Destroy and Rebuild is the debut album from one of Sydney’s most thought provoking lyricist. The talented rhymster’s debut release provides an insight into a dark world constructed within the walls of a racing mind. Providing an intriguing introduction, How Sick, produced by Nebs, gives listeners the perfect introduction to a story which shaped both he and brother Kerser’s success.
Anotha Day Anotha Dolla displays the skill and creative abilities of this south west Sydney MC. From here one can’t help but feel totally emerged and somewhat hypnotized by a roller coaster of emotions. Rates explains his life and the turbulent ride which has landed him in psych wards and run ins with the law, but at the same time proving he isn’t one to give up. It’s not hard to see why this artist has such a loyal and thankful fan base.
The album boasts solid features including Sydney’s king Kerser, crazily talented Jay Dee (United Forefront), and Geelong’s very own Fatty Phew, all bringing their own flavour to this crazy album. With great production from Discourse, Tornts, Nebs, Elliot Waite, Geko and Seven Six. Destroy and Rebuild truly is a journey from start to finish.
Track Listing 01 How Sick 02 Anotha Day Anotha Dolla feat. Alyson Murray 03 Appalin’ 04 Falling Down feat. Ginger Van Es 05 Off in a Race feat. Jay (UF) 06 Poison 07 Under rated feat. Kerser 08 Hard Times feat. Fatty Phew 09 Call it a Lack 10 Lost 11 Udbay
Back in 2004 when Married To The Mob and its founder Leah McSweeney conceived its original “Supreme Bitch” for the brand’s first collection, it was a commentary within the streetwear landscape so often dominated by men.
Since then, it’s become a hallmark of the brand almost 10 years later but has recently come under fire from Supreme and James Jebbia for what has been claimed as a design that “infringes his trademark rights.”
The brand now faces a $10 million dollar lawsuit, which will likely stir the pot of controversy as well as once again assess the current state of free speech and trademarks. Below is a note from McSweeney while the court document can be seen below. In 2004, when 22-year-old Leah McSweeney started a women’s skate-fashion line called Married to the Mob, her first T-shirt was a sort of homage: Supreme Bitch written in the Supreme style.
Jebbia carried the shirts in Union, another store he owned. As Supreme’s fortunes multiplied, so did Supreme Bitch. Rihanna posted pictures of herself in a Supreme Bitch cap.
As some of you may have heard, Supreme is suing me for $10 million over my “Supreme Bitch” design. I’ve been using this design since the first MOB collection in summer 2004. I even sold it as a tee at Union, a store owned and managed by Supreme’s founder James Jebbia, who gave the design his blessing. Now, he’s claiming that the design infringes his trademark rights.
Unlike some companies that blatantly rip-off other brand logos, Married To The Mob has always had its own identity and aesthetic by being an extension of my life experiences. I started this company when I was 22 and have come a long way without a piggyback ride from anyone.
Supreme Bitch is one design of many; one slogan of many. And the use of the design has always been to make fun of the misogynistic vibe of Supreme and the boys who wear it.
Bottom line is this: I don’t think Supreme should be able to squash free speech or my right to utilize parody in my design aesthetic. It’s one of the most powerful ways for me to comment on the boy’s club mentality that’s pervasive in the streetwear/skater world. The fact that Supreme is coming after MOB and me personally is just another example of the hostility that MOB — the first women’s street wear brand — has faced from Day 1. And it’s why the Supreme Bitch message is so important.
Civil liberties attorney Norman Siegel agreed to take my case and act as co-counsel along with Edward Rosenthal of Frankfurt Kurnit Klein & Selz PC, a law firm that specializes in trademark issues. This isn’t a fight I went out looking for, but I have no choice other than to fight back. Because right now, it’s about more than just a t-shirt! - Leah McSweeney.
Kings Konekted garnered a cult following among fans and hip hop luminaries alike with their 2009 pre-album release Trails to the Underlair. Looming at the edge of the underworld’s shadow, Kings Konekted are now passing off copies of their debut EP The Campaign under a jacketed arm: six tracks of street corner discussions and heavyweight production by Stricknine, Prowla and Trem.
aahh: The Campaign is a relentless 6 track appetiser to the highly anticipated full length album Corrupted Citizens, due later in the year. Did you think it was important to get some new music in to the hands of the heads before the new album was released? Kings Konekted: Definitely, we had already recorded most of those joints & written to them a year or so before, so those particular tracks weren’t really fitting the cohesiveness of Corrupted Citizens in terms of the sound. The E.P seemed the perfect solution for something in-between, and once we heard those 6 tracks together it sounded correct. Trem, Prowla & Stricknine on the production blended like a fine wine.
