With a small but revered discography including two sought after vinyl EPs and his work with the Lyrical Commission on his own Unkut Recordings label, Trem is an elder statesman. Finally, For The Term… makes good on all the promises of his back catalogue. Following up on 2010’s rapturously received teaser single Omega Man, this project hits every target set for it.
The second video clip taken from For The Term Of His Natural Life is here. Making it’s big screen début last week in Melbourne at the official listening party, Animal Kingdom features Dontez of Kingz Konekted with production from Beat Butcha. The clip was executed by Josh Davis, Heata, Discourse. Check the clip below.
Please remember this release is not available from major chains, it’s not an Urban or Skip Hop release, its real rap and available only from Hip Hop specialist outlets & Indy stores!!! The Trem camp also have street teams running spots around the country, keep an ear out for one on your block slangin the album. For those who cant wait to trek to one of the indys or aren’t fussed on holding physicals with liner notes and lyrics you can grab it from iTunes here.
The rundown on stockists holding hard copies of the CD goes a little something like this: VIC
This Is It – 396 Church St. Richmond Obese Records – 4A Izett St. Prahran Northside Records – 236 Gertrude St. Fitzroy Wax Museum Records ( Later this week)
QLD Crush City – 423 Ipswich Rd. Annerley Rockinghorse Records – 245 Albert St. Brisbane Rehab Records – 4/57 Brunswick St. Fortitude Valley (Gold Coast Stores TBA next week)
In a time capsule unearthed in an overgrown train yard on the outskirts of Melbourne, archaeologists discover a dirt encrusted artefact, a codex of the art and science of hip hop based on a blueprint etched in concrete during a period of innovation. It bears the marks of the late 1980s and early 90s when the elemental standards were laid down by a small elite.
The artefact in question is For The Term of His Natural Life, the debut solo LP from Australia’s finest lyrical craftsman, Trem One. To say début is misleading, though. With a small but revered discography including two sought after vinyl EPs and his work with the Lyrical Commission on his own Unkut Recordings label, Trem is an elder statesman. Finally, For The Term… makes good on all the promises of his back catalogue. Following up on 2010’s rapturously received teaser single Omega Man, this project hits every target set for it.
From 6-9pm tomorrow night in Fitzroy Melbourne, you can take part in something that’s usually only available to the industry heads, an Official Listening Party for Trem’s – For The Term Of His Natural Life. These words were posted on Trem’s website a few days ago.
“We takin it back with this one, but its something I always thought was a cool concept although generally initially catering to industry heads, why not flip it on its ear and invite everyone?The first of a series of listening parties, we are kickin off the album release festivities with a bang. Melbourne heads & touring interstaters, please join us at the Laundry Bar in Fitzroy on Friday the 7th Oct. between 6-9pm to help celebrate the release of this thing! Regardless of whether you’re an industry type, Trem fan or street urchin we’d love you to come along and help celebrate such a momentous occasion! I’ll be offloading the album as well so if you havent had the opportunity to secure a copy via pre-order and can’t hit up one of the dope Indy spots stocking it on Friday, I got you covered (while they last of course!) We’re also screening the first viewing of my new clip ‘Animal Kingdom’ a track produced by non other than Beat Butcha, featuring Donny The Chief of my Kings Konekted fam and executed by the Game Changers (Josh, Heata n Hank)! It’ll screen live to air on youtube as well round the same time but what better way to peep it than on the big screen! So if you’re free, on your way home, or on your way out, we’d love to see you there, the Laundry’s even offering half priced longnecks to kick the weekend off in style…”
There will be a couple of Listening Parties taking place over the month of October. Brisbane and Adelaide outdoor dates to be confirmed in the next few days. Stay tuned. If you haven’t already check out our recent interview with Trem on his For The Term Of His Natural Life album release right here.Trem – For The Term Of His Natural Life is out tomorrow.
In a time capsule unearthed in an overgrown train yard on the outskirts of Melbourne, archaeologists discover a dirt encrusted artifact, a codex of the art and science of hip hop based on a blueprint etched in concrete during a period of innovation. It bears the marks of the late 1980s and early 90s when the elemental standards were laid down by a small elite.
The artifact in question is For The Term of His Natural Life, the debut solo LP from Australia’s finest lyrical craftsman, Trem One.To say debut is misleading, though. With a small but revered discography including two sought after vinyl EPs and his work with the Lyrical Commission on his own Unkut Recordings label, Trem is an elder statesman. Finally, For The Term… makes good on all the promises of his back catalogue. Following up on 2010’s rapturously received teaser single Omega Man, this project hits every target set for it.
Long-awaited doesn’t being to describe Trem’s first full-length, but the notorious perfectionist was never going to release anything less than a flawless gem: “I could’ve dropped varying versions of a solo album many times over, but it wouldn’t be this one. This is the one that I envisioned.”
