Representing Melbourne with a street swagger only Tornts can bring to the table comes Poison. This is Tornts at his venomous best over an epic new Kharnivor beat. Accompanied by a another classic filmclip executed by Heata, this is a massive ramp up for Tornts in the lead up to a new album.
Expect a new full-length LP later in 2013, which will be released thru Broken Tooth Entertainment and distributed by Obese Distribution.
Every so often, an event comes along with the purpose of cementing itself a place in history. In a time where large showcases are usually catered towards the more mainstream listener, Matt Van Rooy and Catch Wreck have proudly assembled an impeccable line up of artists revered by Hip Hop aficionados and fans Australia wide.
This is a night put on by the fans, for the fans. Underground royalty, of this phenomenal caliber have never appeared together in this capacity to perform on the same night. Until now, Get ready to Catch Wreck. Catch Wreck will feature the legendary Lazy Grey with Jake Biz & DJ DCE plus Brad Strut, Simplex, Maundz, Fluent Form, K21, Raven & Myk Reid, Mata & Must, Smiley and more. DJ’s Heata and Discourse will be serving up some tasty treats on the 1′s and 2′s.
Tickets will be sold at Obese Records and here but be quick. Tickets are $30.90 plus booking fee online and at obese store, $40 at the door. Catch Wreck all goes down at the Prince Bandroom, March 1, 2013 in Melbourne.
In true Goatmob fashion, 2011 was just another year, of which the Cartel paid no attention to… As a result, they traveled everywhere from Brisbane to Perth, Fluent Form finished his third solo album, released it, and has already started his fourth….
Geko & Aetcix decided to release a collection of misguided recordings only to receive critical acclaim whilst Maundz is still working on his album entirely produced by WIK. That is when WIK isn’t being sought after by a plethora of other rappers. Raven has stayed true to his hermit ways after his late 20ten release and is writing up an arsenal to release upon the public next year… and Discourse was most likely hiding behind a camera with Heata or the decks at a Cartel show for most of the year…
So in the words of EPMD, its business as usual from here on for the Crate Cartel and expect bigger and better things in the New Year… which includes the above brand new filmclip for the track Executioners.
Crate Cartel || Facebook || Twitter
Australian hip hop pioneer Bias B has announced his retirement after an extremely influential solo career. His last show in Melbourne at The Corner Hotel was true testament to his genre-defining reign as one of local hip hop’s original kings. The venue packed out with representatives from all corners of the industry showing their support.
Here’s what fellow industry innovators Reason, Ciecmate and Pegz have to say about the legendary Melbourne emcee;
“Being the first Melbourne based emcee I had ever heard, I’ve always drawn inspiration from Bias B. I have the esteemed honour of calling him a true friend, an honour I cherish. As an artist and as a human being, his influence has had a positive effect on my life and personal evolution. I wish him all the best in any future endeavours… I’ll be in the studio patiently awaiting his return.”
Ciecmate
“I was blessed to be there from the start of Bias B’s illustrious career on the mic. He will always be remembered as an endorsement for the writers, the emcees and the punters who are truly passionate about Australia’s underground hip hop movement. I am thankful for all that he has contributed to not only the scene in general, but for his friendship and support throughout the years. Salute to you Bias B, for you are the epitome of what hip hop stands for!! Big Ups brother!”
Reason
“Bias B is one of the most important artists in Australia’s brief Hip Hop history. His debut album Beezwax is arguably the most influential of all time and has inspired a generation of artists. Disclaimer: I refuse to let him go quietly and will be protesting in his front yard until he changes his mind.”
Pegz
Interview with allaussie hip hop
aahh: It was 10 or so years ago when we first heard your track ‘Hursty’, taken from the ‘Hip Hop Life EP’. It was around this time that we really recognized that hip-hop could be tailored to speak about Australian culture and local issues. Did you realize what you were doing then?
Bias B: That actually came out in 2001. I had a dream the night before I started writing where I met Biggie on the street. He was real tall and dressed in a long black trench coat. He told me he liked what I was doing and to keep up the good work. When I woke up I had ‘Juicy’ in my head and just started writing. Came out of my head really easily. I never thought it would become one of my most popular tracks. It was more of a joke at the time that I wasn’t even planning on releasing. My whole career did start from me doing covers of classic songs like ‘100 Cones and Bonging’ and ‘Straight Outta Eltham’ so it was like a flashback to my roots.
aahh: Explain a little about the whole concept behind the ‘Biaslife’ album. We see hints of reflection, dedication and growth, all positive things but we can’t help but feel that there is this level of uncertainty as to whether this will be your last album or not, is that something you’ve even considered? (Editors note: Bias B announced his retirement soon after)
Bias B: The original concept was an entire album talking about my relationship to the world as though I was in a relationship with it. That’s where Melbourne City & In Love With The Music was taking me. As it progressed I decided it might get a little mundane and repetitive so I just went whatever came t the paper. I feel it’s a more mature album and I could be heading towards my last. I’ve considered retiring many times. I’m a very up and down type of person. One week I’ll be inspired to write and love where I am at and then overnight I might just think – do I really want to keep doing this or pursue other interests?
aahh: Over the years you’ve gone about making hip-hop in various ways. The famous ‘In Bed With Bias’ release saw you write most of your rhymes in the mornings whilst in bed, to now where you’ll go months without writing until some creative spark inspires you. What are some of these inspirational moments or people who’ve inspired you along the way?
Bias B: Lazy Grey beats always help for some inspiration. Often touring and sitting on a plane will inspire me. I remember when the Lyrical Commission album The Stage Is Set dropped and It made me want to write for days. I think it’s a combination of the right beat and the right mood. When they combine there is no stopping me.
aahh: ‘Full Clip’ directed the ‘Midlife’ single film clip, which also seems to tie in with the whole ‘Biaslife’ adventure. Did you guys get a chance to look back over the years while making this clip?
Bias B: Heata did the Move On The Pavement clip for me. That was his first ever clip. I have not been happy with most of the other clips to my name, so it was only right to go back to Heata. We are close friends and work well together so I’m always in touch with him anyhow. We are currently working on another project that has to do with the old days and the foundation of the local scene so we are always looking back at the good old days.
aahh: If you have a quick look through the ‘Biaslife’ booklet people will quickly realize that you’ve got so many big names helping out on the album and most of them are close friends of yours. Do you think that’s one of the reasons you’ve been able to make music for so long?