aahh: How would you describe the tone of the brand new EP? Kings Konekted: It’s a very concentrated and controlled overall sound. We wanted the sound of the campaign to compliment the lyrics and their approach. It’s a very serious sound. A lot of time was put into the mixing and mastering of tracks to match the raps precisely and to emphasize certain bars.
aahh: Tell us a bit about the production on the EP and who you worked with? Kings Konekted: Well the lead single “Repertoire Strong” was handled by me (Stricknine) and the rest by Trem & Prowla who have been Class A family since 2005, when I was doing albums with Thirstin Howl and MF Grimm. Trem helped a lot with the mastering and 2nd opinions on the MF Grimm LP (2007), as did Prowla, who also dropped a beat on that album. Prowla actually did a remix for the lead single/12” “5 Finger Discount” from the Thirstin Howl III & Rack-Lo album I did in 2005 as well. So they have been watching and helping the boys craft their music since they came on board, and it was pretty much decided from day one that they would be involved and we are all forever grateful that they are.
aahh: Emcees featured on The Campaign not only include the super talented Brad Strut and Lazy Grey, we also see an appearance from US artist MF Grimm. In your own eyes what was it that these artists brought to the release? Kings Konekted: Each guest brings the correct product to the table, most of the guests had our verses to reference the tone. It definitely provided a lot more versatility to the overall sound. And again – Lazy, Grimm and Strut are also considered family with us, so even though they are feature MC’s and feature producers on this EP they are all part of the crew and you can expect to see us working closely in the future.
aahh: The video clip for Repertoire was cut with the track Good Blood & Hand Shakes, what was the concept behind that decision? Kings Konekted: The concept for the clip arose as to not having decided on a single to release. Strick came up with the idea based on an old clip from GZA (Wu Tang). He did the same and used 2 tracks in one clip (Shadowboxing/4thChamber). That clip in turn gave birth to the idea that we could maybe blend two tracks. Originally we only planned for it to be a promo, but once we started brainstorming, the idea with a storyline was incorporated and it grew from there. We approached Heathen Steelburg to help with the camera work and capture our ideas. It really just fell together in our favour.
aahh: Tell us a bit about how you all became involved in the hip hop scene? Kings Konekted: We had all been playing & listening to rap since early primary school days, though our (Culprit & Dontez) first encounter with the Brisbane scene really came about through the graff writers. We’d herd Lazy’s “on or off tap” later in 2000 which really grew on us. Other writers & crews were talking about lazy doing shows in Brisbane so some of our older brothers took us along and that’s were it all really started. We had no ambitions of being on stage at that time.
aahh: Can you give us any details on the upcoming album, Corrupted Citizens. Will it follow in the same tone as The Campaign EP? Kings Konekted: The CC Album is a matured version of our original sound. It is definitely a different tone to that of “The Campaign”. It’s deep, its funny, its intense, its vivid & somewhat a lot more versatile. It’s a documentation of Culprit & my life through the last ten years all on one album. It touches on a range of emotions and is geared for our listeners to relate. We have put everything we had on every verse, every beat and every aspect of this album.
aahh: You’ve recently signed to Class A Records, home to such artists as Thirstin Howl & Rack Lo, MF Grimm, Chino XL and more. What does it mean to you as a crew to sign with a label that has quality artists such as these? Kings Konekted: To be on board Class A is an honour. It’s an important move who you work with and we’re happy with how were progressing. Quality music is our priority and we all correspond with that. We certainly work at different paces but we all stay focused. There is a lot of expectation to live up to both under the name Class A and Kings Konekted, and we don’t let it slip our minds.
aahh: You recently played ‘Stand Up’, in your hometown of Brisbane. What was that like? Kings Konekted: Stand Up was an indicator of growth amongst the Australian scene. The crowds now are from all walks of life, which we think is a positive. The Scene needs to go through this period in order to grow. The night for us was a true success. All respects to the organizers (469 Underworld) for making this happen. It was an honor to grace the stage with so much talent. Tom Thum is a maniac performer who really shines when he is live. Lazy Grey just gets better with age, a true master of ceremonies, he was so clear and precise you can really see his experience in vocal control. We were lucky enough to open the KK set with him & that’s a moment we won’t forget!
aahh: Will we see some vinyl coming out of the Kings camp soon, and how viable do you see the vinyl industry in Australia? Kings Konekted: Vinyl is definitely happening for the E.P that is being pressed as we speak. We should have more details over the next few weeks which we will announce via http://www.classarecords.com and our social networks etc. Vinyl at present seems to becoming popular again, even JB Hi Fi is asking us for vinyl now, it’s a pleasure not many are willing to part with, its done a complete 360!
