fire!” the theme took shape. DJ Damage laid his cuts in the break and so the album began – in the true co-operative nature of the group. As a side note, Kristoff admits “We actually don’t know where this record is, or even who it is! It went missing from the studio before we could translate the kanji from the cover!”
In turning a small sample from a 7” into the first single, The Optimenadded their own layers, including a rich coating of horns, live drums and breaks fromMyka Wallace (Laneous & The Family Yah), backing vocals from Laneous himself and keys from Greg Arnott.
Fire Fighters is the first taste of The Optimen’s sophomore album The Out of Money Experience which is scheduled for release March 2010 through Inertia.