Bias B: I’ve always surrounded myself with creative people so it helps me to stay creative. As the saying goes “ You are only as good as the company you keep”. It also has to do with doing business the right way and not burning bridges. I’ve seen too many people get caught up in that way of life. I am all about doing right by others so they do right by me.
aahh: We hear you had a few objectives with ‘Biaslife’ release and maybe even a couple of boxes to tick with who you wanted to get in on the album?
Bias B: In the beginning of Biaslife, Lazy Grey was going to produce the whole album but life commitments (work and family) got in the way. As time went on I was hearing other beats I thought suited the vibe of this record and slowly picked up some extras here and there. I wanted every beat to have a certain feel to it. Not sure if I had boxes to tick. It just fell into place with people I was in contact with at the time. But I definitely wanted Lazy and Len both rapping on this one.
aahh: ’Here I Come’ featuring Fluent Form and Lazy Gre’y is 3 straight verses of hip hop fire. Did you try to be as dynamic as possible throughout this album?
Bias B: When you have guests like Fluent and Lazy on your album you have to make sure it’s tight throughout. I pushed myself a little more on this album and went back to change lines which didn’t seem good enough at times. Once it is released you can’t go back and change it and if this is to be my last album I wanted to do the best work I could.
aahh: Over the years you’ve featured on almost every format imaginable cassette, CD, Vinyl, MP3, itunes, etc. Do you think the CD is going the way of the cassette? And what was your preferred medium?
Bias B: Although I love vinyl there is so much that can go wrong, that I got over pressing it. I believe CD’s like tape and vinyl will always be around and be available. They will fade away but never be extinct. It’s that nostalgic thing that people love.
aahh: We hear a lot of talk about the lack of money generated from CD sales for the artists these days and that all the cash is made in the live performance arena with touring etc. What are your experiences on this subject?
Bias B: Depends on the artist. If triple J or Nova get behind it then yes there is money to be made both in CD sales and shows. Sad thing is 90% of artists don’t get that love and are lucky to pull 300 people to a show and lucky to sell 1000 copies and recoup for all their hard work. It’s a sad situation but that is the way it has become. No underground rapper is going to make a living off Hip Hop in this country. Commercial pop is the only thing that seems to get accepted by the majority of listeners. Each to their own though. You can’t hate on the next man for wanting to earn a living off his craft. That’s life.
aahh: The track ‘Rap Life’ featuring Maundz highlights some of the downsides to rap life, but ends on the note that making music is for the people who love it listening to it. Is this one aspect you’ve always kept in mind when making music as a hip-hop artist?
Bias B: In the past I have. With Biaslife I just wanted to make something I was happy with and proud of. One of the greatest feelings is being told your song made someone cry or gave them shivers up their spine. It does not get realer than that. That only comes out of true honest music.
aahh: Over the years you’ve worked closely with Pegz and the whole Obese Crew, you’ve worked for street mags, organized events such as the Heat4Huntz auction and worked on numerous instrumental hip hop radio stations. What’s been some of your personal highlights from over the years?
Bias B: The Formula radio show on PBS was a definite highlight. They were the days before artists had releases out. Stewbakka and myself gave people the chance to be heard and get experience on the mic. Some fun times were had and with that added feeling like, I had that little part in everyone’s development. Secondly I’d say Heat4Huntz auction. It was organized within a week and the response was awesome raising over $11,000. Made me really proud to see the love the scene had for one of their own in their time of need. Much respect to all who donated and bided throughout the auction. It made me remember why I love being part of this Australian Hip Hop scene.
aahh: We heard you jumped back up on ‘PBS’ the other night, could we see a return to the radio for Bias?
Bias B: No its too hard with kids doing a late shift. I did a Friday day fill last week for the show ‘Rampage’ on PBS with Heata. Really enjoyed it. If it was a weekly thing though I think id lose interest. 10 years was enough for me. It’s nice to be asked by both PBS and RRR to fill in now and then though. They haven’t forgotten me yet.
aahh: In a recent interview we heard you talking about the graff scene and your Aerosol Era release, you seemed quite nostalgic about the whole thing?
Bias B: The whole Hip Hop scene here started with the Graff scene. There was not a rap community back in the day. It was a writer community who became the rap community. That is why I always give respect to the writers. Without them, there would not have been a scene. And without me being involved in the early days I would not have traveled the path that I have to get here today.
3 Quick Ones
Favorite track off Biaslife? – Melbourne City
Rappertag experience? – In hindsight I should have called Heata.
Peakstreet 93 Mixtape track? – Thought about it. Have not got around to it. 94 was the better year. Stay tuned.
You can catch Bias B perform in Adelaide this Friday the 29th July for Da Klinic’s 10th Birthday Anniversary. Featuring Vents, Briggs, K21, Terra Firma, Koolism, Madcap, Shep, Faint 1, BVA, Sanchez, dL, Mula and Kirk One Check out the full details here.
Twitter || Bias B Shop || Facebook
We cantch up with Trem as he sets to release one of the most anticipated hip hop releases these shores have seen. The For The Term Of His Natural Life LP has been a long time coming and let us be the first to tell you…it’s nearly here. We catch up with the man from Unkut to talk about the Omega Man single, hip hop history and of course everything album related.
The first single taken from the upcoming LP release ‘For The Term Of His Natural Life’ Omega Man has gone wild. The limited edition pack sold out across the country on the release date and it seems all is going to plan. Could you be happier with the response so far?
The response has been amazing. The initial reaction when it dropped blew me away to be honest. We did well to create some hype and with that added to the already mounting anticipation for my album, it all combined well to create a healthy buzz on the drop. I invested a lot of time not only into the track itself but the product as a whole. The vid, the marketing, the merch etc… I think it paid off well. Hopefully it cemented the hype for the album and showed the long-standing friends and fam their waiting’s not been in vain and the LP is bout to deliver all and more of what they’ve been craving!!!
As a relative underground artist, who doesn’t have access to the budget and resources as some of the larger music corporations. Do you think that the success Omega Man has shown so far is a bit of a testament, to not only your label (Unkut Recordings), and the hard work you put in as an artist but also the support you recieve from fans and the wider scene?
Yeah, definitely, I’ve always worked hard to ensure any product im involved in is done to the absolute best of my abilities, no shorts allowed. And I’ve always incorporated people I believe to be the best at their field to cater to and contribute bits my skills don’t cover. Although the Unkut budget is shoe string, I still expect no less than the very best effort from all involved. The thing about Unkut is we’ve always been quality over quantity and anyone we may’ve incorporated into our releases is there because their work ethic is equivalent. I’m also fortunate enough to have had a good period in the game to amass a certain level of fan-base, the friends and fans of my music have tended to stay loyal from the giddy-up, for which I’m very grateful for. I feel it’s a bit of a two-way street, you can’t just put out sub par shit and expect your existing fans to lap it up and you can’t expect all those original supporters to continue on your journey thru this biz, if you waver from your initial path. Progression is cool, and hopefully natural, but blatantly switching your sound up to appeal to a wider audience and shitting in your OG fans faces is uncool. I don’t take my supporters for suckers and will keep on keepin it real…
You’ve already got 50K hits on the Omega Man video clip, with its a first class production executed by Full Clip. Was it important for you to get the right team involved with the production on this clip, obviously the heads were expecting something dope?
