CERTIFIED SCRIBE

Sky’High has been lurking around the edges of the Sydney scene for a number of years now, releasing little of consequence although constantly building. Last year she generated some serious momentum with the release of consecutive singles Look At Me Now and Don Dada. This would culminate in the release of her Your Highness EP. The tracks are some of the strongest local efforts in the last 12 months or so. Production from P-Money has done nothing to derail her cause but there is no denying her dynamic, electrifying presence.

Congratulations on the new EP, how long has it been on the boil for now? 
Thankyou, the EP came from me just recording one or two tracks late last year then making a few more tracks for a seven track EP in a few days while I was in New Zealand, it wasn’t really planned. I played it to a couple of people and it got the attention of Urthboy who then offered me a deal with Elefant Traks. We then cut two tracks from the EP which you will hear on my album and we put the Your Highness EP out.

Was it P-Money exclusively on production? 
Yep! All beats by P-Money on this EP as he has been really the first producer I could comfortably work with. Most of the time, prior to this, I have just been recording myself so it was good to work with someone who was patient and gave me an opinion which I respect.

Where are you at with the album currently? Got a working title? 
Right now I’m where I wanna be. It’s coming along better then I thought, most of the lyrics have been written its just a case of me laying down the vocals in the studio. I am still getting a few beats sent through from producers too so I am checking them out as we speak. Title is yet to announced, keep on the look out for when I do though.

I read an online post of yours a while back mentioning how particular you are with your own output. Is there one out of writing and recording that you find harder to settle on or is the perfectionist gland constantly peaking? 
I’m never content with my music ever. Even when people give me their reasons for why this or that Sky’high track is awesome, I’m forever telling myself why it isn’t. I am my own worst critic!

Another major development for you has been signing with Elefant Traks. Why do you think they are the best fit for you at this point in time? 
Years back, let’s be honest, no way would I consider joining Elefant Traks. To me they catered to a different crowd, a specific crowd, a “not me” crowd. I’m sure they would have looked at me the same but true artists will grow, as should their music! Good music in any genre, real music doesn’t just cater to a crowd. It caters to people in general and at this point of time I’m about making music for everyone and Elefant Traks are putting out music out for everyone so it’s only right.

basically the EP was intended to show people I can be versatile and break peoples perception of me as just one kind of MC… At the end of the day, I make music for myself and if other people like what they hear then it’s a bonus.

You’ve still got the management situation going on with Grindin’ though? 
Fucking oath I do! It’s good having someone looking out for me and making sure that all I have to worry about is the music because I hate all the other stuff.

How do you feel when label head Urthboy mentions in a promo video that the move is somewhat of a risk? 
I used to be the type of person, if I didn’t like the way you looked at me you were at risk. So I don’t feel nada haha. It’s definitely a different signing for them and I do standout on their roster but I am just going to put out my music and people can then decide if its a risk or not.

The two tracks on the EP that had not been unleashed prior show some variety, was Lets Just an effort to generate some momentum on the airwaves and whatnot? 
Yeah basically the EP was intended to show people I can be versatile and break peoples perception of me as just one kind of MC. Let’s Justwas definitely aimed towards the JJJ crowd because let’s be honest, they are a major part in an Australian MC being able to be heard nationwide. There is no other radio station that caters for us on such a scale. The track got added to spot rotation on JJJ last week so its good to know I can make music for that audience as well as my diehard fans too. At the end of the day, I make music for myself and if other people like what they hear then it’s a bonus.

Were the verses for the Don Dada remix all recorded in one session or over a period of time?  
My verse only took less than half an hour to record haha, just saying. But all up it took 2 weeks due to everyones schedule and location. Gotta say thanks to David Dallas, RoXXXan and Briggs for all coming through with their verses to make a sick posse cut.

You recently dropped a third video, for Hoodie and Nikes, are there any more visual efforts planned? 
You better believe it! We just shot Let’s Justwhich was a lot of fun and that should be out in early March. Once the album is done we will then look at which tracks will get videos and look to get them done.

Have you gone with the same production team with all three or mixed it up?
Nah I got Look At Me Now and Don Dada done by ASKEW1 who is a big graffiti artist from New Zealand. Hoodie And Nikeswas done by Sydney photographer Tristan Edouard and his crew so we mixed it up a little. It was great working with both of them as they had simple but effective ideas for the videos and I think they turned out alright.

