Featuring over 25 musical performers onstage from The Herd, Hermitude, Sietta, Joelistics, Unkle Ho, Urthboy, The Tongue, Jimblah, Jaytee of The Last Kinection and more, Australia’s renowned musical collective Elefant Traks are taking over the Graphic circus with a tribute inspired by the whimsical spirit and imagery of Dr. Seuss.
Throughout over 60 years of children’s classics such as The Cat in the Hat, Green Eggs and Ham, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas!, the wildly imaginative and surrealist universe of Dr. Seuss has enthralled generations. He continues to be one of the world’s most instantly recognisable and best loved visual storytellers.
‘All ready to put up the tents for my circus… and now comes an act of enormous enormance! No former performer’s performed this performance!’ – excerpt from Dr. Seuss’ If I Ran the Circus
Since making their live debut over a decade ago, Elefant Traks artists have entertained far and wide, capping off 2011 with Hermitude winning triple j’s Video of the Year. Australia’s most innovative label will now play with the iconic work of Dr. Seuss in a specially commissioned show for Graphic 2012.
Maintaining their motto to make ‘challenging yet adventurous’ music, the Elefant Crew are set for a fresh injection of Dr. Seuss’ prescription for fun in this fantastically imaginative performance.
Elefant Traks is proud to be reissuing a deluxe version of The Last Kinection’s – Nutches album for NAIDOC Week. Dubbed a ‘classic’ by the ABC it contains the beautiful single Balooraman and crowd favourites including Black & Deadly and Commercial Radio featuring Urthboy.
The deluxe version has been beautifully repackaged with new artwork and includes four previously unreleased remixes. The Last Kinection are made up of brother and sister Weno (vocals/producer) and Nay (vocals), belonging to the Kabbi Kabbi people of South East Queensland as well as DJ and producer Jaytee.
They’ve already achieved an impressive tally of five Deadly Awards (‘Best Band’ and ‘Best Single’ in 2011; ‘Most Outstanding Achievement in Hip Hop/R&B’ in 2009 and 2010; and Nay was ‘Best Female’ in 2010).
The Last Kinection (TLK) have established themselves as an empowering lyric-driven group with melodic production and progressive hip hop feel. Led with Indigenous heart and soul, they are fiercely proud of their culture and history.
TLK are extraordinary: uncompromising in their worldview, but with optimism and an outstretched hand. Nutches is available now from www.elefanttraks.com, iTunes and all good record stores.
The Last Kinection have created one of the most positively energetic records of 2011, the confronting; the passionate; the inspiring Next Of Kin. Fiercely proud of their culture and history, The Last Kinection are extraordinary: uncompromising in their worldview, but with optimism and an outstretched hand.
From the self-assured Find A Way (‘Ngai Wudhim Marigurim Ngai Yirinbu: I am afraid but I’m still strong’); to the commanding Together (‘If you could only spend a day in my shoes, maybe then we could talk, maybe then we could walk together’), Next of Kin is strikingly insightful. It’s the second album from the trio made up of brother and sister Weno (vocals/producer/2nd year medicine student) and Nay (vocals), belonging to the Kabbi Kabbi people of South East Queensland as well as DJ and producer Jaytee.
Created in the aftermath of a horrific car accident in 2008 – where Nay was pronounced dead at the scene before her brother Weno noticed the blanket that covered her move slightly. Ultimately the incident became the subject of a Crash Scene Investigations program. It truly is a tale of triumph over adversity: staring down the utterly devastating prospect of never walking or talking again, to making songs with such a perfect storm of power and melody.
This is a record of defiance, laughter and reflection – beautifully articulate voices bringing an Indigenous experience into sharp focus with a blazing set of banging hip hop. Already they’ve achieved an impressive tally of five Deadly Awards (‘Best Band’ and ‘Best Single’ in 2011; ‘Most Out- standing Achievement in Hip Hop/R&B’ in 2009 and 2010; and Nay was ‘Best Female’ in 2010).
Guests on the record include some of Australia’s most lauded MCs, including Trials (Funkoars) and Briggs from the Golden Era label, Ozi Batla from The Herd, Rival MC from Impossible Odds, Lotek and Omar Musa. Simone Stacey, Nay’s former partner in Shakaya, appears on the lead single Are We There Yet?
Make no mistake; this is an important Australian record.