aahh: Speaking of vinyl you guys worked with Trem on his FTTOHNL record. What was it like being apart of the select few artists who got up on that record? Kings Konekted: To be honest it’s still sinking in. It was really just a blessing, Strick had already established connections with Trem and he had sent him some of our demos. Trem was very realistic with his feedback which lifted us to push out better verses. He was hearing our progression over the years i guess and we got stronger lyrically and live. We later got to meet and that forged a friendship. It’s crazy to think we were young fans going nuts on the early LC stuff and are now working so closely with him.
aahh: Do you guys expect to tour the country with the LP, and if so where would you guys like to take the record? Kings Konekted: Well we have locked in a few more shows for June/July. We are playing in Brisbane again with Masta Ace & Marco Polo (Sat – June 15), and we are also playing in Melbourne with Brad Strut (Fri – July 12) which will be a massive double headliner! And we have almost locked in another headline spot for Sydney (Sat – July 6). And we are still waiting to hear back from Trem about a full Aus tour with him which will be amazing for all involved. But that hasn’t been confirmed yet…
Earning his stripes in the UK’s underground live circuit, Fraksha has proven himself to be one of the UK’s finest MC’s. As a founding member of the UK outfit Nine High, Fraksha spent time honing his craft and sold out two mixtapes, a testament to his tenure in the UK scene. Fraksha now presents his debut full length player, My Way, and it’sout now.
aahh: Was the title for the LP ‘My Way’ an obvious choice? Fraksha: Yeah pretty much it was. I had a couple of different working titles while I was recording, but towards the end while I was listening back to tracks, I realised I said it a few times in different tunes and it seemed to sum up what the record was about really. aahh: Can you tell us what a few of those working titles for the album were?
Fraksha: ‘All Seasons’ is the only one I can remember now actually, I felt that it suited the varying moods across the album at the time, but really in the end ‘My Way’ suited it perfectly.
aahh: Your new LP contains elements of grime, but spans across a wide range of sounds. Was releasing an album with such a diverse range of tracks high on your agenda? Fraksha: Not in a conscious way really, I think that in general I’ve done different things and not really stuck to a ‘sound’ as such so it was natural that my album would follow a similar path. Grime is an electronic genre that is traditionally 140bpm and originated from the UKG scene of the late 90’s early 00’s as it became more MC orientated and a bit darker. It shares a lot of similarities with how hip hop came through in that it was a sound that came from the streets and had a dancehall influence to it. I’m not sure how I see its future in the UK, let alone Australia to be honest. Sounds are becoming more interwoven everywhere and while you might not see a huge grime scene spring up, I think you will see influences creep into people’s sounds a bit more over here.
aahh: You recently signed to independent kings BTE. What was it like having the experience of the guys over there, they have been in the game for a long time now. Obviously this had it advantages?
Fraksha: Yeah man, it was an honour to sign up with the guys at BTE. The label and its artists have a long and rich history within the scene here and have really cemented their place in it. It’s wicked to have that backing and hopefully some people who might not have heard of me might check the album out on the strength of that alone. Obviously, I’ve put out records before, but to a large extent a lot of the non-music stuff has been done by myself and the other people I’ve worked with. It was such a good feeling to have friends I trust be able to shoulder that stuff and use their wealth of experience to do it right. This meant I didn’t have to stress about anything other than the music really.
aahh: As an emcee that’s released a mixtape titled Just Bars, you must always be writing. Did you write specifically for My Way, or did you have some raps put away for a project like this? Fraksha: For the most part, I’d say 80-90% I wrote specifically for it and I had maybe a couple of verses here or there that I re-wrote for it. I did have stuff stuck away for an album, but then by the time you come to do them they just feel stale. I just threw away pages of rhymes at one point because I wanted a clear head and a fresh start.
aahh: We’ve seen a few film clips drop for the album including Creepin’, So Long, Fix Up, and This Thing Of Ours. What has it been about these tracks that made you want to do a film clip up for each?
