Tuka and Big Village records present a now polished collection of songs which you may have seen pop up on my Tuka’s soundcloud page, youtube channel or heard on various radio appearances over the last 12 months. These have been fleshed out, re-recorded, mixed, mastered and spliced together with brand new unreleased songs to form The Messtape.
The Messtape features 13 tracks including the Let’s Do It (Remix) feat. Billie McCarthy. The Messtape is available as a free download. Mixed by Simon Cohen. Additional vocals on Don’t Fall In Love & Lets Do It (Remix) by Inés. Lets Do It (Remix) Produced by P Major. Design & Layout by NMBR19.
Today, March 22 Big Village will release the debut solo EP The Story So Far from Daily Meds front man P.Smurf. In the lead-up P.Smurf has been streaming a song a day on soundcloud before the record goes in stores and online.
This sun drenched 7 track EP is a testament to the last 8 years of hard work the Sydney MC has put into mastering his craft, and it shows. During The Story So Far P.Smurf goes into depth on what makes him tick, both as a person and an MC. Splicing his trademark spit-fire lyricism with tales of love, romance, inner city living and the unrelenting pressures of modern society.
The Story So Far features some familiar guests with fellow Daily Meds members Billie Rose, Mikoen and producer Roleo all making an appearance. The first single I Heard The World Screaming, which has already been added to triple j rotation, is a summer soaked dub tune laced with an irresistible doo-wop hook and sharp, reggae-tinged production from ex- Down Under Beats crew members Platterpush & Codeks while Melbourne singer Screamy also features with jazzy vocals reminiscent of Ella Fitzgerald.
Big Village go-to producer P. Major rounds out the production side of the The Story So Far, providing the majority of the beats with his boom bap style that gives a nod to producers such as Premier and J Dilla.
Upcoming Shows: Sydney, May 31st, ‘The Story So Far’ EP launch at Goodgod Small Club
Rapaport is one the most creatively diverse MCs in Australia and co-label manager of Big Village. For the last 8 years Rapaport has contributed extensively to the Sydney hip hop/ arts scene in various groups and artistic projects as an MC, manager, musician and producer.
Rapaport is a founding member of Loose Change with Ellesquire and P Major, and guitarist and front man of live band The Phonies, who released their debut EP Keeping It Fake in 2007. He is also creator and director of Hip Hop theatre, game show Sketch The Rhyme, which is a 12 piece live show of MCs, visual artists and band, who have performed at Edinburgh Fringe Fest 2011, Woodford Folk Fest 2010 & 2011 and Melbourne Fringe fest 2010.
“This is a live radio session I did at FBi Radio on ‘The Drop’ with ‘Joyride’ in August. The radio session is very much on the style of UK radio sessions where I’be thrown in a whole bunch of material, old and new over some new beats that in really feeling. The first beat is ‘Buggn’ from the TNGHT EP by Hudson Mohawke and Lunar C, the second beat is Lighter by Champion. I really like the buzz of doing raps on live radio, I really enjoy challenging myself technically and seeing how polished I can make the overall performance“. – Rapaport
Most of these verses are taken from the Patterns mixtape which is available for free download from here.
As a founding member of Daily Meds, Reverse Polarities, Big Village and Sketch the Rhyme, P.Smurf has been mastering his craft for over 8 years. He has now decided to present audiences with his first solo effort in the form of the Smurf Village mixtape. P.Smurf’s rapid flows, work ethic and easy going personality have made him one of the most recognisable artists in the Sydney hip hop scene.
P.Smurf’s persona is relatable yet avoids becoming shallow allowing him to swing easily between comedy, satire and political themes. ’Smurf Village‘ features a myriad of guests from Sydney’s hip hop community and serves as a testament to the calibre of artists the 24-year-old MC has worked with, featuring original production from P.Major, Roleo, Dj Morgs, Down Under Beats, Native Wit, Herb and DJ Bomb. Plus guest appearences from Mikoen, Mute, True Vibenation, Hyjak and Nehi.
Big Village Records is proud to present the official Launch for Rapaport’s Patterns mixtape, an unrelenting dose of left field grime raps, over an assortment of original and bootlegged bass beats from UK and Australia.
This collection of tracks showcases Rapaport as a unique MC in the Australian hip hop landscape, pursuing a defiantly UK sound, while still retaining a self effacing honesty and oddball sense of humour in his lyricism.