Tracklist
1 Introduction 2 Find A Way 3 Together feat. Omar Musa 4 Burning Bridges feat. Briggs 5 Millions Of People 6 Talk About It feat. Trials 7 1995 feat. Ozi Batla 8 The Strong Remain feat. Impossible Odds 9 Yawar-Gu (Interlude) 10 Are We There Yet? feat. Simon Stacey 11 Prove Them Wrong 12 Happy People feat. Lotek 13 So Bad (Interlude) 14 So Good 15 Do This 16 Small Stuff 17 Undone
Album Next Of Kin drops 28th October. Video directed & produced by Joel Wenitong.Produced By Jaytee for Hazard Productions & Weno for Blackchilli Productions / Lyrics written & performed byNay, Weno & Simone Stacey / Guitar & Piano performed by Gareth Hudson
No strangers to the music industry, The Last Kinection have had significant success and experience for years before the group formed. Naomi (MC Nay) was one half of R&B Pop group Shakaya and signed with a major multinational label at the age of 16, quickly climbing the ARIA charts and selling platinum singles and a debut album.
Joel Wenitong (Weno) and Jacob Turier (Jaytee) were on the rise as part of the infectious group Local Knowledge (Music Oz’ Best Indigenous Artist in 2005; Best Group in the 2005 Deadly Awards) before it folded. Disheartened and frustrated, all three quickly moved on to form The Last Kinection, and the adventures of the inspired trio began. Naomi and Joel come from a large family belonging to the Kabbi Kabbi people of South East Queensland. At a frighteningly rapid pace they were losing their elders to the cycle of life. This reality was the reason behind the group’s name. The Last Kinection’s debut album Nutches (Pronounced Nu-tches ‘u’ as in Put), was released in 2008 and featured heavily on triple J and community radio across Australia. The band established themselves as a serious lyric-driven group with melodic production and a progressive hip hop aesthetic. Whilst tackling the big issues facing Indigenous (and non-Indigenous) Australia has become part of the group’s mantra, their knack of easing tension with great humour and captivating entertainment is what gives TLK’s personality such charm.
It’s this attention to entertainment and stagecraft that has resulted in an explosive live show. They’ve played The Peats Ridge Festival, The Dreaming, Groovin’ The Moo, Field Days, Sydney Festival and many more. After being invited by Paul Kelly to appear on the Cannot Buy My Soul – Tribute to Kev Carmody compilation, they played an important role in the triumphant shows at the State Theatre and Brisbane’s River Stage. TLK won legions of new fans after being invited by The Herd to be main support on their soldout national tour of 2008.
It was the morning after the last show of that tour that may be TLK’s defining moment. They were involved in a horrific car accident after the car they were driving was forced off the road resulting in a near death experience. Nay was assumed dead at the scene. They’ve since been profiled by TV show Crash Investigation Unit about their lucky escape. With spirit and determination the group rehabilitated and returned to support Public Enemy in early 2009 and have not looked back. The Last Kinection have a close connection to the community, running music workshops covering music business; production; singing; MCing and DJ techniques; songwriting and performance. In these workshops the aim is to encourage, guide and give confidence to upcoming artists; allowing them to express themselves in a positive way; or to assist them in healing.
In 2010, The Last Kinection teamed up with Elefant Traks and their second album The Next of Kinwill be released through the label in the second half of the year. Elefant Traks congratulates the Last Kinection for taking out Best Single and Best Band at the 2011 Deadly Awards, held the other night in Sydney. It coincides neatly for the Indigenous group as their brand new single ‘Are We There Yet?’ was also added to triple j rotation the other day.
Are We There Yet? brings the urgency of Indigenous survival into sharp focus with a collision of straight-shooting and infectious melody. Moving beyond simple sloganeering about equality, The Last Kinection speak from the head and the heart when Weno asks “How are we going to get there, we don’t even have boats? And how are we going to get there when we’re not winning votes?”. In turn Nay raps “Statistics say, that I won’t make / The predicted day of life expectancy / Compared to the average Aussie that grew up next door to me”.
Are We There Yet? is a deadly piece of pop culture existing both as a beautifully hooky hip hop tune and a heart-wrenching question of just how far we have to go as a society that believes in a ‘fair go’ for all. Special guest on the song is Simone Stacey, Nay’s former partner in R&B group Shakaya.The Last Kinection’s second record Next of Kin on October 28.