Fraksha: I feel that each track has something different about it that made me wanna showcase those tunes, in a way. ‘Creepin’ we just had to do a video for no question. I really wanted to do the tune with Flea and Gutz because they’re both sick guys and its a mad tune and I knew it’d be a popular one. ‘Fix Up’ is a personal favourite of mine and I’m real happy with how that one came out. ‘So Long’ is a just a mad hype tune and an automatic choice for a video. Lyrically and sonically its an important song on the album.
aahh: Why would you say that ‘So Long’ is such an important tune from the album? Fraksha: It’s a big tune, it’s got quite an anthemic feel to it I reckon. It’s an important tune for me personally as it really sets out what I’m about and what I’ve done over the years.
aahh: We’ve started to see a lot of top American rappers head out here to perform from the States. Would you like to see more UK heads touring in Australia and if so, who? Fraksha: Yeah for sure man, I’d love to see Skinnyman and Durrty Goodz over here, both MC’s I’m huge fans of and I think would go down well over here.
aahh: You mentioned Skinnyman and Durrty Goodz, as artists you’d be keen to see out here in Australia. Are these guys the albums that you reach for when you want to listen to a bit of music? Fraksha:Oh yeah for sure, certain guys music just doesn’t ever leave my headphones. Some music you’re always adding and deleting off your iPhone, iPod or whatever but some stuff will always remain. Another artist I’d add to that would be Trim, just the song writing ability and his consistency is just too much. I often put all his mixtapes on random and I’ll never get bored or find myself skipping through tunes. There’s a depth to these artists missing in others. I listen to a hell of a lot of DJ mixes, that’s what I mainly check for because you’re getting variation, different styles and it’s a good way to keep on top of the biggest tunes really. I listen to a lot of dancehall too, there’s so much character to it and really it’s probably the most varied and versatile genre in modern music.
aahh: My Way has been out for a moment now, whats the feedback been like? Fraksha: Feedback has been real good, been real happy with it. Obviously you would always like more and from certain quarters, but of the feedback I’ve got it’s been nothing but positive. It’s always interesting hearing people’s favourite tracks and often it can be the last ones you might expect! I’ve noticed that people have generally been more taken by the more Hip Hop sounding tracks over the grime joint which I assumed would happen locally, but a lot have people have commented on the consistency across the whole thing and it sounding like a complete package even though there is such variation in the sound.
aahh: Looking back on the album would you have changed up anything if you had the chance too? Fraksha: Nah nothing really I don’t think. There’s other guests I would like to have worked with, but you can’t fill up an album with a million guest spots, although some do I suppose.
aahh: You’re a big fan of spitting live bars, we’ve seen you in numerous radio shows and cyphers. What is it about that type of performance that you seem attracted to? Fraksha:Because that’s what rapping, mc-ing is all about at its basic form, spitting live! A studio MC is a dickhead MC, if you never put yourself on the line in a live environment to prove yourself, then you aint no MC in my eyes. I used to try to run cyphers on Triple R and it was actually hard work persuading people to come in an represent or they wanted to prepare for weeks and all this bullshit or you got the feeling they didn’t wanna put themselves out there to be judged alongside others who might show them up. No confidence in their own skills. I used to be think for fucks sake most of them are part-time hobbyists, basically. Radio was always a huge part of our culture back home and instrumental in giving us a platform to practice and to get better. When you know you’re on radio every single week for an hour, just spraying bars basically, it really makes you sharpen your stuff pretty quickly. You wanna be standing out from the others, you wanna be coming with new stuff not just recycling stale old bars and I’ve tried to where I can encourage more frequent radio sessions and getting as many involved as I can. It’s all about sharpening skills at the end of the day and doing what I love and I feel that myself and my crew have been vital in championing this live radio element over the last 5-6 years.