Yeah mos deffo… The visual medium is something we can’t sleep on any longer and seems to be a must when it comes to spreading the word. I was fortunate enough to be able to get the Full Clip team on board for the Omega Man project and team them up with our (Unkut’s) own videographer Joshy Davis who’s been responsible for a lot of our visuals since day dot. It was a dream team match up and the boys grinded like fuck to meet the challenges and our visions! They’re a prime example of what I mean by bringing others into the fold to contribute their gift or skill and delivering it to a certain level of expectation. Just wait for the next FTTOHNL visual installment! The game-changers (Josh, Heata n Henry) re-unite to deliver even bigger and badder!
The end of 2010 was when I think we finally heard the album was on track. Soon after that the promo video dropped. What was it that culminated at that time, where you thought, “yup this is the time to go full steam in to the album process”?
Yeah, well initially the actual album was a sure shot to drop by the end of 2010, I always refrained on putting an actual release date down because this album sorta seemed never-ending. I was getting sidetracked and combined with my own critiquing, I figured it best to get it on the verge of completion then talk dates. Long story short that time was the end of 2010 and we were looking to release round November/ Dec. Then one thing led to another and I had no hope of actually doing it correctly by then so we pushed it back. I could’ve dropped a half arsed version 4 times over in the past 2 years, but as I said 100% or not at all. So seeing as we earlier dropped a video advertisement stating the LP release was due late 2010 I thought it only right to give the people something. Hence new arrangements were set to drop a track, Omega Man being what I thought the perfect choice and after more consideration and discussions with other contributors who were to have a hand in the complete package of Omega Man we set about gettinitin! It’s been full steam ahead since…
You’ve previously stated that you wanted to take the whole release concept back to the way hip hop was once delivered to the heads (early 90′s). Explain this concept a little further and how does this translate into a final end product?
Yeah, it’s not just necessarily early 90’s, any era up until early- mid naughties. Releases were built, anticipation grew. By the time albums dropped there was a mad level of mystique and hype surrounding the product. It all added to the project. These days artists work god knows how long on a project (some prolly too long, others nowhere near long enough!) then drop it with fuck all fanfare, a week of hype a day of excitement and then it’s forgotten by Thursday week! Fuck that! I give too much to my art to go out like that! To break it down in an example, an artist would guest on a crew members shit build some hype then maybe again guest somewhere, and I mean with something hot, a blazing verse that gets heads talkin… Then they drop a single, preferably a 12”. That builds more hype, the 12”s got an instrumental so everyone’s using that to bust theyre own shit over in the park or on the radio or whatever, and there’s an accapella on it for the producers to tinker with… Then they might drop another 1 or 2 tracks or singles just building momentum… By the time the full length drops the punters are frothin for it… Then it comes with all the bells n whistles, dope cover art, lyrics, posters, merch, interviews. Not to mention 10 or 11 masterpieces of work! Not 20 half arsed lame fuckin tracks that no-one gives a shit about. Tracks that have replay value, albums that you will listen to again and again til you know every fuckin word. Songs were appreciated. Wheres that shit gone? No doubt a handful drop a year but its real few and far between. Id rather hear 1 amazing track than 10 barely decent wastes of time… Basically if artists only give their product so much effort than what do they expect from the punters? Its something all established artists should consider and something the new ones should do without fail. Stop selling yourself short and hopefully the punters will follow.
“We from a lost land, where the clocks hands is stopped, before the rot set in, before they shot Scott La Rock, before the shops stocked rap in a section called urban, and every third person’s thinking they’re word surgeons”
As we opened the press pack regarding Omega Man we were greated by the above line from Omega Man. With all the strong lyrics found in that track, what was it about this extract that stood out from the rest?
haha… good question, you’d prolly have to ask my publicist bout that tho! I guess a stack of the lyrics could’ve been grabbed for the blurb but Dan pulled the start of the 2nd verse. Ironically I think that verse cleaned up verse of the year at the OHH.com awards! Maybe I owe it to Dan for pre planting it in their minds first! I do agree that it does summarize the track in all its glory wrapped up in a couple of lines, so I gave it the tick of approval!
Further more on this; As an artist you’ve released a single in a world were every second persons dropping hip hop tracks. From stuff on myspace to free mixtapes and all that shit. Did you want the single to have a bit more substance and have the people really studying and savoring the track?
That’s it, exactly. That’s what I was basically saying before. I want people to study it, savour it, appreciate it for all its worth. A couple of people even hinted I should drop the whole album as singles, 15 singles hahaha… that would be mad!
One of the main things we’ve noticed with the release of Omega Man was the cohesiveness of the whole project, obviously Prowla was on the beat and you’ve had a long history working with him, did that help?
Yeah, I try to ensure that gel is there on every track. Some seem to sit a bit better than others but as a whole I think I’ve done a good job in keepin that formula. Prowla was behind some of my earlier work and I regard him as one of our greatest, having him as a close confidant over the years is something I’m extremely grateful for. If you know Prowlz, you know what I’m sayin. To consider myself someone he respects on a music level as well as a close friend is an honour.
I have been through tonne’s of beats in the selecting and refining process of this LP. We are at last busting thru the ribbon at the finish line so its been a painstaking process but cool at the same time. I’m super grateful to ALL the producers who sent me killer production from the world over, there’s literally been 100’s and possibly thousands, no shit. A lot could’ve easily made the cut, but I had to stick to the feel and ensure my raps, a lot which were pre written, fit like a glove. That’s an issue today, too many emcees pick the beat on the beat alone and don’t consider their style, flow, pattern and whether or not they truly mesh. Alotta dope emcees sound half as good as they could rapping over the wrong beat.
Not only have you spent ages crafting the rhymes and song structures for the LP you’ve also produced a portion of the album. Did you want to produce the whole album yourself or were you set with a few extra producers helping out?