Having fine-tuned his production chops on two Lyrical Commission releases and Brad Strut’s acclaimed Legend: Official, Trem now steps back from the boards somewhat, producing three cuts himself and inviting Beat Butcha (UK), Amazing Maze (Germany), Thorotracks (NYC), Must, Wik and long time compatriot Prowla to contribute to the soundscape. The result is a coherent 14-tracker that evokes the early nineties with a reactionary vigour. For The Term… exploits the prototypes of finely crafted braggadocio, visceral storytelling and the art of metaphor epitomised by MCs such as Rakim.
Beyond the razor sharp battle verses, the rush of the mission is depicted on the vivid graf narrative Hard Yards and Trem talks like sex on the sticky and lewd Strips. Elsewhere, Ever Since and Reminisce trace the roots of his career back to the 80s while Kings Court is a time-honoured ode to skills over suitably regal beat from Prowla.
Throughout the album, artfully collaged vocal snippets are deployed in the place of a hook by Prowla, DJ Bonez, DJ Dcide and Trem himself. Moreover, Trem breaks down the fading science of crate digging and chorus cuts alongside a masterful example of the latter from California’s DJ Revolution on For The Record.
Complementing the painstakingly composed verses and carefully considered cuts is an equal precision in selecting guests. Brisbane’s Kings Konekted is represented on two tracks, with the group’s Dontez providing the menacing chorus on second single Animal Kingdom. Both Dontez and Culprit commit verses to Russian Roulette, which also features Brad Strut. This grim and epic centrepiece to the album could be read as a passing of the torch from Lyrical Commission to one of the few new names worthy of carrying the flame.
Speaking of the rare collaboration outside his core crew, Trem notes: “I personally think they have the makings of something real special, but for whatever reason don’t seem to get the recognition of other new schoolers with half the talent. Konekted have crafted a mad original style that’s all they’re own but still sits within the blueprint’s guidelines.”
Another unexpected collaboration is a dream match up with Brisbane’s own old hand Lazy Grey on the vicious Vet Clinic, an interstate exercise in amateur euthanasia. In Trem’s words: “Collaborating with Lazy has been on the to-do list for a real long time and for various reasons it never eventuated. After tinkering with the idea for a while during the album’s making, it wasn’t til the right beat landed in my lap that I thought, shit, that’s the one! I am truly honoured to have the god on board.”
In a final surprise, lead single Omega Man is reprised and flipped with help from Brooklyn’s Q-Unique (ex-The Arsonists, and a guest on Lyrical Commission’s – Murderous Metaphors) and a fresh verse by Trem: “Being that there was a chunk of time between the single and the album I wanted to give it some new light. Instead of a traditional remix, I let that ill Prowla beat ride and rehashed my verse, adding a new dimension. Re-acquainting with Q on the track was a no-brainer.”
The sum of these parts is equal measures history lesson, skills seminar and classic storytelling. For the Term of His Natural Life is the culmination of twenty years of hard labour, an unapologetic exercise in hip hop artisanship that steps outside of time to take its rightful place in the Antipodean rap canon.
For the Term of His Natural Life will be available through independent records stores, directly from www.unkutrecordings.com and digitally via iTunes.
• Commencing with the album release, a Limited Edition Artist Series of merch will drop, each linking a leading Australian graffiti writer with a song on the album. Linz, who also painted the album cover, tackles ‘Kings Court’ for the debut t-shirt. Next up, Sofles will handle ‘Strips’, with later editions to be announced.
• A video for the second single ‘Animal Kingdom’ featuring Dontez of Kings Konekted, will drop to coincide with the album release, executed by Josh Davis, Heata and Discourse, who also delivered the stunning high definition clip for ‘Omega Man’
Tracklist 1. Intro ft DJ Revolution 2. For the Term of His Natural Life 3. Animal Kingdom ft Dontez of Kings Konekted 4. Omega Man 5. One man… (skit) 6. Ever Since 7. Hard Yards 8. Russian Roulette ft Brad Strut & Kings Konekted 9. Strips 10. Intermish (skit) 11. For the Record 12. Vet Clinic ft. Lazy Grey 13. Reminisce ft Brad Strut 14. A king is… (skit) 15. Kings Court 16. Same Shit 17. Naaaaahhh… (skit) 18. Omega Man Mk II ft Q-Unique
Things are sure heating up with one of local hip hop’s most anticipated releases edges ever near. Unkut Recordings hip hop heavyweight Trem One is set to drop For The Term Of His Natural Life. The release looks to be a hip hop collectors extravaganza with all the cross promotions that are associated with a release of this calibre. The full tracklist, press release and ability to pre-order are all on their way. Check below for the full word from Unkut below.