aahh: Following on from that question, what are you thoughts on the state of MC’s in Australia currently. Do you think there’s enough live performance etc? Fraksha:I don’t think there are enough live performances, but what that’s down to I’m not sure. There seems to be a shortage of promoters I’ve noticed, or promoters working in the underground at least. Gig wise in Melbourne used to be more vibrant for local stuff, international shows have increased I think, but getting the support really depends primarily on your relationship with the promoter rather than your musical output. I know I can probably come across as quite negative, but I make no apologies for it. When I look around at the rap talent coming through It’s pretty shabby in my eyes. Now that doesn’t mean people don’t have talent, its music after all so it’s all individual taste but to me most of it taste’s pretty shitty. There’s probably a handful of MC’s I’d check for and a handful more that, while I don’t listen to them, I can rate them for what they do. I used to be anti-elitist, but nowadays I’m actually sometimes feeling like this shit aint for everybody to do, some people just shouldn’t get involved. There’s this have-a-go attitude which is all well and good but with the more people doing something, the more it gets watered down. You start off with red and end up with pink, we don’t all have to be nice about each others music, we need to be critical for the sake of quality. That’s why we’ve ended up with so much blandness and copycatting. I wouldn’t have dreamt about going anywhere near a mic until I was sure that I wasn’t gonna get mocked, now kids are ‘practicing’ in the full view of anyone, making mistakes publicly and putting music that ain’t ready out there and this is stuff that will follow them forever. Once it’s out there, there aint much hope of getting it back, that’s why it’s so important to work at your shit and not just release stuff just because you have the ability to do so. Stick to being a music fan if all you’re gonna do is imitate. If you wanna get involved start a label, start promoting, do something other than making music if all you’re doing it for is to ‘be involved’. Nothing wrong with just enjoying the music that’s there! As well as all the shit that has to then be sifted through it also clogs up the scene with too many rappers and then you have a situation like we do now, where there are not enough gigs then it can be next to impossible to get gigs unless a) you have a booking agent or b) you’ll do the gig for free or for drinks. A huge proportion of people are falling into the latter category unfortunately. At international gigs, most people are there for the main act and support acts are there to pass the time so crowds will be there regardless, so an act playing for free or for a bucket of Melbourne bitter stubbies and $50 is always going to be the more attractive option to a promoter. The politics that goes on behind the scenes of putting on shows, booking artists etc is incredible and about as far removed from ‘the music’ as can be.
aahh: We want to ask you about some of the earlier days when you first arrived in Australia, what was it like trying to break into the local scene back then and what were your first impression of hip hop here? Fraksha: My very first impression was a live gig (Culture of Kings 2 in Melbourne) and thinking man that’s strange hearing an Australian accent rapping. Back in England I hadn’t really been exposed to much Australian culture, it was Neighbours, Home and Away and Romper Stomper so it was weird at first. Once I’d began to check out some different stuff and see what was what I really started to get a feel for it and I love the way the accent is used by some people. What I’m not a fan of is the kind of bland neutral accent that is pretty prevalent where its kind of neither here nor there, I like hearing a strong accent with character. It wasn’t hard to get doing stuff over here, I put in work and made some good friends. Everyone was very receptive and we all love music so it doesn’t matter where I’m coming from really. When I first arrived it was real exciting meeting loads of new people, shows at new venues and all that comes with just jumping into a new city in a new country, it was a mad busy and fun time!
aahh: Do you have any feelings on the current threat to community radio, and what impacts do you think this could have on the scene as a whole? Fraksha: Yeah I do, it’s terrible that they might be getting funding cut, but it’s also not surprising really is it. It’s not big business so government couldn’t care less. If stations like PBS etc had to shut down it would be a big blow to our scene, but what exact effect it would have, I’m not sure to be honest. For artists like myself these stations are our main radio output and to lose that would be unfair, not just to us as artists – though that would undoubtedly be shit – but I mean for the general public. Taking away that option and leaving people with just commercial radio and the few huge non-commercial stations – which behave in many ways very similar to the commercial ones – would massively restrict the type of music available to listeners and leave us with whatever the majors want to force feed down our throats. Of course, you can say well just turn the radio off if you don’t like it, but that doesn’t account for the people who don’t know there’s other stuff out there, people who are not currently enjoying it purely because they’re not aware of it. Telling someone to turn the radio off if they don’t like it is basically saying ‘you shouldn’t be allowed choice.’ Think about it as it’s the same for all of us. We all grew up hearing pop music on radio, in shops, on TV etc etc and no one questions it really. How happy were you when you realised you’d discovered something new musically and from the time you realised there was a whole other world of music out there, you never looked back. It’s almost pity you feel for those unaware of the world of music out there aside from the Top 40. On a related note, Triple R are on some dickhead movements the way they handled the recent issue with the Top Billin’ show and showed they’re completely out of touch from the local scene they claim to represent. How can a so-called ‘community’ based station make such a rash decision going against the collective anger of the same community that supports them by tuning in, by subscribing etc. Big mistake.