August 17 will see Rapaport take over GoodGod Small Club with a night of banging hip-hop and sophisticated grime, with Live support from Swarmy, Julez & DJ Sizzle (from Melbourne), Tenth Dan & Grub and DJ’s Klue, Max Gosford and Juzlo. Rapaport has been a constant contributor in the Sydney music scene for a number of years, most recently as Label Manager of Big Village Records. He independently released his debut Rapaport album Laughing on the Inside in 2009 before forming Loose Change with Ellesquire and P Major in 2010 and releasing their self-titled debut album through Big Village.
Rapaport is one the most creatively diverse MCs in Australia and co-label manager of Big Village. For the last 8 years Rapaport has contributed extensively to the Sydney hip hop/ arts scene in various groups and artistic projects as an MC, manager, musician and producer.
Rapaport is a founding member of Loose Change with Ellesquire and P Major, and guitarist and front man of live band The Phonies, who released their debut EP Keeping It Fake in 2007. He is also creator and director of Hip Hop theatre, game show Sketch The Rhyme, which is a 12 piece live show of MCs, visual artists and band, who have performed at Edinburgh Fringe Fest 2011, Woodford Folk Fest 2010 & 2011 and Melbourne Fringe fest 2010.
Rapaport released his One Take Mixtape back in 2010 and in now 2012 brings you his Patterns Mixtape. A banging 6 track release featuring production from Juzlo, Untold, Z. Dot and more. You can grab the Patterns Mixtape from below, or over at Rapaport’s Bandcamp page for free.
You can catch Rapaport live at Grey Ghost’s Mixtape Launch in Sydney this Saturday, July 28th at the Oxford Arts Factory. Rapaport will be holding his own mixtape launch for Patterns on Friday August 17, feat. Swarmy, Julex & DJ Sizzle, Tenth Dan & Grub and DJ’s Klue, Max Gosford and Juzlo. Tickets available from Moshtix.
Big Village Records label boss Rapaport has dropped a banging new vid of 100 bars of grimey badness over the biggest grime beat of 2011, Faze Miyake’s Take Off. The video is the first piece of media to promote the forthcoming solo Rapaport mixtape Patterns, which will be out in the month of July.
The release is a bossy step into the grime and Bass music sound with all the beats sitting on the 140 bpm mark. Rapaport has had a curiously diverse musical output since he released his debut solo album Laughing On The Inside independently in 2009.
From laid back hip hop group Loose Change with Ellesquire and producer extraordinaire P Major, to being guitarist and vocalist in left field live band The Phonies, and creator and director of Hip Hop pictionary game show Sketch the Rhyme. Rapaport – Patterns Mixtape dropping July 2012.
Ellesquire blends humorous, self deprecating lyrics with more traditional hip hop style braggadocio battle raps while exploring topics from reflections on life and heart break to visions for his future. But not one to confine himself to just rapping Ellesquire also shows some singing talent handling hooks with a clear ear for melody.
Ready is a 17-track collection of songs produced entirely by beatmaker/jazz musician extraordinaire P Major, featuring sample heavy, lo-fi beats alongside soulful, eloquent rhymes with guest spots by P.Smurf, Tenth Dan & Rapaport and cuts by Sam Z. On The Prowl is the lead single from Ellesquire’s debut album Ready Out now through Big Village Records.
Ellesquire has already independently released a free album in 2010 with Loose Change(Ellesquire, Rapaport & producer P Major) The two got straight back in the studio to begin work on Ellesquire’s solo album while playing support slots for artists such as Gift Of Gab (Blackalicious), Biz Markie, Urthboy, Horrorshow, Ozi Batla and Thundamentals to name a few.
Big Village is very proud to announce the release of Ellesquire’s debut solo album Ready. Ellesquire is a rapper whose lyrics come across with an honesty and charm that is rarely heard within the local hip hop scene. Ready combines his smooth, flowing delivery and storytelling style with sample-heavy, lo-fi beats from prolific local producer P.Major.
The sound pays tribute to 90s hip hop, while keeping a fresh feel by experimenting with atypical rhythms and melodies. The album’s lead single and title track Ready has helped Ellesquire generate a buzz as one of the most interesting artists to emerge on the local hip-hop scene in 2011. Ellesquire first joined the Big Village family with his group Loose Change(Ellesquire, Rapaport & P Major) who dropped their debut album in 2010 through Big Village records, the album generated a strong level of hype and resulted in the crew sharing the stage with groups such as Gift Of Gab, Urthboy, Horrorshow, Ozi Batla and Thundamentals.
