Aside from attending to the role of hard-working CEO, Pegz brought out his first solo album since his hiatus from the booth last year. Drama landed on shelves in March, generating the release of two enthusiastically received singles Bombs Away and Priceless feat. Joe New, Dialectrix and DJ 2Buck.
Promptly after, Pegz took his Bombs Away National Tour on the road along with hype man Eloquor, DJ 2Buck on decks, Dialectrix and Joe New, accompanied at various intervals by Simplex and Dutch and others. Pegz also played a stand-out set at Raise the Roof 2 at the Espy alongside Urthboy, Joelistics, Dialectrix, Skyptcha and many more. 2011 also saw triple j report on a beef between Pegz and WA’s Drapht over festival bookings, it was all cleaned up pretty quickly. In November heads were treated to the video release of Priceless feat. Joe New, Dialectrix and DJ 2Buck.
Pegz also featured with 1/6 and DJ 2Buck on Myspherical Entertainment artist Eloquors – Human Condition EP.
Rising from a self-imposed hiatus, one of Australian hip hop’s hardest hitting artists returns to the recording fold with his brand new album Drama. With rhymes like ransom letters, the latest is an unrelenting, no-holds barred assault on politics, global issues, Australian life and hip hop. Like the unmistakable voice, Pegz is never one to hold back with the fire, all while maintaining a humorous streak of clever lyricism and biting commentary.
From the opening calling card of Capital P to the Brazilian-influenced flavour of the first single Bombs Away, Drama continues the legacy of the Capricorn Cat by pouring gasoline on the fire lit by Burn City. In the latter, Pegz lets loose the swipes at the rumour mongers trapped in the shadows of those tall poppy fields. When not eviscerating his critics, Pegz takes a soulful look at “working hard, playing hard” in One Day feat. Syrene & Ginger before penning his ode to his recently passed best friend in M-Phazes’ produced Deities of Def. Featuring some of the best producers in the game, including M-Phazes, Chasm, Jase, Ta-Ku, Simplex and Plutonic Lab, Drama is a producer’s delight, with everything from blues guitars and boom bap to soul and classic hip hop. The roll call of guest vocalists pull their weight with appearances from label mates Dialectrix, Jimmy Nice (of Spit Syndicate), Mantra and Illy. While Joe New reunites the Gully Platoon line-up for both Priceless and the ruckus tune Mad Bastards. In the more soft toned Water Marks, Plutonic Lab’s deep production paints a more reflective tone, buoyed by the contrasting vocal style of soulstress Jess Harlen.
Business man, mentor, artist; Pegz is never a loss for words and rarely holds back from the issues he holds close. He is as unrelenting as he is introspective, always the barometer for truth from the streets of Melbourne, he continues to challenge himself in the ever growing success of Australian hip hop. Like he waxes in the Jase produced Go To Your Head, he never lets the idea of superficial glory consume him- and this is what Pegz has been about since day one.
Track listing: 01. Capital P 02. One Day 03. Bombs Away 04. Deities of Def 05. Go To Your Head 06. Priceless (ft. Joe New, Dialectrx, 2buck) 07. Crime in the City 08. What You In It For (ft. Jimmy Nice, Mantra, Illy) 09. Water Marks 10. Mad Bastards (ft. Joe New, Dialectrix, 2buck) 11. Don’t Look Down 12. Fool’s Gold 13. Blind Man