aahh: Your quite a vocal MC when it comes to commercial dick ridding and all the connotations that come along with hamming it up for radio. What do you think of artists who pander to markets? Fraksha: Most of the scene are fucking yes men and I think my opinions are pretty well-known, as you say I have been quite vocal about it. A good radio DJ/station will hunt out good music and educate the listener or bring awareness of quality music that perhaps isn’t as widely known. A shit radio DJ/station will play music based on personal and business relationships or perceived ‘cool’ factor regardless of the music itself. If Skrillex recorded the sound of him shitting into a plastic bag and drummed up enough internet hype – which ain’t hard to do with the right backing, see ‘Harlem Shake’ for example – then mainstream radio would play it and drum it even further into our heads. We see this kind of stuff all the time yet no one goes ‘hold on a minute, ain’t he just recording the sounds of him taking a shit into a plastic bag’, it just gets lapped up. One thing I won’t ever do is beg for airplay, I wont beg for ‘Likes’, I won’t set up a Facebook page to beg for ‘all my fans to email/SMS Triple j to request my song’, I wont show respect to some lame pop station just in the hope that they will allow me some day time spins, I wont suck up to presenters. If my music is ever gonna be played it’s gonna be down to the music only! How many artists getting national radio play can honestly say they’re getting spins purely on the music they’ve made and the work they have personally done and not off the back of some relationship or someone else forging a relationship. They exist, but it’s very few and far between. I know how this shit works, people can’t take me for some mug, I see it with my own eyes and it’s not a game I’ll play.
aahh: Do you have any plans to take My Way around the country? Fraksha: I have plans if people wanna see me! I’d love to play the new stuff around the country and hopefully I’ll get out to most places this year. Melbourne is locked in at Laundry on May 18th and that’s a double album launch with Sarm. The rest will follow as shortly soon as they’re locked in.
Fraksha – My Way is available now through Broken Tooth Entertainment.
Puzle is one of the Australia’s top writers and still in the game after 25 years. We catch up with Puzle to talk about the Kings Way book released a few years back, the rise of graffiti in Australia and his latest print project.
aahh: Tell us a bit about how you first got into writing and the graff scene? Puzle: As a teenage kid looking for adventure and mischief. Graf was new and magical. I always liked art and drawing as a kid so when graffiti started to appear in my neighbourhood I gravitated towards it. I had no idea how obsessed I would become.
aahh: Who were some of the early writers that you were inspired by? Obviously the scene in Australia was still in its infancy, was there anyone to look up to? Puzle: I was directly inspired by the early writers and breakers of my neighbourhood. People like; Dynamic Force, The Magic Makers and Town’s Koolest United.
aahh: It’s been nearly 4 years since the release of the Kings Way book. For those that don’t know tell us a bit about the book and what it represents in terms of Melbourne graff culture? Puzle: It’s a comprehensive snapshot on the evolution of Melbourne’s graffiti scene, over the first decade. It follows a loose linear chronology, and focuses on individuals that committed their entire teenage lives to painting letter styles. It is not a definitive publication, as it’s purpose was to inspire others to get out of the closet and write their own histories. Having said that it does showcase the best and most iconic that Melbourne had to offer during that period. The biggest re-occurring insight in my mind is that all the work showcased was produced by teenagers under the age of 20 years old. I find that phenomenal on every level, especially when you look at the level of energy and creative detail involved.
aahh: There was definitely an early connection between graff and the hip hop scene back in the late 80′s early 90′s, what were you’re first experiences with local hip hop? Puzle: Yeah the majority of writers were always bopping to hip hop, although many of them, including myself were diverse in music taste. I remember Velore & Double O making an appearance in Melbourne followed by the Run Dmc, Derek B concert at Festival Hall in 88, that was pretty special. Plus we had Central Station Records which was a one stop shop for all new releases. The early 90s techno era changed a lot of things with many writers tapping into the electro connection within that genre. Rock and metal were always big too. Same with funk and house music. I was never down with the elements concept of hip hop culture. I always thought graffiti had a right to stand on its own, rather than be packaged with parameters. You only have to look at all the old New York graf to see how diverse the music tastes of writers were pre-hip hop.
aahh: What do you think has been the biggest change within the graff scene over, say the last 10-15 years, locally or internationally? Puzle: There’s been a lot of reinvestigation of old styles. Which I really like. I think that graf is a visual microcosm of how homogenized as a global society we have become. Mainly due to the internet. Writers all over the world are working in global groups of style rather than local styles. I’ve got no problem with that. There’s an overwhelming amount of lazy style that doesn’t make for a very inspiring and evolving subculture. Originality and having something that is your own, is what being a writer is all about.
aahh: How would you describe your style? Puzle: I like to work in groups of style. Depending on how I feel. Sometimes curvaceous and flame like, other times, rounded blob style letters, other times, straight interlocking semi-wildstyles, other times, block busters, other times, character letters and other times, concept driven pieces. Mixing it up is the only reason I’m still in the game.
aahh: Tell us more about your new project Puzle Posters? Puzle: I’ve always wanted to do a series of posters. I released a bunch of limited edition prints a few months back that have been received really well. They are a combination of ideas. The Classic Throw-up and Old Spraycans, are excerpts from Kings Way. The rest are concept drawings and sayings. There’s a Puzle subway map, where I’ve drawn my name into a train line and listed most of the yards I hit. There’s also a Puzle Says series, where I take the piss a bit, ‘it’s ok to paint slow’ and ‘it’s ok to cut back’. Plus probably my favourite Puzle says ‘Famous online is the new famous on the lines’. This rings very true.