Ellesquire has been honing his craft for over ten years, and it shows. His first few years of making music were spent recording in his bedroom with no intentions of showing anybody and while his audience has grown since, his writing still maintains its deeply personal quality that tends to draw listeners in and get a true understanding of his personality, wit and charm. At 17-tracks long Ready is a fair offering of crunchy beats from P.Major who is also well-known on the Sydney jazz scene and soulful vocals from Ellesquire who explores topics from working life and love to a cheeky look at his (not always successful) attempts to pick-up women. His talent doesn’t just stop at rapping though, the album see’s Ellesquire effortlessly singing hooks with a strong sense of melody and soulful tone.
Big Village reps Daily Meds (P.Smurf, Mikoen and Roleo), Loose Change (Ellequire & Rapaport) and True Vibenation (Verbaleyes) live on JJJ’s Hip Hop show with Hau. Dropping some verses from Big Village’s ‘Big Things Vol. One’ compilation as well as some exclusive material over Big Village productions.
The album’s lead single Ready is available for free download from bigvillage.bandcamp.com, and the album is available from all good record stores now through Other Tongues distribution.
Alternative Energy is the title to your second full length LP dropping today. How are you feeling about the finished product?
I feel like its my best work to date. I’m working with the best producers, I’m writing the best songs of my career, all the guests brought their A-game….I’m really proud of this album…
It’s a slick-looking package for sure, is there any meaning behind the title Alternative Energy?
The human race is headed for disaster….I don’t believe in that 2012 crap but all the signs suggest we need to change our ways. If we don’t find a better way to think/live/treat each other than we are in big trouble. We need to switch from greedy to considerate, from racist to accepting. We need to look for new ways of existing because our current approach is simply not working. Each one of us needs to find our own Alternative Energy.
You’ve just released an amazing film clip for the lead single The Show. What was the creative motivation behind this clip?
That video was a collaboration between myself and the director Prad Deep. We only had 8 days to script, organize and shoot the video…the fact that it turned as great as it did is a testament to Prad and his team’s professionalism. Their company is called Artifact (www.artifactdigital.com.au) They also did the Spit Syndicate “Starry-Eyed” clip, “Nothing To Loose” by Gully Platoon, “I Go” by Jess Harlen and the Astronomy Class”Where You At?” video. Prad is going to be a big director in the future…I can feel it.
We really must mention the beats on Alternative Energy. We see tracks from Dizz 1, P Major, M-Phazes and Kid Fiction, but it’s Elgusto that we see you teaming up with most on AE. What did you think Elgusto could bring to your album?
El Gusto is simply a freak. If you listen to his catalog of music…all the Hermitude albums, all the production he’s done he’s done for Urthboy…there are so many styles, so many fresh sounds. I feel like he is truly original with his production. He’s definitely in the top 3 producers in Australia.
I have nothing but praise for all the other producers, none of whom I had worked with before. They all gave me amazing music, no question. I could write an each on why each of them is dope. The aim of this album was for every beat to sound nothing like ‘Aussie hip hop’ as we know it. I feel like there are too many style of hip hop which are ignored here in Australia…theres too much ‘boom-bap’….while I’m a fan of Bias B, Pegz, Hilltops etc I don’t want the average listener to confuse me with them. I want my own sound. Think about it: If Dizzie Rascal rapped over standard ‘rap’ beats he would never have the success he’s enjoyed…it was by finding his own sound that he separated himself from the pack. I feel like we hit the mark with production on this album…its something fresh for your ears.
I wanted to make a record that would stimulate the listeners body and mind….kinda like when a girl talks dirty into your ear while giving you a really good hand-job.
Was it your idea to put the lyrics in the booklet. We see alot of artist shying away from that these days under fear of lyrical scrutiny.
I express myself through my writing…so I’d like people to be able to read what I write. If you hear a song on the radio once or twice you might miss the more subtle lyrics…if you are at a live show it’s often hard to hear every word. By giving you a lyric-booklet you can see exactly what I’m saying and what I stand for.
The track Proof Of Life gets right on that soulful tip, we loved your approach. How did you feel heading in to the booth to record this one?
Proof Of Life was scary for me to do- obviously I’m not a trained singer nor do I consider myself to be a particularly talented singer. But there are plenty of great artists out there who have average singing voices (Bob Dlyan, Kid Cudi, Tom Waits, Jay from Frenzel Rhomb). They may not sound sweet or hit every note but you can hear the passion and the emotion in their songs.