Originally the plan was to produce at least 95% with Prowls pitching in for 1 or 2. My main reason was to ensure it stays in the same realm of sound and feel, more often than not, too many albums with multiple producers onboard lack that. But then Beat Butcha came involved early on in the construction of the album with beats that fit the mould and my input from a beat makers perspective shrunk as additional producers were added to the roster over the course. It’s a crazy mix, but its all in a similar mould to ensure that cohesion is there. My actual input on the beat tip for the final track lineup is more like 20% now! Its funny though, even with the other producers joints, my own hand of production is still evident on the tracks through the programming and sequencing. It helps to ensure it all stays on the same playing field.
You’ve obviously seen a massive progression with hip hop in Australia, from the early days to now. Did you ever predict that hip hop would reach this level when you first started out with LC?
Its funny, I’ve seen it progress and regress. I think when we were doin the L.C thing, shit was progressing at a rapid rate, particularly from when I first started out in the early 90’s. But at the same time it wasn’t all progressing in the right direction as far as I was concerned, it branched off in all manner of ways but nevertheless it was progressing. I think in the last couple of years it’s dropped off and we’ve almost come full circle. The sad thing is that while exposure to locally grown Hip Hop is at an all time high, the quality of the vast majority in my opinion is at an all time low. But it’s still getting support which in turn breeds a new generation of mediocrity. Some of the new fans n followers don’t know any better than what they hear on the radio or see on video hits or even worse, the garbage they’re exposed to on social networking sites where anyone and everyone has a voice. A lot of people hate it because it doesn’t take Einstein to work out that’s not what Hip Hop is and others that don’t know any better love it, even to the extent they feel it easy enough to emulate it and their own attempt begins. It’s a real vicious circle. I can’t help but also make mention that sales are dropping and even shows seem to be struggling. There’s a whole new argument these days as to what is Hip Hop and whats not. Without dragging this into next week I’ll save my opinion on that for another time!
Most recently, we seemed to have a problem of a badly over saturated, mediocre market, but it’s diminishing before our very eyes as the market slumps and the pipe dreams fade. The good news is that factor seems to be separating the wheat from the chaff. And whats more, it’s highlighting the pockets of heads across the nation keepin it correct! I believe it’s on all of us to keep it going and give the right direction!
Going back to Omega Man, we’ve seen about 400 remixes of the track. It’s great to see but have you had a chance to check any of them out?
I managed to peep a couple I had directed to me, a couple seemed promising and others were dreadful. I’m a fan of it, but my only advice to budding remixing producers is ensure your shit is as good or better than the original or don’t attempt it!!!
Do you think there is a bit of a ‘full circle’ thing going on with hip hop in Australia? Some of the younger emcees and crews coming through are really showing respect to some of the earlier inroads made by those pioneering emcees.
Definitely and although from a business perspective its damn near impossible to maintain in this climate it puts a smile on my face to see these pockets of new crews and next-gen of heads really following the right path. I’m a jaded fucker, for real, but I don’t go out of my way hating. I feel now a real sense of leading and teaching. Passing on what I know to those who seem to be taking the right road and giving them my wisdom and years of knowledge. The same goes for the factions of heads that are leading down what I see as the wrong rap path, I wanna show them how it should be done. Teach them how it all came about. Not everyone had the opportunity to come up thru the golden eras, we can’t hate them for that, but we can offer them a chance to do the knowledge on it. Then its up to them…
Do you see yourself as an emcee first and foremost, or more of a producer?
That’s a good one and a tough one, it changes over the course of time. I started out a DJ, then a half arsed wanna be MC then a producer, then back to being an MC and was for many years. Then I really cut my teeth in the production game on my early 12’s and then the LC shit. By the time I did Murderous I would’ve considered myself half n half. By the time I made Legend Official I was pretty much a producer who could spit. Then I was just producing and engineering fulltime. Then I got this real urge to go head first into MCing again which is partly due to the fact I eased away from producing my entire LP… At the moment, I’ve just finished lacing Beats, Verses, Cuts, Production & Mixing my LP so im fucked if I know?!
We see your up on the blog tip at the moment with a great post relating to the purchasing of music on record store day etc. Do you find that buying music has become a sad victim of technology and do you think artists have to be a little more creative in presenting their product?
Yeah, unfortunately it has, as I mentioned before the artists have played into the punters hands, we have to go back to making them want to fork out for the release. Give them a product worth collecting. I really do attribute a portion of the lack of sales to the lack of quality product being released, I can see why artists take shorts with the lack of budgets, but don’t understand it. We can’t afford to sell the ones short who really do support and fork out their hard-earned!
3 Quickies:
Information on next single release and full release date? – Real Soon.
Any emcee features you can tell us of on the full album? – Brad Strut.
Vinyl? – Double Gatefold.
Unkut Recordings || Trem One || Twitter || Purchase Omega Man (iTunes)
aahh: After years and years of waiting, we’ve finally copped the debut LP from “giant” of the scene Bigfoot. Why has it taken so long for us all to see a full length Bigfoot solo album?
Bigfoot: I spent a lot of time working on music for other people, doing shows, moving house a whole lot of times, paying bills & laying on my back in hospital. I’ve never had somewhere stable to record everything, as evidenced by the number of different studios “Giant Steps” was recorded in, so I could never complete tracks to my satisfaction until recently. I could have put something out years ago, but I would have been looking back hating it, so I’m glad that I didn’t.
aahh: You’ve been involved heavily in the hip hop scene since the mid 90′s, repping The Burn. Tell us a little about your earlier days and also your role on the now legendary PBS Formula sessions?
Bigfoot: I grew up listening to “Steppin to the A.M.” with DJ Krisy on 3PBS. That was the first place that I heard Aussie hip hop. All sorts of pioneers went through there and ripped it live. Bias B & Stewbakka took the show over about the same time I was getting my flows going, so I passed a 4 track demo tape to Bias through a mutual friend & was invited to go in there and spit something live. The first time I went in Strut was there & we exchanged numbers. I kicked it with Strut a little & went in there a few more times with me & him rhyming off of each other. Strut helped me out a lot in the beginning, hooking me up with supports & doing his backups, things like that. It used to be sick as a youngster to tune in & hear live freestyles every week. Radio is not quite the same these days.
aahh: Giant Steps – Massive album, massive name. Fully self-produced with a bit of help from Hired Goons mate Heata. Looking back was 2010 the year you felt that everything had just fallen into place for the album coming out or was there some rough time frame you were aiming for?