What have you been doing in the way of live shows recently?
I was just in Melbourne for Raise The Roof 3 at The Espy then this weekend I am supporting 360 for two shows in Sydney at The Standard. In March/April I am on the road with The Herd and Thundermentals baybehhhhh!

I was surprised to see you support 360. Do you enjoy his music or just respect the business side of that act?
Yeah I like some of it. I know he has worked hard to get to this point and while a lot of people may not like his stuff you have to respect his hustle, he is king on the social network side of things which has definitely helped him to get to where he is.  I am just happy I get to play two shows to sold out crowds because at this stage of my career I can’t ask for more than that.

https://www.facebook.com/skyhighOZ

2011 will forever be remembered as the year Trem dropped his debut full-length album. That said, Geko and Aetcix earned both attention and well-deserved accolades for their GOATMOB LP. It’s a potent project, no frills, no superfluous polish, just a dozen tunes showcasing the richness of Melbourne’s rap cohort. Pencil GOATMOB in as one of the best releases of 2011 and keep one eye peeled for the caprid alliance down the track.

One of you is quoted as saying you ‘wanted to avoid the sterility which is often a by-product of trying to make a perfect album.’ How did you counter this on a practical level?
Geko: Well we didn’t rerecord any verses, it’s basically all first take, one take sort of stuff. Warts and all.

Aetcix: Yeah, and the way we approached it was ‘OK, we have 3 months to do this thing, let’s go’, so the time constraints didn’t really allow us to dwell on shit too much anyway.  We were both kind of in a zone where we really didn’t give a fuck about people’s opinions or whatever either, nothing we did was for anybody but ourselves.

A: That said, it wasn’t just a case of laying the vocal tracks down, giving it a quick mix and Bob’s ya mother’s brother.  There is a lot of work involved in making something sound like there was no work involved.

A: Yeah that’s basically it, I have no real interest in being visible.  I like being in the lab working on shit, that’s the reason I do this.  I have friends, I don’t need to socialise with heads.

I suppose there’s some sort of twisted sense of chemistry there, our studio sessions together are fairly painless, we have different views and ideas on things but can usually find a compromise, so it just works.

A: Yeah, it’s definitely cool, but I take it with a grain of salt.  We’ve just been lucky enough to have Hau get behind the album and help with pushing it a bit.  I’d be bullshittin’ if I said its not a good feeling to have your stuff get played on JJJ outside of the hip hop show, but I don’t think it means we’re gonna see a trend of more rugged rap getting played on daytime radio.

A: It was always Dre for me since I was a kid. He’s the one who made me wanna start making beats and producing albums.  Bomb Squad, DJ Screw, El-P, just anybody doing innovative stuff really.  I even dig some of that old Timbaland and Neptunes shit, I draw inspiration from all over the place really.

A: Haha, I suppose there’s some sort of twisted sense of chemistry there, our studio sessions together are fairly painless, we have different views and ideas on things but can usually find a compromise, so it just works.

Singer of songs, director of dance floors, player of instruments…Joyride has been a formidable fixture on the local circuit for a number of years now. Most would have discovered the Samoan John Legend through his work with One Day crew colleagues Spit Syndicate. Anyone who has heard Joyride belt out a hook will know he hasn’t been coined the Aussie Nate Dogg for no reason. Certified Scribe recently had the opportunity to sit down for a beer with the jack of all trades.

You recently took up a radio posting at FBI, how’s that been so far?
I’ve been enjoying it, radio has always been something I’ve thought of as a potential career. But beyond that, being given the opportunity to play music that I love and talk to people that are making it, it’s mad fun. The response has been pretty positive so far…the haters will come eventually, hopefully. You know you’re doing something right if someone is hating it haha. Radio has always been something that is interested me, especially growing up in the 90′s because that was one of the main sources of new music. It’s a logical progression in your head to think of being involved in it.

What other projects have been keeping you on your toes recently?
I do workshops every Monday at Key College which was set up by Youth Off The Streets as well as Heaps Decent. I do stuff at Redfern Community Centre as well where kids come in and record tracks and whatnot. I go to Wagga every once in a while to do some work at the Juvenile Justice Centre down there. I’ve also been doing a lot of guest spots as per usual. Solo always gets stuck into me about the amount of guest spots I’ve done compared to the amount of stuff I have released on my own. Actually last night a good friend of mine, Sarah Corry was laying the whore analogy on me as I had just recorded a hook for Def Wish Cast’s album. I love it though, this year I’ve worked with dudes like Def Wish, Reason, Bias…they’re true heads so it’s really an honour. I’ve also been doing a few tracks with Skryptcha for his album. I’m happy to be called a cheap slut if it means I don’t have to work in a warehouse or pack shelves at JB Hi Fi.