Todays (Sept 16) word from Unkut Recordings HQ: “The overly long awaited, most anticipated Trem solo is nearly upon us! Yes, for real, it really is! Full presser and advertisements to kick off over the coming days so please stay tuned. The album will be released on CD and itunes to kick off proceedings with Double Gatefold vinyl to follow on some super limited edish release caper. The vinyl release should come within 4-6 weeks following the CD release so wax heads, hold tight and be sure to grab the CD version in the meantime! Pre Orders are most likely to go live as of next week. They will be available through this website (hit up the shop section), soulclaprecords.com & runroyal.com…
Each store may have varying pre-order deals.Indy stores across the land will be our primary stockists. Please hit up your closest if online ordering is not your cup of tea. O.S heads can purchase pre-orders through unkutrecordings.com but additional costs may incur for postage. In conjunction with the LPs release we are doing a limited series of merch. The garments are a cross promo – limited artist series & Edition 1 of the 4 part series is to feature the talents of Linz aka L.Roc. Editions 2-4 will follow along with some other crazy cross promo bizness, so ensure to continually keep your eyes on the prize!
The second single/clip “Animal Kingdom” will go live on the eve of the albums release. Furthermore listening parties will take place from the release date on. A good chance to come grab your copy direct from Trem. Stay tuned for details on whens and wheres… Please, stay tuned for the full PR, tracklist, features and more detailed info with updates occuring on the reg, shits about to get serious…”
Trem – For The Term Of His Natural Life 1st Week Of Oct, Pre Orders Soon!!!
Needing little to no introduction, born and raised in inner west Sydney till the age of 13 before re-locating south to the boon-docks of G-Town, an hour south west of Melbourne, Trem, like most in his age bracket and on this part of the planet, gained his first look at hip hop through movies such as Beat Street and books like Subway Art in the early eighties.
Instantly falling in love with the phenomenon he dabbled in floor moves before turning his hand to graff. As a member of the Australian leg of a worldwide graffiti crew Run For Kover (originating in the U.K), Trem managed to cause his fair share of damage before making the slow transition from paint to microphones. Rhyming over pause tapes in and around 1989, inspired by not only his favorite U.S artists, but also local talent such as the A.K.A Brothers, he’d built a repertoire of battle raps and was showcasing them live and on recordings by 1990. After hooking up with DJ Frenzie, he and Raise (R.F.K co-founder and his rhyming partner at the time) went from strength to strength, showcasing their skills across Melbourne, at shows and on live-to-air radio. With Raise leaving the country, Trem One emerged as a solo M.C, and after hooking up with DJ Idem, initial plans were put in place for the recording and release of his first official-a six track tape in 1992.
Unfortunately the tape was never completed and the one finished track Arrest My Brain never saw the light of day. Although continuing to build skills and still regularly appearing live at shows and on radio throughout the mid nineties, it wasn’t until Trem formed an alliance with Prowla and Jase of the Nuff Said Crew, that recording would eventually begin on his first actual solo release. Sheer Talent, released on Unkut Recordings, an independent label formed by Trem and Robbie Ettelson (Unkut.com fame), was a limited edition, four tracks, plus instrumentals 12” that certainly showcased Trem’s lyrical ability, atop slow, bass-line heavy bangers. Closely followed by his highly sort after second 12” Amateurs, that delivered more of the same. It was during this time that Trem and his team devised the ‘super-group’ Lyrical Commission, equipped with an arsenal of raps, they tore apart mic’s and stages across Australia, and have since gone on to become one of the most reputable underground Hip Hop acts to emerge from the continent.
With two incredible landmark releases under their belt and some awe inspiring collaborations with the likes of Ex Arsonist front-man Q-Unique as well as The Grand Daddy Grenade himself- Celph Titled (Demigodz/AOTP fam) the crew solidified its rep not only on these shores but also garnered acclaim in certain pockets across the globe. Not content with making his mark as top M.C, since 2001 Trem extended himself into the beat making game in a major way. After cutting his teeth as a co-producer/engineer on all of his earlier solo work, and being entirely responsible for the beats behind both L.C classics The Stage Is Set and Murderous Metaphors as well as 4/5 of Brad Struts classic offering Legend:Official, It aint hard to tell he’s gone on to become as equally prevalent behind the boards as he is in the booth.
His production has also begun to emerge on artists projects not tied to his label, giving that raw boom bap L.C flavor to varying emcees and their projects. His eagerly anticipated full length L.P For The Term Of His Natural Life is on its way, with a release date set as September 11 this year. Trem has also recently been announced as a support on Celph Titled and Action Broson’s Australian tour with Brad Strut.