Bigfoot: Things finally fell into place. I had too much other shit going on in Melbourne & was going ’round in circles, so I bounced to Brisbane to do some things with 750. Brisbane is a bit more laid back & slower paced, so I had a lot more time to concentrate on things, fewer distractions & I ended up with my own set up for tracking vocals. I could have spent another year fine-tuning, tweaking and bullshitting around, but I just decided to drop it and move on to the next things.
aahh: The production on Giant Steps is thick and diverse. We’ve got dirty funk samples, monster bass lines and banging drums plus some live guitar. Do you have a big experimental phase when you’re creating your beats or do you work in a more structured sense with a definitive sound in mind that you’re chasing?
Bigfoot: I have no set ways of making music, it is different every time. If I am writing lyrics, I tend to get into the groove & keep writing for a few weeks at a time without even touching the MPC. For the most part it is usually a case of inspiration striking & banging out an idea that has popped into my head. Sometimes I’ll go through records & not vibe from anything, but when something catches my ear I get energized & go to town on it.
aahh: The opening track on Giant Steps, Stepped On throws back to the days when the battle circuit was your stomping ground. Do you miss the battle scene these days?
Bigfoot: I grew up listening to rap in the 90′s. Battle rap wasn’t a genre, it was just a natural part of MCing. KRS, Kool G Rap, Rakim, Big Daddy Kane, Ice-T, N.W.A., Geto Boys & Hieroglyphics all had a sick battle style. New school psuedo-journalists always seem to whine about rappers rapping about rapping, at the same time giving props to emo-rhymers for letting their feelings show. They seem to have no idea where this music has come from. I wasn’t catching the train as a teenager listening to Kanye trying to auto-tune, I was listening to classic b-boy shit. But as far as open mic contests are concerned, I don’t miss the battle scene at all. It went wack after 8 mile came out. All these kids had their rhymes worked out with gaps for inserting competitors names and things like that. It got so staged & fake that it thankfully self destructed as far as I’m aware.
aahh: Let ‘Em Burn is a fierce commentary on the some off the younger emcees in Australia. What would you’re number one criticism be, or if you want to go the positive angle, words of advice for some of these younger cats?
Bigfoot: I’d advise kids to be themselves, not follow trends, pay dues & make the music they want to make because they are driven to make it, regardless of whatever style the old guy at JJJ is putting on daytime radio…. That whole second verse in “Let ‘em burn” is referring to a near death experience that I went through. The line you quoted was basically me getting out of hospital & being fed up with the way things were headed after some time off & deciding to go hard on my own shit.
aahh: Hell’s Gate has been a much talked about track feat. Hired Goons. We hear a lot of discussion about tracks with catchy hooks and samples. This track flys in the face of that philosophy. What is it do you think that attracts people to a track like this one?
Bigfoot: It goes back to the music that inspires me. All of the old school rappers always got their whole crew on one joint. Back to back verses just smashing on the mic, no need for a hook, the sentiment speaks for itself. “Bring it on” by the Geto Boys, “2 to the head” by Kool G rap “Symphony”….the list goes on. To get on daytime radio you need some catchy refrain between some inoffensive smooth talking. Obviously that is far removed from where I’m at. I make music that I want to hear. Why make more soft-ass cafe rap when the radio is already overrun with it? HG is my crew, so is 750 Rebels, so I had to rep them both.
aahh: What Goes Around… is 1.43min of pure lyrical murder. Tell us the reasoning behind this track. We also seen a film clip drop in the lead up to the release for the album (executed by Heat) had this one been in the bag for a while?
Bigfoot: Those lyrics were written in the late 90′s. I changed a line or two, otherwise it is as written. It’s just a true story about someone who I knew through graf that rated out some writers & got caught up with. It’s pretty self-explanatory, I didn’t need to make up some abstract fairytale. We didn’t even draw up plans for the video, just went off the song lyrics. I think Heata shot it about 2 years ago at Pony bar. No need to fill the track with more words to make it 3&1/2 minutes when I’d already said my piece.
aahh: Over the years we’ve seen you work with the who’s who in hip hop, including Brad Strut, Bias B, Reason, Lazy Grey…the list goes on. Does it feel good to finally be able to call on some of these dudes after years of helping them out?
Bigfoot: Yeah these bastards owe me!! I like bouncing ideas off other people when writing. Everyone on the album is a mate, no overpaid ring-ins. I basically made a name for myself over the years through guest spots, radio freestyles & live shows. My world revolves around music, so most of my friends are the same as me & it feels good to get it done together.
aahh: We always ask about the reasoning behind putting the lyrics in the album booklet and what the artists thoughts are on this?
Bigfoot: All the classic joints had lyrics.. “Fear of a black planet” “O.G.” “Power”… I grew up rapping along with them, looking at the pictures & shout-outs. I put effort into writing the lyrics but streetpress misquote, people miss the double meanings & wordplay, so I thought I’d put ‘em in to avoid confusion. Discourse couldn’t get too busy with the design ‘cos there were too many pages of words, It also cost more to do, but I don’t care. All classic albums should have lyrics.
aahh: “Can’t Fool All The People All The Time feat. Len One and Lazy Grey” as Brothers Stoney really put us in nostalgia mode and I’m sure we weren’t the only ones. Was this a bit of a nod to the old days with a killer dub step spin?
Bigfoot: I’ve been a big reggae fan for a very long time & that sample was always in the back of my mind waiting for its moment. Lazy is big on reggae as well & Len one is a walking encyclopedia of all types of music. I could just hear the two of them on that track so we made it happen.
aahh: As an artist do you have any expectations of the listener?
Bigfoot: Who am I to dictate who can listen to what? If you like it, bang it. whatever floats your boat, I just don’t appreciate misinformed criticisms at the hands of imbeciles.
aahh: The names on this album are huge but you also have some great DJ’s on the cut, including The Master. You obviously have a lot of respect for these guys and the role a DJ plays?
Bigfoot: You’re the first person to ask about the cuts. I love the sound of scratching on a track, put people just bang shit out with no attention to detail these days. Master came through sick on this, so did Lopsided from 750, plus Discourse & Mixa on one joint each as well. A lot of cuts I had laid out & planned, but some, for example “crime wave”, the Dj’s just did their own thing and smashed it. A lot of Dj’s can cut but can’t choose a sample to fit a song for shit. That’s why I roll with these guys.
aahh: Will we see a tour, State album launches or any plans of those in the near future?
Brisbane Step Inn - 22nd Jan 2011
Sydney The Sando - 8th Jan 2011
Both shows with Tornts + Jakebiz at Brisbane show as well.
Purchase Bigfoot – Giant Steps (via iTunes) here. Includes bonus remixes.
Staggering out of the radioactive fog that tolls the end for the rotten city crumbling behind comes Tornts, the shuffle of dead feet the only sound in this blasted landscape.