Elefant Traks artists The Last Kinection are set to perform at the SCG before the much-anticipated Sydney Swans versus Hawthorn match on Sunday. Heralding from Newcastle, The Last Kinection perform a mix of hip hop, reggae, and R&B combined with traditional Indigenous chants, lingo and instruments.
Their song, I Can feat.Radical Son forms the backdrop to the 2011 AFL Indigenous Round TVC.If you live in Sydney or surrounding areas, be sure to get down to the SCG this weekend to support not only the Sydney Swans but also The Last Kinection.
The Last Kinection featuring Radical Son – I Can Video directed & produced by Isaac Turier. (N.Wenitong, J.Wenitong, J.Turier, T.Asqash, D.Leha) Produced By Jaytee for Hazard Productions & Weno for Blackchilli Productions / Lyrics written & performed by Nay, Weno & Radical Son / Guitar written and performed by Timiyay / Scratch’s performed by Jaytee
GigTone is proud to present: Blood’s Thicker Than, Water (Sydney Hip Hop QLD Floods Relief Gig) Wednesday 19th January @ Tone. Sydney’s Hip Hop elite has banded together to hold a fundraiser for victims of the Queensland Floods – some of which have family or friends directly affected, and everyone jumped at the chance to help out. Blood’s Thicker Than Water will feature a special appearance from Melbourne’s Briggs (Golden Era) and a stellar line-up of Sydney hip hop acts including Ozi Batla (Elefant Traks), Spit Syndicate (Obese), The Tongue (Elefant Traks), Dialectrix (Obese), That’s Them, The Last Kinection (Elefant Traks) and more to be announced over the coming days. DJs Frenzie, Josie Styles, Jaytee, Cold Crush, Mathmatics & Shantan Wantan Ichiban will be rocking the dancefloor alongside Robotek B-Boys and a few surprise guest DJs.
All proceeds from door sales and donations will be donated to the ‘Premier’s Flood Relief Appeal’ (www.qld.gov.au/floods). So if you’ve been looking for a way to help our brothers and sisters across the border, look no further and come down to Tone on Wednesday night to help us raise the roof off the sucka!
What: Blood’s Thicker Than Water (Sydney Hip Hop QLD Floods Relief Gig) Where: Tone – 16 Wentworth St , Surry Hills When: Wed 19th January 7pm-3am How much: $20 donation on the doorNo ID, No entry.
Briggs new single So Dangerous is out now on iTunes.
Not only does Trials of the Funkoars contribute vocals to So Dangerous he also put together a remix exclusively for the single release.A filmclip for the single will follow in February, until then you can get So Dangerous by clicking here.
From the moment Briggs dropped his self-released debut EP, the brilliant and groundbreaking Homemade Bombs (2009), it was obvious to everyone that this marked the arrival of a powerful and unique voice on the scene. His indigenous roots and his rural upbringing in the small country town of Shepparton (Victoria) gave him a perspective like no one else. Powered by a rapid-fire, melodic, direct approach, Briggs was as funny as he was deep.
It was this rare combination of characteristics that lead to him being embraced by some of the wiser and more experienced heads in the local scene. The newcomer was invited to open for the likes of Adelaide’s Funkoars and Perth’s Drapht; this was followed by a spate of support slots for visiting international artists including Necro, Ghostface Killah, Dilated Peoples, M.O.P. and Pharoahe Monch.
Then came a great opportunity – the opening slot on a sold-out national tour with the Hilltop Hoods. The Hoods instantly connected with Briggs and were so impressed by his performance they took him along on their 2009 European tour, and eventually offered him a home at their fledgling label Golden Era Records. All this has paved the way for the imminent release of his debut album, The Blacklist. While Homemade Bombs gave us a taste of what he can do, The Blacklist is nothing short of brilliance. It’s a genuinely unique symphony of words, thoughts and sounds that have the potential to propel him onto the national stage overnight. The album features a plethora of bangers but the standout by far is the breathtaking lead track The Wrong Brother. Briggs got a bit of help making The Blacklist from a few of his hard-hitting colleagues. The production genius behind Homemade Bombs – namely Jaytee, 76 and the Funkoars’ Mr Trials – are back at it again, but this time they’re joined by the likes of Suffa, Merlin The Wizard, Pokerbeats and Kelakovski. Guest vocalists include Hilltop Hoods, Trials and Dylan Smith (of Direct Influence).