We cantch up with Trem as he sets to release one of the most anticipated hip hop releases these shores have seen. The For The Term Of His Natural Life LP has been a long time coming and let us be the first to tell you…it’s nearly here. We catch up with the man from Unkut to talk about the Omega Man single, hip hop history and of course everything album related.
The first single taken from the upcoming LP release ‘For The Term Of His Natural Life’ Omega Man has gone wild. The limited edition pack sold out across the country on the release date and it seems all is going to plan. Could you be happier with the response so far? The response has been amazing. The initial reaction when it dropped blew me away to be honest. We did well to create some hype and with that added to the already mounting anticipation for my album, it all combined well to create a healthy buzz on the drop. I invested a lot of time not only into the track itself but the product as a whole. The vid, the marketing, the merch etc… I think it paid off well. Hopefully it cemented the hype for the album and showed the long-standing friends and fam their waiting’s not been in vain and the LP is bout to deliver all and more of what they’ve been craving!!!
As a relative underground artist, who doesn’t have access to the budget and resources as some of the larger music corporations. Do you think that the success Omega Man has shown so far is a bit of a testament, to not only your label (Unkut Recordings), and the hard work you put in as an artist but also the support you recieve from fans and the wider scene? Yeah, definitely, I’ve always worked hard to ensure any product im involved in is done to the absolute best of my abilities, no shorts allowed. And I’ve always incorporated people I believe to be the best at their field to cater to and contribute bits my skills don’t cover. Although the Unkut budget is shoe string, I still expect no less than the very best effort from all involved. The thing about Unkut is we’ve always been quality over quantity and anyone we may’ve incorporated into our releases is there because their work ethic is equivalent. I’m also fortunate enough to have had a good period in the game to amass a certain level of fan-base, the friends and fans of my music have tended to stay loyal from the giddy-up, for which I’m very grateful for. I feel it’s a bit of a two-way street, you can’t just put out sub par shit and expect your existing fans to lap it up and you can’t expect all those original supporters to continue on your journey thru this biz, if you waver from your initial path. Progression is cool, and hopefully natural, but blatantly switching your sound up to appeal to a wider audience and shitting in your OG fans faces is uncool. I don’t take my supporters for suckers and will keep on keepin it real…
You’ve already got 50K hits on the Omega Man video clip, with its a first class production executed by Full Clip. Was it important for you to get the right team involved with the production on this clip, obviously the heads were expecting something dope? Yeah mos deffo… The visual medium is something we can’t sleep on any longer and seems to be a must when it comes to spreading the word.I was fortunate enough to be able to get the Full Clip team on board for the Omega Man project and team them up with our (Unkut’s) own videographer Joshy Davis who’s been responsible for a lot of our visuals since day dot. It was a dream team match up and the boys grinded like fuck to meet the challenges and our visions! They’re a prime example of what I mean by bringing others into the fold to contribute their gift or skill and delivering it to a certain level of expectation. Just wait for the next FTTOHNL visual installment! The game-changers (Josh, Heata n Henry) re-unite to deliver even bigger and badder!
The end of 2010 was when I think we finally heard the album was on track. Soon after that the promo video dropped. What was it that culminated at that time, where you thought, “yup this is the time to go full steam in to the album process”? Yeah, well initially the actual album was a sure shot to drop by the end of 2010, I always refrained on putting an actual release date down because this album sorta seemed never-ending. I was getting sidetracked and combined with my own critiquing, I figured it best to get it on the verge of completion then talk dates. Long story short that time was the end of 2010 and we were looking to release round November/ Dec. Then one thing led to another and I had no hope of actually doing it correctly by then so we pushed it back. I could’ve dropped a half arsed version 4 times over in the past 2 years, but as I said 100% or not at all. So seeing as we earlier dropped a video advertisement stating the LP release was due late 2010 I thought it only right to give the people something. Hence new arrangements were set to drop a track, Omega Man being what I thought the perfect choice and after more consideration and discussions with other contributors who were to have a hand in the complete package of Omega Man we set about gettinitin! It’s been full steam ahead since…