The music industry is full of people with perfect voices and nothing to say. Also- I feel like Australian hip hop needs more people pushing the envelop…artists shouldn’t be scared to experiment and be themselves…thats how we progress. Too many dudes are putting on an act.
“Alternative Energy” is a cool album because its honest….on some tracks I’m taking the piss, on others I’m damn near crying in the booth rhyming about homelessness. Ask El Gusto…I was choked up while recording “What A Day” because the emotions are all real. People will have a much better sense of who “The Tongue” is after hearing this record.
Oxymoron is one of the stand out tracks lyrically. Here is an example for our readers: “Terrified of cancer, kill for a tan. Hate slave labour still buy the brand”. Do you draw motivation from these types of social and political issues?
That track is about how ridiculous life is. We are all walking contradictions. I AM terrified of getting cancer but I try to get a tan in summer. I don’t eat burnt toast but I do smoke and drink…it makes no sense. We should all be able to admit how back to front our logic is….a lot of people who want to ‘save the whales’ are happy to eat deep-fried chicken.
You just got back from an overseas trip to New York City, what was the highlight?
The whole city is one big highlight. It really does make Sydney seem very tame and conservative in comparison. Every day there is something amazing going on- you go to a bowling alley and Questlove (from The Roots) is djing in the corner…you go to Central Park on a Sunday and Public Enemy are doing a free concert…people there really know how to have fun. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.
I think people would have seen the vision by now, for those who haven’t, at your album announcement things got a little heated and you threw down with some jerk reporter. Will there be any repercussions from this?
He was a dickhead and I’m glad I popped his eyeball. The court case is next month…so lets wait and see what happens….although considering I just admitted I’m guilty (and its on tape) I’m pretty sure I’m going to jail.
Final words?
The single launch for “The Show” will be at the Sandringham Hotel next Friday the 17th in Newtown, Sydney.
We are announcing the national tour next week…I can’t give you details just yet but there’s a good chance it will be a co-headline tour with a big act on Obese Records…we’re coming to all capital cities
1.Alternative Energy is the title to your second full length LP dropping today. How are you feeling about the finished album man?
I feel like its my best work to date. I’m working with the best producers, I’m writing the best songs of my career, all the guests brought their A-game….I’m really proud of this album…
2.It’s a slick looking album for sure, is there any meaning behind the title Alternative Energy? Maybe some cosmic undertones here?
The human race is headed for disaster….I don’t believe in that 2012 crap but all the signs suggest we need to change our ways. If we don’t find a better way to think/live/treat each other then we are in big trouble. We need to switch from greedy to considerate, from racist to accepting. We need to look for new ways of existing because our current approach is simply not working. Each one of us needs to find our own Alternative Energy.
3.You’ve just recently released your film clip to the single The Show, which features some colourfully masked luchadors. What was the creative motivation behind this clip?
That video was a collaboration between myself and the director Prad Deep. We only had 8 days to script, organize and shoot the video…the fact that it turned as great as it did is a testament to Prad and his team’s professionalism. Their company is called Artifact (www.artifactdigital.com.au) They also did the Spit Syndicate “Starry-Eyed” clip, “Nothing To Loose” by Gully Platoon, “I Go” by Jess Harlen and the Astronomy Class”Where You At?” video. Prad is going to be a big director in the future…I can feel it.
4. We really must mention the beats on Alternative Energy. We see tracks from Dizz 1, P Major, M-Phazes and Kid Fiction but it’s Elgusto that we see you teaming up with most on AE. What did you think Elgusto could bring to your album? Innervision beat just makes us want to break out all the crazy bboy moves.
El Gusto is simply a freak. If you listen to his catalog of music…all the Hermitude albums, all the production he’s done he’s done for Urthboy…there are so many styles, so many fresh sounds. I feel like he is truly original with his production. He’s definitely in the top 3 producers in Australia.
I have nothing but praise for all the other producers, none of whom I had worked with before. They all gave me amazing music, no question. I could write an each on why each of them is dope.
The aim of this album was for every beat to sound nothing like ‘Aussie hip hop’ as we know it. I feel like there are too many style of hip hop which are ignored here in Australia…theres too much ‘boom-bap’….while I’m a fan of Bias B, Pegz, Hilltops etc I don’t want the average listener to confuse me with them. I want my own sound. Think about it: If Dizzie Rascal rapped over standard ‘rap’ beats he would never have the success he’s enjoyed…it was by finding his own sound that he separated himself from the pack. I feel like we hit the mark with production on this album…its something fresh for your ears.