The Deadbrain Diaries charts the final, terminal years of a tumoured city. The last, brief flares of light spark from amber glass to sharp steel and rough paper. Tornts has unleashed a furious tirade, raging against the indifference of the bone grinding machine and the piss stained nightmares on every street corner. This is the staggering power of the Tornts juggernaut at full throttle. As one of the leaders of underground rap in Australia, this is the first Tornts LP featuring work by other producers as well as the man himself. Beats have been crafted by Beat Butcher (Brad Strut, Sean Price, Ghetts), Ciph Barker (Killah Priest, Hell Razah), Chemo (Skandal, Triple Darkness) and Ciecmate (BTE, Hospice). This all star cast is joined by Tank Beats (Germany), INCH Productions (France), DJ Lopsided (750 Rebels), Heata (Hired Goons) and up and coming Melbourne producer Illuminate.
Tornts has been ready since he left the womb, and with fellow spitters such as Bigfoot, Diem, Billy Bunks, Ken Oath, Jake Biz and Kid Selzy, his rhymes are merciless. Tornts is back to devastate, with 18 tracks ranging from cold street visions in No One to the relentless Hit Never Miss and the apocalyptic soundtrack synth reality of Wastelands Author. Anthems You’re All Goin Out and Bad News are placed in contrast with the brief, bleak Wish I Was Dead and the double time inspired Reaper’s My Chauffeur.
This album also sees the return of the devastating combination of Tornts and Brad Strut, tearing their lyrical sandstorm through the carefully manicured gardens of soft radio pop rap. Strut and Tornts are set to appear at the Hip Hop Kemp Festival in the Czech Republic, sharing the bill with acts such as Masta Ace, Large Professor, Necro, and Buckshot, Heltah Skeltah, plus Smif N Wessun of the legendary Boot Camp Clik.
Accompanied by two professionally shot HD video clips from leading director Heata, the lead single Hit Never Miss and the follow up joint No One, Deadbrain Diaries is set to smash through expectations for hardcore hip hop in this country and worldwide.
Track listing
01. Intro
02. Hit Never Miss
03. Stuck In the Streets
04. Merciless (ft. Brad Strut)
05. No One
06. Warpigs (ft. 750 Rebels)
07. Bad News
08. Sinking Visions
09. Strife On My Mind (ft. Kid Selzy)
10. Wastelands Author
11. All Goin’ Out
12. Don’t Like Ya Shit (ft. Billy Bunks)
13. One
14. Wish I Was Dead
15. Talk Is Cheap
16. Reapers My Chauffeur (ft. Diem)
17. Gravel In Ya Guts
18. Slang Sicko
Available: September 3rd, 2010
Released by: Broken Tooth Entertainment
Distributed by: Obese Records
Early on in your rap career you were one third of Queensland mainstays Trace Elements – featuring hip-hop producer M-Phazes and also emcee Tactic One. Tell us a bit about how that crew came together?
Myself and Tactic One were friends in high school, and we met M-Phazes through a mutual friend called Lee who worked at a local record store. He had heard about myself and Tactic through the grapevine and wanted to know if we were interested in meeting his friend M-Phazes. Being new to the whole music thing we were totally interested, and Lee played us a cassette tape of Phaze’s called ‘The Original’. I remember listening to it thinking, “Holy Shit, this sounds like came straight off a premo mixtape or something”. Naturally we met him the next night in the carpark of Burleigh Heads McDonald’s. We ended up becoming really good friends, and over the years have lived together, toured the country back to front, and each have a lot of good memories about it all. We’re all still good friends.
The Musical is the title of your brand new debut LP and is the result of many hard yards spent touring and learning the craft. Did you spend that time getting everything just right for you debut?
Absolutely. I had another 10 or so tracks either written or laid down in draft form, and those didn’t make the cut. I wanted this to be perfect, after all, you only get one debut. I also remember reading a quote from Jay-Z regarding Reasonable Doubt; he said that your sophomore release will normally take you 6 months to make, but your debut takes 26 years. That really struck me as something really noteworthy; at that point you’re not shaped by or jaded by ‘the biz’, you’re just you, with 26 years of life experience behind you.
The Musical is 16 tracks deep and features some great beats provided by the likes of M-Phazes and SDub but it’s Mules whose beats account for around half of the tracks on The Musical. What was it about Mules that got you salivating at the mouth?
Actually the bulk of the album was relatively new in comparison to the original track listing for the Musical back in 2009. Over Christmas last year Mules banged out and remixed an exceptional amount of tracks for me, and the album really didn’t take shape until then. Again, he was somebody else I met through Lee, and I knew straight away he was different. I also love the fact that Mules just seems to ‘know’ an artist back to front; even though he did most of the production work for the LP, it doesn’t have a Choose Mics sound to it. All the beats were originals, not off beat tapes, and they were samples that he had put aside especially for the kind of album I was making. All in all there were another 5 or 6 Mules tracks that didn’t make the cut; they’re being used for other promotional releases, but it just goes to show the hard work he puts in.
Kam Moye (the artist formerly known as Supastition) features on the track ‘Onwards’. Obviously a great feature, tell us a little about the relationship you have with Kam?
Of course the boys and I met Supa through M-Phazes; Kam was putting together a release after leaving Freshchest records and we just began talking to him from there; he even blessed us with a verse for Tactic One’s LP and for the Trace Elements mixtape in 06. In 2007 he did a short tour with DJ Forge and Trace Elements supporting; naturally we clicked straight away and built on work from there. Initially I wanted to get Kam on some punchline bragadocious type tracks, but after I heard the beat from SDub I knew that Supa would have been perfect to bless it; at the time Kam told me it reminded him of some retrospective Dr Dre. Little known fact: initially I also approached Mareko about jumping on that track too, but due to his album work he pulled out of it.
You write quite frequently, not just music, and we’ve gotten a great laugh out of many of your blog posts. Is this a way of honing your craft or just something you enjoy doing when your not spitting fire?
Well my family are all politically minded and quite talented with the written word. To be honest, even though it doesn’t seem like something that is genetic, I don’t doubt for a second that there is some kind of genetic process that controls creativity; it runs in the family. My father is a prankster, and my mother likes to think she’s the greatest comedian on earth. To be honest though, my writing style really only evolved after I began to absorb huge amounts of British comedy and immerse myself in books like The Hitchhikers guide to the galaxy (genius series by the way, exceptionally well written). To be honest I was a writer before I was a musician, and if I had to choose one path I would take forever it would definitely be the written word. I mean, have you seen Salman Rushdie’s ex girlfriends? Boom son, boom!
You recently joined the SoulMate label, the home of 360 and Pez. Whats it been like finding that right label for you, artistically and personally?