Who can guess what’s gong to happen once Briggs drops The Blacklist? All we know for certain is that it’s going to make you laugh, jump and possibly seek medical attention.
Elefant Traks are thrilled to announce The Last Kinection are joining their roster and will release their second album The Next of Kin in the second half of 2010.
The Last Kinection have close ties with the label: they were the main support on the last national tour with The Herd and have collaborated musically. The Last Kinection are known for stylish Indigenous flavoured hip hop but their foundation is family.
The group, its music and image is a way of expressing their pride and honour, respect and knowledge for their culture and elders. Drawing influence from their Kabi Kabiheritage, TLK represent what it is to be Aboriginal in today’s Australia with great intelligence, integrity and humour.
“The Last Kinection are an incredible Australian group – their live show is a must-see, their melodic production is contagious and their songs are powerful. TLK are one of the most important groups in the country. I cannot wait to work with them on the release of their next record.” - Urthboy
To welcome Weno, Nay and DJ Jaytee to Elefant Traks and celebrate this moment, The Last Kinection are streaming a new track taken from their upcoming album – Out in Feb 2011.
Since exploding onto the national scene a little over a year ago, the incomparable force that is Briggs immediately established himself as a formidable new presence in the local Hip Hop scene. From the moment Briggs dropped his self-released debut EP, the brilliant and groundbreaking Homemade Bombs (2009), it was obvious to everyone that this marked the arrival on the scene, of an emcee with a melodic rapid-fire approach, and a powerful and unique voice.
aahh: You talk about your hometown of Shepparton in a few of your tracks. What was the hip hop life like back in Shepp in the earlier days? Briggs: I still live in Shepp. Shepp life, shouts to the swiggaz wit attitude. I did a few years stint in melb, but I moved back to Bedrock a year or so ago now. I wrote the album here pretty much. But to answer the question of hip hop in shepparton, it was pretty much non-existent. Everyone played in punk/metal bands, all my mates, and my uncles played guitar too so I picked that up for a couple of years when I was a kid. I was always into hiphop though, i just never knew how to make it. I would rap but that’s as far as it would go, then when I got a computer and shepparton stepped out of the dark ages and we all got electricity and the internet from then on, the research was on!
aahh: Do you feel your indigenous roots have influenced your chosen art form of rhyme and in a sense story telling? Briggs: I guess it influences everything I do because it’s who I am, its me and I wear it proudly (on my forearms). I think I have a different perspective from a few others because I’ve seen and dealt with things that they will never have to, but that’s a whole other can of worms.
aahh: It’s been a massive last year and a half for yourself. Firstly lets talk about your self released debut EP Homemade Bombs. We hear a lot of emcees talking about how much knowledge they gained from their first drop, do you feel the same? Briggs: I learned a great deal, I dealt with everything for that release, I was the marketing-managing-artist-autobot-all-round-good-guy. I made all the calls, put them in all the stores. At shows I had troops selling them for me, but in the beginning i did all the work. I mean it was natural for me to hustle my product, because in reality, if I didn’t I couldn’t eat at the next show. And I believed what I had was a dope release. But I think I learned a lot more with The Blacklist though, just being on that next level. And I’m sure I’ll learn even more off the next release, basically if you’re not learning your either not paying attention or you’re an idiot.
aahh: You had an amazing chance to tour with the Hilltop Hoods in Europe, what was that like? Briggs: That was probably the best thing I’ve done, ever. Going over seas with your mates and being given an opportunity not everyone will have, playing sellout international shows, is probably the highlight of my career so far. I had never been over seas before and pretty much hadn’t left Victoria, so it was a big jump in the deep end.
aahh: A few weeks ago you dropped your first LP on GE Records, The Blacklist. How did the build up compare to your EP? Briggs: Well it was just larger scale, everything was amped up 1000%. I didn’t have to stress about getting it in street press or ringing editors/writers to review it. The big difference was just the convenience in how things work now, GE have all the connects and things are ready to roll, interviews, reviews and so on.