5. Did you want an album that people could get their groove on to, or was that just more of a result of the guys you were collabing with?
I wanted to make a record that would stimulate the listeners body and mind….kinda like when a girl talks dirty into your ear while giving you a really good hand-job.
6. Another that plays a big part in the album is the don Joyride, do you feel a bit ripped off that he is featuring on another album dropping today? Nah just kidding what was it like recording with this guy? We keep hearing stories of how talented this dude is.
Joyride is the Nate Dogg of Australian hip hop. He’s a quadruple threat ; singer, rapper, DJ, producer. And he can play a bunch of different instruments…and at 6’10 he doubles as a bodyguard.
7. The album has been described as political, witty, poetic and globally minded and we’d have to agree. Was it your idea to put the lyrics in the booklet. We see alot of artist shying away from that these days under fear of lyrical scrutiny.
I express myself through my writing…so I’d like people to be able to read what I write. If you hear a song on the radio once or twice you might miss the more subtle lyrics…if you are at a live show it’s often hard to hear every word. By giving you a lyric-booklet you can see exactly what I’m saying and what I stand for.
8. The track Proof Of Life is gets right on that soulful tip. The whole album seems like you’ve just tackled it from a whole different angle from previous efforts, did you go into this album wanting to make something completely different from what you’ve done previously or does it come down to more of and evolution for yourself?
Proof Of Life was scary for me to do- obviously I’m not a trained singer nor do I consider myself to be a particularly talented singer. But there are plenty of great artists out there who have average singing voices (Bob Dlyan, Kid Cudi, Tom Waits, Jay from Frenzel Rhomb). They may not sound sweet or hit every note but you can hear the passion and the emotion in their songs.
The music industry is full of people with perfect voices and nothing to say.
Also- I feel like Australian hip hop needs more people pushing the envelop…artists shouldn’t be scared to experiment…thats how we progress.
9. The creative approach to the track Wargames see’s you and Joyride put a fresh spin on the old going out on the town type track. MIA’s hot right? HA Maybe a future team up?
MIA has got her thing going on…but to be honest thats kind of a personal joke as I was seeing a girl who looked like MIA for a while. I don’t know if she’s heard “Wargames” yet…
10. One thing we really enjoyed about the album is that you haven’t at all lost your classic sense of humor. It’s what made us fans, when we first caught you back in the BFS days. Do you think it’s important in life not to take yourself and life to seriously?
I think its important for artist to be themselves. Too many dudes are putting on an act. “Alternative Energy” is a cool album because its honest….on some tracks I’m taking the piss, on others I’m damn near crying in the booth rhyming about homelessness. Ask El Gusto…I was choked up while recording “What A Day” because the emotions are all real. People will have a much better sense of who “The Tongue” is after hearing this record.
11. Oxymoron is one of the stand out tracks lyrically. Here are some lines “Terrified of cancer, kill for a tan. Hate slave labour still buy the brand” then further on in the track This is my home but I’m still an invader”. Do you find alot of motivation from these types of social and political issues?
That track is about how ridiculous life is. We are all walking contradictions. I AM terrified of getting cancer but I try and get a tan in summer. I don’t eat burnt toast but I do smoke and drink…it makes no sense. We should all be able to admit how back to front our logic is….a lot of people who want to ‘save the whales’ are happy to eat deep fried chicken.
12. You just got back from NYC, how was the trip any highlights?
The whole city is one big highlight. It really does make Sydney seem very tame and conservative in comparison. Every day there is something amazing going on- you go to a bowling alley and Questlove (from The Roots) is djing in the corner…you go to Central Park on a Sunday and Public Enemy are doing a free concert…people there really know how to have fun. I couldn’t recommend it highly enough.
13. There were recently reports in the media, and I think people would have seen the vision. At your press conference things got a little heated and you threw down with some reporter who just had no idea. Will there be any reprocutions from this?
He was a dickhead and I’m glad I popped his eyeball. The court case is next month so lets wait and see what happens….although considering I just admitted I’m guilty (and its on tape) I’m pretty sure I’m going to jail.
14. Final words (tour album launch etc)
The single launch for “The Show” will be at the Sandringham Hotel next Friday the 17th in Newtown, Sydney.
We are announcing the national tour next week…I can’t give you details just yet but theres a good chance it will be a co-headline tour with a big act on Obese Records…we’re coming to all capital cities