I think from day one I always wanted to sign with Soulmate, purely because the label had been interested in what I did for a long time. I really loved that aspect; I’ve heard horror stories about the relationships that other artist’s have when signed to larger more established labels. I didn’t want to be one among many, I wanted to be able to pick up the phone and talk to the label director directly, have a beer with them, and discuss issues face to face. Actually I signed the contract over a meal at Nando’s, there’s probably Peri-Peri sauce on the original somewhere. To be honest, Soulmate was the first label that was interested after the LP was complete, I didn’t even bother looking around after the deal was on the table. Previously in 2008/2009 I had been approached by two labels, and I was sick of people seeing ‘potential’ but never acting upon it. Soulmate are a powerful force in the industry, small enough to avoid confusing administration, but packed with artists that command sales and respect.
Celebrated Sydney artist and hip-hop connoisseur Mark Drew did the artwork for the album and he has done an exceptional job. Are you a fan of Marks and how did you see his art relating to your album….we did pick up on the cool A side, B side theme that played out through the album?
I hadn’t been exposed to Mark Drew before I signed with the label. Chris at Soulmate had heard about Mark Drew through a series of art shows he had put on called C-90, which was a total throwback to early 90’s cassette tapes. We knew we wanted a 90’s feel to the art purely because of the production that was on the album; it sounded clean, yet gritty. Mark’s artwork just fit the bill perfectly, especially, as you mentioned, the ‘Side A’ and ‘Side B’ aspect. At first the cover wasn’t what I was expecting, but the more I looked at it I realised it was on some 90’s mean muggin type shit. It was perfect.
The film clip has just dropped for the banging track Fact Not Fiction. The beat by Mules is a killer and the clip was filmed in a library. We hear you hooked up with Heata and Discourse of Crate Cartel for the filming of the clip?
I remember watching that Crate Cartel video (Memories – Geko & Fluent Form) and flipping out; the track was amazing and the video complimented it perfectly. Heata & Discourse (Full Clip) are a perfect pairing, Heata has an exceptional amount of experience filming in the industry, and Discourse has the audio and video editing thing on lock. The shoot was no more than a day and the fact they were hip hop dudes themselves made the experience extremely worthwhile. In regards to the track, I was actually surprised how it came out; initially I recorded it over a different beat. It was originally recorded over a retrospective Hi Tek beat and Mules came and remixed it. I wasn’t expecting the track to be as upbeat as it was, especially considering the lyrics, but after listening to it more and more I realised that Mules knew exactly what he was doing.
What do you hope to achieve from this release, do you have any plans on looking abroad in the future?
To look at The Musical as anything more than a building block is pie in the sky type stuff. It’s like a calculated game of chess, you spend time moving the pieces into position, and then bam, checkmate. I’ve already started working on the follow up, it’s a collaborative project with a producer from Brisbane called Cam Bluff (The Optimen, The Tongue, Spit Syndicate), and I’m excessively excited about it. His production reminds me of a mixture of so many amazing musical influences; I can hear Dr Dre in there, Buckwild, lots of Dilla, it’s just the music I’ve been dying to make for years.
Album launch, any details on that or upcoming tours?
I’m currently touring with my good friends Choose Mics on their “Beggars can’t be touring”…err…tour. I love being on the road with them, and have been doing so since 06. If I had my way I would make sure we did every show together. If you’re in Melbourne or Adelaide on September 17 and 18, the whole gang will be back together under the same roof (Myself, Choose Mics and M-Phazes), and I can’t wait. You can peep the show updates from the Soulmate Records blog at http://www.soulmaterecords.com
Make sure you grab your FREE download of Fact Not Fiction taken from Syntax – The Muscial, right here.
Syntax – Fact Not Fiction
Jake Biz – Getthefuckouttahere Film Clip
Executed by Heata 2010.
Produced & Art Directed by DJ Dcide.
Beat produced by Sean B (The StatesMen)
750 Rebels & Karsniogenics in association with http://www.runroyal.com present for free download: Jake Biz – Purgatory EP.
After a decade deeply entrenched in Brisbane’s underground hiphop scene, 750 Rebels and Towndrunxxx key member Jake Biz is primed and ready for the release of his upcoming solo debut Commercial Hell.
In preparation for the album’s long-awaited release, Karsniogenics is proud to present Purgatory, the unofficial EP prelude from Jake Biz. Only available via FREE download, Purgatory marks five exclusive tracks recorded in and around the Commercial Hell sessions, featuring production from fellow label cohorts Lazy Grey, Bigfoot, Sean B, and Chubbadubbed of 4zZz Radio’s PhatTape Hip Hop Show.
While Commercial Hell is the focused effort of Jake Biz alongside fellow 750 Rebel and long-time collaborator Brookes Cullings (a.k.a Overproof Pete), Purgatory is the culmination of downtime spent in the studio of Karsniogenics head and 750 backbone, DJ Dcide.
The unofficial EP lives up to its name as the intermediate musical state between here and Commercial Hell, offering a hefty taste of things to come from the anticipated debut.
With guest spots from Ken Oath, Bigfoot and the 750 Rebels featuring the stomper single Rebel Forces, Purgatory’s fistful of tracks sets precedent within the confines and aesthetics of raw underground rap music.
Enter a state of hip hop Purgatory and download your free copy exclusively available at www.runroyal.com or from here.
Entirely produced by Geko, Crate Cartel Radio encompasses everything good about independent local hip hop. This release includes a stellar line up of guest emcees, strategically picked to add multiple elements of class to this impressive sonic backdrop. Over these 13 tracks, you can find some of Australia’s most renowned and respected veterans including Bias B, Bigfoot and Ciecmate, alongside exciting and anticipated local emcees Kings Konekted, Maundz, Jake Biz, Fatty Phew and many others. We caught up with Geko recently to talk about his upcoming release Crate Cartel Radio, two new aditions to the Crate Cartel roster, a surprise new release from way back and lots more.
You started really getting involved in hip hop, digging, rapping and producing back in the late nineties, what was it that first influenced you into the world of hip hop?
Well I grew up with joints like ‘Mama Said Knock You Out’ on the radio and having those film clips on TV and stuff, so that was probably my first exposure. I had a friend who put me onto Wu-Tang’s ’36 Chambers’ and also ‘The Chronic’ when they came out and I was always listening to hip hop after that. Late teens I got into graff and stuff. Probably got into the crate digging thing when I was listening to Loot Pack, they were always talking about it. I loved that Quasimoto album too. Other albums that need to get a mention that received quite a caning around that time would be ‘Smif’N Wessuns’ The Shining and Screwball Y2K. Too much stuff has been influential to mention. New stuff now seems to influence me a lot. I’m a fan of alot of music.