The print quality is amazing. Every grown up b-boy needs one of these in their house.
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You can check out more here and also pick yourself up a print.
Little Wonder Productions is proud to present LWP003, Doc Felix – The Right Direction feat Dialect. This is the third release from Little Wonder Productions and is now available for pre-order.
Little Wonder Productions is a hip-hop, funk & soul label involved in the production, manufacturing and distribution of it’s products on various audio formats. The Right Direction will be available as a digital download and also as a limited edition 10″ vinyl, which will be sure will fly out the door. You can secure your copy here.
You could forgive Horrorshow the temptation to return as if in triumph with their new single Unfair Lottery. Their consistent outshining of expectations to date suggests something special in the chemistry between lyricist Solo and producer Adit.
Where others may be swept up in delusions of grandeur, Horrorshow dig deeper into our collective psyche, looking for pre-polished signs of life. Unfair Lottery finds them with a renewed sense of purpose, crafting a thoughtful song tackling the idea of privilege—a theme often overlooked in local hip hop culture. This is not a song of guilt, it’s a refreshingly honest play on being “male, middle class and white”.
Adit acts as a conductor employing glissando-laced strings and operatic sopranos with a cinematic array of samples and live instrumentation. He’s a producer inspired, credited with the bulk of Spit Syndicate’s recent album and truly a studio fiend in great form. This is the first taste of the highly anticipated third album from Horrorshow.
Need we remind you?
• ARIA Award-nominated debut The Grey Space (2008) • Critically adored triple j feature album Inside Story (2009). • Sellout national tours • Main support on Bliss n Eso and Hilltop Hoods record breaking national tours • Big Day Out, Splendour, Groovin the Moo, Splash Festival (Germany), Sydney Opera House (Dr Seuss Meets Elefant Traks), Spiegeltent.
Horrorshow Unfair Lottery Launch Shows: Friday June 21 – Annandale Hotel SYD with Dialectrix Saturday June 22 – Northcote Social Club – MELB with Remi
With production handled entirely by Plutonic Lab, and cuts by DJ 2Buck, masterful Sydney based MC, Dialectrix presents The Cold Light of Day. The third LP since signing with Obese Records in 2008, lead single New Generation heralded the album’s release almost a year ago, and has anomalously enjoyed month after month of high rotation on triple j in anticipation.
A vernacular acrobat, Dialectrix combines rhythmic precision and variety, with content spawned from cathartic necessity. The album showcases his renowned technical skill and polish, reinforcing his reputation as one of the best in the business. The triad of skilled musicians set the release apart. All meticulous, slaves to perfection; the trio have found a remarkable wavelength based around shared standards. The result: a transcendent album, that pushes boundaries of genre convention with purpose and conscientiousness.
“Sonically The Cold Light of Daysits alone as being musically diverse, while being rigorously grounded in the settings of traditional Hip Hop.” –Dialectrix
Still faithful to their roots, Plutonic Lab and Dialectrix have built on the foundations of traditional hip hop, revolutionising the genre by incorporating live instrumentation and electronic elements. DJ 2Buck’s selection of premium cuts always consummately timed, give the album character and scope. Vocal guests include the legendary Def Wish, P-Smurf (Big Village), Chip Fu, Momo (Diafrix), and a verse from the dexterous 2Buck.
The LP focuses on the many varied themes explored by Dialectrix, each complimented by Plutonic Lab’s custom-made soundtrack.
“I keep working with Pluto because we make music like a band. There’s a synergy and chemistry we get that you just can’t buy or fabricate and I’d consider him one of my best friends.“ –Dialectrix
In the track Fire in the Blood, there is no ignoring Dialectrix’s raw emotion as he wrestles with nature vs. nurture. He relays his deepest fear; passing alcoholism and violence onto his son. Written in an extremely tumultuous period of his life, he has labelled Fire in the Blood “the most raw and honest track I’ve ever made”. Plutonic sets a melancholy scene with haunting vocals, and angry beats.
Take Flight is a laid-back, vibing number inspired by Dialectrix’s travels around Australia. His lyrics reflect on the beauty he has encountered in the places he’s been, and people he’s met, but also the inherent guilt he feels about enjoying a place which was stolen from its original people. With lounge piano, subtle strings and synth nuances, the track cruises.