You’ve previously stated that you wanted to take the whole release concept back to the way hip hop was once delivered to the heads (early 90′s). Explain this concept a little further and how does this translate into a final end product? Yeah, it’s not just necessarily early 90’s, any era up until early- mid naughties. Releases were built, anticipation grew. By the time albums dropped there was a mad level of mystique and hype surrounding the product. It all added to the project. These days artists work god knows how long on a project (some prolly too long, others nowhere near long enough!) then drop it with fuck all fanfare, a week of hype a day of excitement and then it’s forgotten by Thursday week! Fuck that! I give too much to my art to go out like that! To break it down in an example, an artist would guest on a crew members shit build some hype then maybe again guest somewhere, and I mean with something hot, a blazing verse that gets heads talkin… Then they drop a single, preferably a 12”. That builds more hype, the 12”s got an instrumental so everyone’s using that to bust theyre own shit over in the park or on the radio or whatever, and there’s an accapella on it for the producers to tinker with… Then they might drop another 1 or 2 tracks or singles just building momentum… By the time the full length drops the punters are frothin for it… Then it comes with all the bells n whistles, dope cover art, lyrics, posters, merch, interviews. Not to mention 10 or 11 masterpieces of work! Not 20 half arsed lame fuckin tracks that no-one gives a shit about. Tracks that have replay value, albums that you will listen to again and again til you know every fuckin word. Songs were appreciated. Wheres that shit gone? No doubt a handful drop a year but its real few and far between. Id rather hear 1 amazing track than 10 barely decent wastes of time… Basically if artists only give their product so much effort than what do they expect from the punters? Its something all established artists should consider and something the new ones should do without fail. Stop selling yourself short and hopefully the punters will follow. “We from a lost land, where the clocks hands is stopped, before the rot set in, before they shot Scott La Rock, before the shops stocked rap in a section called urban, and every third person’s thinking they’re word surgeons”
As we opened the press pack regarding Omega Man we were greated by the above line from Omega Man. With all the strong lyrics found in that track, what was it about this extract that stood out from the rest? haha… good question, you’d prolly have to ask my publicist bout that tho! I guess a stack of the lyrics could’ve been grabbed for the blurb but Dan pulled the start of the 2nd verse. Ironically I think that verse cleaned up verse of the year at the OHH.com awards! Maybe I owe it to Dan for pre planting it in their minds first! I do agree that it does summarize the track in all its glory wrapped up in a couple of lines, so I gave it the tick of approval!
Further more on this; As an artist you’ve released a single in a world were every second persons dropping hip hop tracks. From stuff on myspace to free mixtapes and all that shit. Did you want the single to have a bit more substance and have the people really studying and savoring the track? That’s it, exactly. That’s what I was basically saying before. I want people to study it, savour it, appreciate it for all its worth. A couple of people even hinted I should drop the whole album as singles, 15 singles hahaha… that would be mad!
One of the main things we’ve noticed with the release of Omega Man was the cohesiveness of the whole project, obviously Prowla was on the beat and you’ve had a long history working with him, did that help? Yeah, I try to ensure that gel is there on every track. Some seem to sit a bit better than others but as a whole I think I’ve done a good job in keepin that formula. Prowla was behind some of my earlier work and I regard him as one of our greatest, having him as a close confidant over the years is something I’m extremely grateful for. If you know Prowlz, you know what I’m sayin. To consider myself someone he respects on a music level as well as a close friend is an honour. I have been through tonne’s of beats in the selecting and refining process of this LP. We are at last busting thru the ribbon at the finish line so its been a painstaking process but cool at the same time. I’m super grateful to ALL the producers who sent me killer production from the world over, there’s literally been 100’s and possibly thousands, no shit. A lot could’ve easily made the cut, but I had to stick to the feel and ensure my raps, a lot which were pre written, fit like a glove. That’s an issue today, too many emcees pick the beat on the beat alone and don’t consider their style, flow, pattern and whether or not they truly mesh. Alotta dope emcees sound half as good as they could rapping over the wrong beat.
Not only have you spent ages crafting the rhymes and song structures for the LP you’ve also produced a portion of the album. Did you want to produce the whole album yourself or were you set with a few extra producers helping out? Originally the plan was to produce at least 95% with Prowls pitching in for 1 or 2. My main reason was to ensure it stays in the same realm of sound and feel, more often than not, too many albums with multiple producers onboard lack that. But then Beat Butcha came involved early on in the construction of the album with beats that fit the mould and my input from a beat makers perspective shrunk as additional producers were added to the roster over the course. It’s a crazy mix, but its all in a similar mould to ensure that cohesion is there. My actual input on the beat tip for the final track lineup is more like 20% now! Its funny though, even with the other producers joints, my own hand of production is still evident on the tracks through the programming and sequencing. It helps to ensure it all stays on the same playing field.
