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.
Urthboy presents the second single form his upcoming LP Smokey’s Haunt, titled Knee Length Socks. The track is an ode to being out of place; of 90s britpop’s weird influence on Urthboy’s songwriting and ultimately about his love of hip hop.
The track was sent out to all ‘Urthlings‘ as an exclusive preview before it’s premiere on triple j. The bold first single, Naïve Bravado featuring Daniel Merriweather, has seen some heavy support at radio and was named iTunes Single Of The Week—raking in over 30,000 downloads in under a week, and quickly spiking to #1 most added (all indie) track at radio.
Although Hermitude and Count Bounce have been exclusive producers of all previous Urthboy material, Smokey’s Haunt is the first album where they’ve co-produced the entire album. The chemistry between all parties was electric, resulting in an invigorated sound and fresh spirit. Apart from putting the finishing touches on his new album, Urthboy has also signed a global publishing deal with the legendary Alberts Music.
The Naïve Bravado Tour kicks off this Thursday, where he will be joined by long-time collaborators Elgusto (Hermitude) and Jane Tyrrell for what promises to be an electrifying live show. The tour’s main support is The Last Kinection—one of the true voices of Indigenous local hip hop.
They will be joined on selected dates by triple j favourites Yung Warriors, Brisbane’s rising star Rainman and more.
It’s been a massive few months for Rainman since the release of his sophomore album Bigger Pictures, but following on from his own national album launch shows he’s just announced that he’ll be joining Urthboy for shows on his Naïve Bravado Tour. Including a four star album review in The Australian, the announcement follows on from a string of critical acclaim for Bigger Pictures, and praise across the board.
Urthboy Naive Bravado Tour featuring Daniel Merriweather, Rainman appearing at the following dates: Friday August 31st @ Evelyn, MelbournewithYung Warriors Friday September 14th @ the Northern, Byron BaywithThe Last Kinection Saturday September 15th @ The Zoo, BrisbanewithThe Last Kinection
Urthboy has announced his much anticipated fourth album will be titled Smokey’s Haunt and is set for release on October 12. The bold first single, Naïve Bravado featuring Daniel Merriweather, has seen some heavy support at radio and was named iTunes Single Of The Week—raking in over 30,000 downloads in under a week, and quickly spiking to #1 most added (all indie) track at radio.
Although Hermitude and Count Bounce have been exclusive producers of all previous Urthboy material, Smokey’s Haunt is the first album where they’ve co-produced the entire album. The chemistry between all parties was electric, resulting in an invigorated sound and fresh spirit. Apart from putting the finishing touches on his new album, Urthboy has also signed a global publishing deal with the legendary Alberts Music. The Naïve Bravado Tour kicks off late August, where he will be joined by long-time collaborators Elgusto (Hermitude) and Jane Tyrrell for what promises to be an electrifying live show.
The tour’s main support is The Last Kinection—one of the true voices of Indigenous Australian hip hop. They will be joined on selected dates by triple j favourites Yung Warriors, Brisbane’s rising star Rainman and more. See listing below for full details. Tickets are on sale now.
Urthboy – Naïve Bravado Tour Thurs Aug 30 – Katoomba with Sky’High / Masta One Fri Aug 31 – Melbourne with Yung Warriors / Rainman Fri Sept 07 – Adelaide with The Last Kinection / Koolta Sat Sept 08 – Perth with The Last Kinection / Slackjaw Fri Sept 14 – Byron Bay with The Last Kinection / Rainman Sat Sept 15 – Brisbane with The Last Kinection / Rainman Fri Sept 21 – Sydney with The Last Kinection / Yung Warriors Sat Sept 22 – Newcastle Fat As Butter Festival
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.
3things, an initiative of Oxfam Australia, is back and joining forces with some of Australia’s best rappers, beat boxers, DJs, VJs and graphic artists, to create a hard-hitting hip hop event with a huge social conscience.
It’s the Hip Hop Approach – a 3things event that gets Australian hip hop acts talking about their opinions and solutions to global poverty and injustice. Artists will jam on the 3things they can do to help change the world for the better, demonstrating the 3things philosophy – that we can change the world, 3things at a time. Across two cities, 3things’ Hip Hop Approach will feature over 20 Aussie artists and acts. Both shows will be hosted by Kween G (of the KillaQueenz), and will feature visual jams by VJ Spook (VJ for the likes of Bliss N Eso and Snob Scrilla).
Sydney’s bill features OziBatla, Dialectrix with Joe New and Plutonic Lab, Tuka, The Last Kinection, DJ Gabriel Clouston, plus beatboxers Rivals and LC Beats. Melbourne’s bill includes The Tongue, Thundamentals, Joelistics, DJ Wasabi, plus more local MCs to be announced. On the night, hip hop heads can leave their mark on the live mural or drop 3things they can do to help change the world on the 3things handy cam. By the end of the event, hundreds of ideas on tackling global issues will accumulate – highlighting that our small actions combined can have a significant impact on bringing about a world without poverty. It’s an all-in jam, where anyone can have a say.
Tickets to 3things’ Hip Hop Approach are $5 on the door at Sydney’s Oxford Art Factory, and at St Kilda’s Prince Bandroom. All proceeds will go to Oxfam Australia. 3things’ Hip Hop Approach coincides with the launch of the new look 3things website, 3things.org.au.3things aims to build a generation of Australians who are aware of and taking action on global issues, by offering simple, personal and practical ways for young Australians to get involved and bring about positive change.
3things’ Hip Hop Approach Oxford Art Factory, Sydney, NSW | Thursday 30 June | Doors open 8pm | $5 on the door Prince Bandroom, St Kilda, VIC | Thursday 7 July | Doors open at 8pm | $5 on the door This is an 18+ event. MORE INFORMATION at http://www.3things.org.au/hiphopapproach
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.