aahh: The Blacklist staunched in at #14 on the ARIA charts and has had people raving, did you expect such a massive response? Briggs: I didn’t expect that at all. And for 4 days it sat at number #3 on the iTunes hiphop charts, which I didn’t expect either, Ice Cube knocked me off. It was a great feeling, because all in all, I made the record I wanted to make. There’s nothing on there that isn’t me. I chose the beats I wrote the rhymes I put it together. Of course with the extensive help of my GE fam, but that goes without saying. But at the end of the day its my name and my idea, so it was dope that people were feeling it.
aahh: On an album full of highlights do you have any personal favorites from The Blacklist? Briggs: It’s hard to choose because I haven’t got to kick them all live yet but lately ‘The Checklist’ and ‘Gargantuan’ have been getting a work out. ‘Game On’ is up there and I like my collabs with Trials and the Hoods too.
aahh: The Blacklist was the final name of the album, did you have any others in mind? Briggs: I had ‘The Gospel According to Briggs’ on my EP, that’s just because I needed to put something there for people to look out for. It never really had another name, or working title, it was just in a folder called ‘NEW RECORD’ then I changed that folders name and the rest is history. It sounded cool… And I often found myself banned from certain places. There’s not a whole lot of depth to the name.
aahh: The lead track from the album ‘The Wrong Brother’ is an absolute banger, accompanied by a brilliant film clip. Are there any plans for another clip for a track off the album? Briggs: I certainly hope so. Trials and I have a great idea for ‘So Dangerous’. But nothing is confirmed so far.
aahh: Soon Australia will see Ice Cube tour and you’ve been named as the support, are you looking forward to this? Briggs: Ice Cube has been my favourite rapper since I was a kid, so im definitely excited for the opportunity to gain some more fans and share the same bill with a legend of that calibre.
aahh: Aside from hip hop, we hear you’re a bit of a Lakers fan? Briggs: Love the Lakers. Phil and Kobe are taking us to the 3 peat. Fuck Miami and fuck Boston. Also a massive Bombers fan, the messiah Hird has returned to windy hill, his hair is still golden and we’ll reign down sulfur on the infidels, so fuck the pies and fuck Carlton.
aahh: Final thoughts and comments, album launch? Briggs: Thank you to everyone who picked up the record and if you haven’t picked it up, go have a listen. I’ll be out and about with Jaytee and Eloquor on the Ice Cube tour and ill be around again with Drapht in December.
The Wrong Brother Single – Out Now grab it here. Briggs debut album The Blacklist – Out Now grab it here.
Briggs set to release forthcoming single & album through Golden Era Records.
Since exploding onto the national scene a little over a year ago, the incomparable force that is Briggs immediately established himself as a formidable new presence in the Australian Hip Hop scene.
From the moment Briggs dropped his self-released debut EP, the brilliant and groundbreaking Homemade Bombs (2009), it was obvious to everyone that this marked the arrival on the scene, of an emcee with a melodic rapid-fire approach, and a powerful and unique voice.
It was this rare combination of characteristics that lead to him being embraced by some of the wiser and more experienced heads in the scene. Opening for the likes of Adelaide’s Funkoars, Perth’s Drapht, and a spate of support slots for visiting international artists including Necro, Ghostface Killah, Pharoahe Monch, and soon Cube all culminated in the coveted opening slot on a sold-out national tour with the Hilltop Hoods. The Hoods instantly connected with Briggs taking him along on their 2009 European tour, and eventually offered him a home at their fledgling label Golden Era Records.
All this has paved the way for the imminent release of his debut album, The Blacklist, due for release Monday September 24th through Golden Era Records. While Homemade Bombs gave us a taste of what he can do, The Blacklist is nothing short of brilliance. It’s a genuinely unique symphony of words, thoughts and sounds that have the potential to propel him onto the national stage overnight.
Enlisting the help of some hard hitting colleagues for the recording of The Blacklist, Briggs reunited with Jaytee, 76 and the Funkoars’ Mr Trials – the production genius behind Homemade Bombs, who were joined by the likes of Suffa and Merlin The Wizard, with guest vocalists including Hilltop Hoods, Trials and Dylan Smith (of Direct Influence).
This October sees Briggs hit the road nationally in support of his debut record, and opening for Legendary US West Coast rapper Ice Cube, who is set to tour across the country playing shows in Sydney, Melbourne, Adelaide and Brisbane. Stay tuned for more touring details …
The Wrong Brother Single – Out Now grab it here. Briggs debut album The Blacklist – Out Friday September 24.