You’ve obviously seen a massive progression with hip hop in Australia, from the early days to now. Did you ever predict that hip hop would reach this level when you first started out with LC? Its funny, I’ve seen it progress and regress. I think when we were doin the L.C thing, shit was progressing at a rapid rate, particularly from when I first started out in the early 90’s. But at the same time it wasn’t all progressing in the right direction as far as I was concerned, it branched off in all manner of ways but nevertheless it was progressing. I think in the last couple of years it’s dropped off and we’ve almost come full circle. The sad thing is that while exposure to locally grown Hip Hop is at an all time high, the quality of the vast majority in my opinion is at an all time low. But it’s still getting support which in turn breeds a new generation of mediocrity. Some of the new fans n followers don’t know any better than what they hear on the radio or see on video hits or even worse, the garbage they’re exposed to on social networking sites where anyone and everyone has a voice. A lot of people hate it because it doesn’t take Einstein to work out that’s not what Hip Hop is and others that don’t know any better love it, even to the extent they feel it easy enough to emulate it and their own attempt begins. It’s a real vicious circle. I can’t help but also make mention that sales are dropping and even shows seem to be struggling. There’s a whole new argument these days as to what is Hip Hop and whats not. Without dragging this into next week I’ll save my opinion on that for another time! Most recently, we seemed to have a problem of a badly over saturated, mediocre market, but it’s diminishing before our very eyes as the market slumps and the pipe dreams fade. The good news is that factor seems to be separating the wheat from the chaff. And whats more, it’s highlighting the pockets of heads across the nation keepin it correct! I believe it’s on all of us to keep it going and give the right direction!
Going back to Omega Man, we’ve seen about 400 remixes of the track. It’s great to see but have you had a chance to check any of them out? I managed to peep a couple I had directed to me, a couple seemed promising and others were dreadful. I’m a fan of it, but my only advice to budding remixing producers is ensure your shit is as good or better than the original or don’t attempt it!!!
Do you think there is a bit of a ‘full circle’ thing going on with hip hop in Australia? Some of the younger emcees and crews coming through are really showing respect to some of the earlier inroads made by those pioneering emcees. Definitely and although from a business perspective its damn near impossible to maintain in this climate it puts a smile on my face to see these pockets of new crews and next-gen of heads really following the right path. I’m a jaded fucker, for real, but I don’t go out of my way hating. I feel now a real sense of leading and teaching. Passing on what I know to those who seem to be taking the right road and giving them my wisdom and years of knowledge. The same goes for the factions of heads that are leading down what I see as the wrong rap path, I wanna show them how it should be done. Teach them how it all came about. Not everyone had the opportunity to come up thru the golden eras, we can’t hate them for that, but we can offer them a chance to do the knowledge on it. Then its up to them…
Do you see yourself as an emcee first and foremost, or more of a producer? That’s a good one and a tough one, it changes over the course of time. I started out a DJ, then a half arsed wanna be MC then a producer, then back to being an MC and was for many years. Then I really cut my teeth in the production game on my early 12’s and then the LC shit. By the time I did Murderous I would’ve considered myself half n half. By the time I made Legend Official I was pretty much a producer who could spit. Then I was just producing and engineering fulltime. Then I got this real urge to go head first into MCing again which is partly due to the fact I eased away from producing my entire LP… At the moment, I’ve just finished lacing Beats, Verses, Cuts, Production & Mixing my LP so im fucked if I know?!
We see your up on the blog tip at the moment with a great post relating to the purchasing of music on record store day etc. Do you find that buying music has become a sad victim of technology and do you think artists have to be a little more creative in presenting their product? Yeah, unfortunately it has, as I mentioned before the artists have played into the punters hands, we have to go back to making them want to fork out for the release. Give them a product worth collecting. I really do attribute a portion of the lack of sales to the lack of quality product being released, I can see why artists take shorts with the lack of budgets, but don’t understand it. We can’t afford to sell the ones short who really do support and fork out their hard-earned!
3 Quickies: Information on next single release and full release date? – Real Soon. Any emcee features you can tell us of on the full album? – Brad Strut. Vinyl? – Double Gatefold.
Trem from Lyrical Commission has just dropped his new single from his forthcoming For The Term Of His Natural Life. Trem released the underground classic Sheer Talent EP in 1998 but put out no more solo efforts since, making this new album Trem’s debut LP.
“We from a lost land, where the clock’s hands is stopped, before the rot set in, before they shot Scott La Rock, before the shops stocked rap in a section called urban, and every third person’s thinking they’re word surgeons.” If one man in Australia embodies the mantra of quality over quantity, it’s Melbourne emcee and producer Trem One. His decade-long discography encompasses two sought after white label 12”s, two releases with his crew Lyrical Commission, production, raps and oversight on fellow commissioner Brad Strut’s solo releases and a small handful of carefully selected guest verses and production credits. This austerity, combined with the precision of his astute lyricism and economical production has given mythical status to his long-promised, elusive solo album.
Representing the increasingly rare school of hip hop that never lost focus on the art of tightly wound wordplay and devious multisyllabic rhyme schemes, Trem finally unleashes the first salvo from his debut solo full length For the Term of His Natural Life. With exceptional lyrical craftsmanship on display across two murderous verses, the lead single Omega Man finds Trem the last man in a dehumanized, plasticized wasteland, accompanied only by raw, plaintive production from another elder statesman of Melbourne hip hop, Prowla. Recalling a time when the music’s core building blocks were hallmarked by gritty simplicity and unrelenting verbal ballistics, Omega Man is vintage Trem. For aficionados of true school hip hop, it’s a welcome entry in an almost flawless catalogue.