Opening track Shadow In The Light, is surmised as one of the artist’s personal favourites. Plutonic Lab brings his explosive percussion skills to the forefront and fuses them with syncopated synth sounds, creating a kind of sonic exclamation mark. Second single and immediate standout Go flawlessly combines bold indie rock guitar with pulsing beats, propelling Dialectrix’s impeccable flow forward. The theme for the track is the inescapable presence of ‘time’, racing the clock his flow is exacting and relentless.
The Cold Light of Day is a quality display of true skill and passion. It is safe to say the future of hip hop is safe in the hands of Dialectrix, Plutonic Lab and DJ 2Buck.
“I’d say our music ultimately is thinking music. It’s designed to make someone contemplate what’s around them, and judge things critically. It’s meant to do nothing more than talk about one man’s experience in hope of making someone else feel better.” –Dialectrix
Tracklisting: 1. Shadow in the Light 2. New Generation 3. My World 4. Go 5. Black and Gold 6. Take Flight Ft. Momo (Diafrix) 7. Style Ft. 2Buck + P. Smurf 8. First World Venom 9. Cold Light of Day 10. Fire in the Blood 11. We Ride Beats Ft. Chip Fu + Def Wish 12. No One Believed 13. The Greatest Trick
Growing up just a block away from The Notorious B.I.G., watching him go from local corner boy to rap superstar, Skyzoo couldn’t help but dream big. The Brooklyn, NY native saw life in all of its heaven and hell splendor being from the infamous home of Jay-Z and “Do The Right Thing“.
He started rapping at age nine, writing about what he witnessed on his daily routines as a child. Those years of observation and living have turned into first person narratives that have labeled Skyzoo as a “new legend” and have led to his albums being critically acclaimed by fans and critics alike. His storytelling has been commended by all walks of literary life, from hip hop royalty to university professors and everyone in between.
The fan base Skyzoo has been able to acquire stretches from the street to the workplace, from the college hipsters to the women who shop in luxe boutiques, which have all lead to memorable placements: HBO’s hit Entourage, NBA2K11 and NBA2K12 (he’s the first and only artist to date to be included in the franchise’s game and soundtrack in back to back releases), Grand Theft Auto 4: Lost and the Damned, and ESPN’s KIA NBA Shoot Around have all used Sky’s music towards their markets, and the rapper also has a longstanding relationship as a musical rep for Brand Jordan.
Skyzoo has toured with Ghostface Killah, Raekwon, Pharoahe Monch, Sean Price, and Buckshot, as well as headlined internationally in places like China, London, Paris, Berlin, Italy, Amsterdam, and more. He’s collaborated with the likes of Wale, Lloyd Banks, Pete Rock, Jahlil Beats, Hi--Tek, DJ Khalil, Buckwild, Jake One, Flo--Rida, Maino, Little Brother, EPMD, N.O.R.E, Talib Kweli, DJ Drama, Ace Hood, Sean Price, and Don Cannon, just to name a few. His highly anticipated sophomore album A Dream Deferred was released to critical acclaim last year, Skyzoo is focused on continuing to be the ultimate artist, one able to make classic music with a lasting impact.
Tour Dates: Fri May 24th @ The Laundry, Melbourne Sat May 25th @ Oxford Art Factory (The Gallery Room), Sydney
New to the game but old to its’ ways, 21-year-old Melbourne lyricist Remi ‘REMi’ Kolawole exudes a unique style, rhythmic flow and an honest delivery. His semi tongue-in-cheek braggadocios style, by no means overshadows his lyrical abilities.
Remi’s rapping persona is comfortable sitting amongst varying musical backdrops and tempos, and his singing voice is as smooth and catchy as the hooks he sings. Expertly balancing singing and rapping, Remi’s content is highly self referential, littered with pop-cultural tid bits and tales of a life equally footed in fantasy as it is reality.
On the back of releasing two EP’s in 2011 (‘Childish’ and ‘Five Beats I Love’) his debut 2012 album ‘Regular People Sh#%t’ not only cements his previous forte’s, but also displays a confidence in showing several new ones.
The album (produced in full by local duo J Smith & Dutch) covers a varying subject matter and has equal nods (lyrically) to everyone from Slum Village to Drake as it does Black Thought and early Kanye West. Remi is being championed as a refreshing, young, evolving, gifted, forward thinking talent to watch, and rightfully so.
His latest effort comes in the form of a brand new single titled Sangria, and is the title track off his upcoming mixtape F.Y.G Act:1. More information coming soon. Sangria is produced by Sensible J x Dutch.