When you say you’re a fan of a lot of new music, do you mean within the realms of hip hop, or do you draw your influences from other genres also?
I was talking mainly about hip hop. Obviously I listen to a lot of different genres in the process of digging and making beats. One day when I’m an old man, I plan to sit on my porch and give my record collection the listening to it deserves. For now I have to admit I often just listen for samples. If I’m playing music in the car or if there’s a new release I’m anticipating, it’s mainly been Hip Hop.
Have you been listening to much Australian Hip Hop lately, if so who do you enjoy listening to?
Nah not really so much. I struggle to find the time to check for much new Australian stuff. I copped the Kings Konnected mixtape which was nice and I was feeling that L-Flows & Verb-Ill mixtape. But that’s probably around three years ago now. Maundz – Mr Nobody lives on my car’s passenger seat at the moment. Been swapping between that and Cappo Genghis, and a year on, Cormegas Born and Raised gets a bump every couple of days still. Also from a couple of years back Ciecmates Pre-Emptive Strike Mixtape – probably the other one I got into, the first half of that was especially epic.
Your first official release was back in 2006 with Raven on the “We Are Animals” 6 track EP. It was also the first release to carry the now familiar Crate Cartel logo. What’s been the main evolution at Crate Cartel since that time?
Well it got better. It was more of a production name originally and raven said to put it on because he also liked it. It really kicked of when I started working with Fluent because he’s a pretty hungry dude and proactive the way he goes about getting things done. Discourse jumping onboard for the graphics keeps everything looking nice and consistent. Most importantly we’ve grown the team and it’s now settled at Raven, Fluent, Maundz, WIK, and myself. It’s a good crew and everyone involved is motivated, working and improving everyday.
Two huge names in WIK and Maundz. We hear that Maundz is working on his next album, which will feature full production from WIK. Did you just have to have these two dudes on board?
Yeah. I put a gun to their heads haha. Nah they are both good blokes, we all get along well and I think it’s mutually advantageous. That’s it though we don’t need anyone else!
2009 was a big year for the Crate Cartel, releasing your entirely self-produced debut album ‘The Crate Cartel’ and also Fluent Forms – ‘The Furnace’. Were you happy with the response to these albums?
My album didn’t really make a lot of noise but the feedback I got from it had been mostly positive. Thats really what you hope for with your first solo. You have to build it up. The Furnace got a really good response. Kind of put us on the map as a label.
June 18 this year will see your sophomore production album Crate Cartel Radio drop. Is production taking a front seat?
Well I’m still rapping on it a fair bit. But not on every track. I definitely see myself as a producer firstly and I’m more comfortable behind the boards. I’ll always write verses but I plan to focus more on production in the future.
Tell us a bit more about the concept behind Crate Cartel Radio and what you’ve wanted to achieve by releasing this album?
The concept was formed from wanting to do an album where I didn’t rap as much originally. The whole radio idea is sort of a nod to radio shows like The Formula, that were really important in getting good hip hop to us before the internet came along.
Crate Cartel Radio has been pushed as an album that encompasses everything good about independent local hip hop. What do you find are the most important aspects of good local independent hip hop?
Well, primarily independence. This album doesn’t have any work other than the guest features outsourced. The artwork, mixing, recording, video clips, mastering and production is done in-house. With the team we are working with its as professional as those people out there throwing huge coin at their projects, if not more so. We are building our reputation on our skills not on marketing campaigns or support slots for overseas artists etc. Hopefully in the future all that comes our way because of the hard work we put in early.
Killer cover for crate Cartel Radio, it’s already had such a great response. Do you think it’s important to have a professional looking package when all things are said and done?
Haha. Funny you mention that because it was a last-minute switch. Yeah definitely good to get a professional graphic designer to do your cover ideas. Even if the artist has a drawing, a photo or a good idea, you really can tell if the person that’s done the final layout knows what there doing.
Tell us in a few short words how you’d describe your production style?
Shit. Id say It’s a mixture of classic hip hop production styles I guess. I’ve just tried to break off elements of all the producers that influence me and that melting pots my style. It sort of changes from time to time anyway.
Some big names have put their hand up to be on the album including Bias B, Fluent Form and Maundz, just to name a couple. Whats it like being able to call on guys like these to help out on the album?
Well its new because I haven’t been making noise as long as a lot of the people featured on the album. 2 years ago I couldn’t have reached out to a lot of them, they wouldn’t have known who I was. I’m honoured to have worked with every single person on the album. Everyone of them is talented and really came with some top quality shit. Good people too. Hopefully I’ll work with everyone more in the future.
Now the first video clip from the Crate Cartel Radio was released early last week – Titled Memories featuring Fluent Form, filmed by Discourse and Heata. Tell us a little about the clip, where it was filmed and how long it took?
It’s all just filmed around our way. It was shot over 2 days. But then the editing took a lot more time. A lot of work went in. Heata’s a professional he’s got his craft on lock and gets the job done real efficiently. And Discourse is a mad talented dude. This and the Every Step clip are his first clips he’s been involved with so you can see he’s got something.
What should people expect from Crate Cartel in the next few months, we hear some big things are in the works, Raven’s new album etc?
Yeah. Ravens album next. Ravenous 2010. He’s got it all recorded so wrapping that up next. It will be coming out later this year, as the title suggests. Maundz albums out now obviously, it’s a classic, he did Mr Nobody before we were working closely but he’s Crate Cartel fam from here on in. Fluents staying busy on collaboration’s and pre-production for his next joint well underway.
Also I just found out today we might have an opportunity to put out the Field Trip album that was completed several years back but never saw light of day.
That’s some exciting news regarding the Field Trip LP, how did this opportunity arise?
I’m friends with Aetcix. I mention that he should put it out sometimes when we catch up for a beer. His relenting, it’s a dope album. Thorts was still on a raw tip then and all the productions tight. Would have done really well if it had gotten out at the time as It was a notch above other shit at that point.
Any final words?
I’ll be touring this album with Maundz and Fluent Form, hopefully Raven. Crate Cartel Radio/Mr Nobody Tour. We’ll have more details soon on that. cratecartel.com Merch coming soon man. There will be merch for this album. But our whole catalogues up there basically. Yep. Even just dropping the clip I’ve had a great response so big ups to all the people checking for us. Crate Cratel Radio June 18th!!!. Peace.
You can pre-order a signed copy of Geko’s - Crate Cartel Radio by following the link here.