Packaged with a high quality AAA Alstyle t-shirt featuring the brand new Trem One logo, the strictly limited CD release with vocal, instrumental and acapella versions of Omega Man will be available from www.unkutrecordings.com and selected stores across Australia from December 17. The tracks will also be available from iTunes. For the Term of his Natural Life is due early 2011 on Unkut Recordings and will feature production from Trem, Prowla, Beat Butcha and more. TRACKLIST
1. Vocal
2. Instrumental
3. Acapella Produced by Prowla
Cuts by Prowla
Recorded & Mixed by Trem
Mastered by Joe Carra @ Crystal
“We from a lost land, where the clock’s hands is stopped, before the rot set in, before they shot Scott La Rock, before the shops stocked rap in a section called urban, and every third person’s thinking they’re word surgeons.”
If one man in Australia embodies the mantra of quality over quantity, it’s Melbourne MC and producer Trem One. His decade-long discography encompasses two sought after white label 12”s, two releases with his crew Lyrical Commission, production, raps and oversight on fellow commissioner Brad Strut’s solo releases and a small handful of carefully selected guest verses and production credits. This austerity, combined with the precision of his astute lyricism and economical production has given mythical status to his long-promised, elusive solo album.
Representing the increasingly rare school of hip hop that never lost focus on the art of tightly woundwordplay and devious multisyllabic rhyme schemes, Trem finally unleashes the first salvo from his debut solo full length For the Term of His Natural Life. With exceptional lyrical craftsmanship on display across two murderous verses, the lead single Omega Man finds Trem the last man in a dehumanized, plasticized wasteland, accompanied only by raw, plaintive production from another elder statesman of Melbourne hip hop, Prowla. Recalling a time when the music’s core building blocks were hallmarked by gritty simplicity and unrelenting verbal ballistics, Omega Man is vintage Trem.
For aficionados of true school hip hop, it’s a welcome entry in an almost flawless catalogue. Packaged with a high quality AAA Alstyle t-shirt featuring the brand new Trem One logo, the strictly limited CD release with vocal, instrumental and acapella versions of Omega Man will be available from www.unkutrecordings.com and selected stores across Australia from December 17. The tracks will also be available from iTunes.
The video clip for Omega Man visualises the song in high definition subterranean cinema. Executed by Full Clip (Heata & Discourse) and Josh Davis, the clip will debut on December 16 right here for your enjoyment. For the Term of his Natural Life is due early 2011 on Unkut Recordings and will feature production from Trem, Prowla, Beat Butcha and more.
A prolific wordsmith, Brad Strut has been fine tuning his craft and contributing to the growth and evolution of Australian Hip Hop since the early ‘90s. Engulfed in the breakdance craze that swept this country in the late 80′s, Brad became a staunch devotee of hip hop music and as his interest and skill level flourished, Brad could be heard on any sound system available to him. He released his first demo Rock On in 1993, regularly clocked air time on influential radio shows such as Steppin to the A.M. with Krissy and The Formula (PBS) and, intent on honing his lyrical dexterity, would be in attendance at any venue hosting a hip hop event.
His development continued with his first studio experience, under the guidance of DJ Ransom, recording a demo for the unreleased Faces of Debt EP alongside emceesw Mama’s Funk (Strait Up Records), Raph Boogie (Crookneck) and MC Que (Nuffsaid Records). In 1999, he hooked up with Trem to record the Australian rap gem Basic Fundamentals. Released on Trem’s classic second 12”, Amateurs (Unkut Recordings), the song featuring a level of wordplay previously unheard within the local ranks.
In 2001 Brad released his debut long player The Authentic LP, an album which, along with Bias B’s Beezwax and Culture Of Kings 1, marked a turning point in Australian hip hop. With its unforgettable cover of a vicious looking kangaroo caricature wielding a microphone, The Authentic attained phenomenal sales, moving 8000+ units with no industry hype in a time of minimal support for credible Australian hip hop. The album was heralded as groundbreaking, receiving acclaim from hip hop fans the globe over and the track A Good Thing even appeared on Jurassic 5 DJ Numark’s mix CD Hand’s On (Sequence Records 2004). The Authentic LP featured names such as Lazy Grey, Sean B and a freshly formed Melbourne crew Lyrical Commission, who had recently featured on, Culture of Kings Volume 1 with their track Lyrical Mongrels.
During this period Lyrical Commission, alongside Bias B, worked with the infamous Australian criminal identity Mark Brandon ‘Chopper’ Read on the track Chop Chop for the soundtrack to the movie Trojan Warrior. This track also featured on the Obesity compilation under the name Machete. With intense hype surrounding the crew, Lyrical Commission released their debut LP The Stage is Set (Unkut Recordings) to a blood-thirsty market and an already intensely loyal fan base in 2002. It received the highest of accolades for the straight up, back to basics, no nonsense skill-fest it delivered both musically and lyrically. It created a street buzz unseen for a local underground hip hop act, exceeding sale predictions and becoming the first Australian hip hop release to attract significant interest on a worldwide scale.
The group toured the album extensively, all the while cementing their reputation as masters of individualised style and technique. There is no disputing that Brad is an accomplished live performer, and has shared the stage with the likes of Tha Liks, Hilltop Hoods, Eternia, Celph Titled, Apathy, Kool Keith, The Roots, Swollen Members, A-Trak, Aceyalone, Foreign Legion, People Under The Stairs to name a few, and has also played all major Australian festivals such as Livid and the Big Day Out.
After a year of touring, and recording with Celph Titled (Demigodz) for the title track All Out War on the Terntable Jediz All Out War EP (Unkut/Blue Corner 2004),LC got to work on their next release, Murderous Metaphors EP. Metaphors contained nothing but pure rap skill from beginning to end with tracks like F**k all the B.S., Indicted, and the Strut solo track Check the Strategy. With Lyrical Commission sound and style locked down, the time had come for the crew to branch out into new solo endeavours to appease the long time supporters and win new fans.
2006 was a pivotal year for Brad, as he reignited the fervour for his solo mission. Early in the year, he dropped Legendary: The Official Mixtape on his newly formed Peruvian Gemz imprint, a subsidiary of Unkut that would focus on his own projects and assist emerging artists. Intended as a teaser for his upcoming sophomore full length, the mixtape took on a life of its own and became one of the hottest underground releases of the year, featuring guest spots from Perth’s Clandestien, Rhys of Hospice Crew and notorious booze hound Billy Bunks. Later that year, Strut represented Australia at Hip Hop Kemp 2006 in the Czech Republic, a massive three-day hip hop festival (Europe’s largest and best) which hosted Non-Phixion, RA The Rugged Man, Planet Asia, Klashnekoff and the finest acts from across the continent. Here, Strut made international connections with crews such as Poland’s WWO, whose upcoming album he features on.
2007 saw the release of Brad’s sophomore LP, Legend: Official. Produced by Trem, it is the darkest, deepest manifesto to emerge from Antipodean hip hop. Featuring Lyrical Commission, Sean Price, Outerspace, Daniel Merriweather and Lee Sissing, the album is alternately sinister and soothing, melancholy and belligerent, and it shows Strut’s technique at its most developed. The real deal with all flows locked, Brad Strut delivers the full package, the “proper without the ganda”. His history is undeniable, and the future unlimited.
Fallout Shelter is the 2009 EP from Melbourne-bred, North London-based Brad Strut. In a radical departure from his acclaimed 2007 sophomore Legend: Official, the core member of Australia’s pioneering Lyrical Commission has crafted a stunning narrative that runs through six hard hitting tracks by Beat Butcha. Densely lyrical, personal and intense, this project fully exploits hip hop’s potential as a medium for storytelling. Ostensibly a post-apocalyptic diary, Fallout Shelter contains a wealth of insights into life, hip hop and everything. From the panicked opener Hello To Goodbye to the serene conclusion of Looking At You, Brad evokes the range of emotions facing the last man on earth: anger, denial, hope and a fatal acceptance. As with Strut’s previous work, his words seep in gradually, divulging deeper meanings with multiple listens. Likewise, Beat Butcha’snuanced production shows its true colours over time, providing enough flourish to accentuate Brad’s words without overwhelming them. From the heraldic outro to New Dawn to the synth bridge on Believe, Butcha shows how a good hip hop producer does more than chop and loop drums, but never overwhelms the emcee’s presence with unnecessary fanfare.
Rejuvenation is the 2009 full length remix project which finds Brad reaching out to the leading producers from Australia and the UK: M-Phazes, Trials of Funkoars, Simplex of Terra Firma, Chemo, Beat Butcha, Ciecmate of Hospice Crew, Tornts, Dazastah of Downsyde, Mortar of Clandestien, Dontez of KingsKonekted, Methodz, The Last Skeptik and Jehst. Each producer brings their own distinct ring to a Strut classic from Legend: Official or The Legendary Mixtape. From M-Phazes’s bombastic reimagining of live anthem Incite The Premises to Tornts’ vitriolic new verses on The Ritual to Jehst’s appropriately ominous take on Last Omen, these remixes all uniquely expand on Strut’s already impressive catalogue.