Have you got a solo release on the boil right now?
Well my solo EP has been done since August last year. I guess the mentality behind the delay is that there is no point putting out five tracks without a solid album to back those up. The album is slowly casseroling. I think I’m a pretty harsh critic on myself which is probably why the album is taking so long. It’s coming together but it’s really a matter of me being over the moon with it. It’s tough when you’re constantly listening to new shit because it drives you to step your own stuff up to that next level. I’ve got thirty-ish tracks sitting around half finished.

In the creation process, getting feedback from someone while you’re making something is so different to after the fact. You have gone through the whole process and are happy enough with it to show someone else and they say something like ‘why don’t you try this?’ And you’re like ‘go fuck yourself.’

Do you think a deadline would be a help or a hindrance?
Well the hardest thing about it is the fact that it is just me doing everything. If you look at Horrorshow for example, Adit’s making the beats, Nick is writing the raps. They both give each other advice from either side of the fence but with my stuff I’m making the beats, writing music, words, singing, it’s all me. In the creation process, getting feedback from someone while you’re making something is so different to after the fact. You have gone through the whole process and are happy enough with it to show someone else and they say something like ‘why don’t you try this?’ And you’re like ‘go fuck yourself.’ In terms of the album though, I’d like to have it done by February and the Accidents’ album done, meaning written, by February as well.

Do you think you have a sports-related concept album in you at some point?
Haha, nah…keep that shit separate.

What sports do you fucks with?
I play cricket, rugby and mixed netball. I actually play in the same park cricket team as Urthboy at the moment but because our weekend schedules are generally pretty hectic, we haven’t had the chance to play together yet. When that day comes, I am going to run him out though haha. I play golf as well. I took Drapht out for a round last time he was in Sydney. His bass player and drummer came along as well, they play all the time but it was Drapht’s first time but he was blitzing us by the end…guy is a cunt, a naturally athletic cunt haha. I love golf but there was a time when a bunch of my mates were unemployed so we would all go play lawn bowls of a Tuesday. I reckon golf is the one for me when I retire though.

Tell me about your own musical history. At what age did you discover your voice?
This is a really vivid memory of mine: for my fifth birthday my mum asked me whether I wanted a robot thing that shoots shit or do you want a keyboard, I had my heart set on the robot but she got me the keyboard instead. So I just started mucking around with keys and then in primary school I joined a choir. I was singing with them for a while before I kinda gravitated towards the music my older brother listened to: Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, that kind of thing. He taught me guitar from about the age of ten, I’d just learn power chords and such. By the time I was about 13 I thought I would put a bit more effort into it. I never really thought of myself as a singer in that period, just experimenting with various things. Nobody else could sing besides one of my mates so because of the shortage of singers in my immediate circle of friends I just gave it a go having already progressed with guitar. The school I went to had great music facilities so I was able to teach, and be taught, a whole bunch of stuff regarding production, playing drums, bass, cello, everything really, just extending my knowledge. Once I hit Year 10, I started singing more and more, going into musicals and stuff like that…that is how I met Sarah Corry because he school was like sister school of mine and she was into musicals. At school I did that whole singer-songwriter thing, I think everyone went through that Ben Harper, Jack Johnson phase haha. I was balls deep in that but still always loved my hip hop. I remember in Year 12 when a mate of mine who used to write with Nick and Jimmy of Spit Syndicate passed on a copy of the Timetablism mixtape. That was the first group those two were in, this was back around 2004. You hear on the Best Intentions mixtape Jimmy talking about ‘seven dudes recording into a computer mic, make sure you do it right.’ It was just some kids talking tough but I listened to it and thought it was kinda cool. My mate Azza who showed me that mixtape passed on some tracks I’d recorded at the school studio with just accoustic guitar with a jazzy kind of bent. I ran into Lupi at a few house parties after that and he said how it would be great to do some accoustic rap kinda stuff. I started making some house tracks with a singer mate of mine, Johnny Mac. We went through a couple set-ups before starting this duo called ’Two On A Joyride’ which is where the name Joyride came from. We were using drum machines and keyboards at shows but quickly realised we could as much money by taking just CD’s and headphones as opposed to a heap of gear. That’s where I started DJ’ing because it was much more convenient. ‘Two On A Joyride’ became just ‘Joyride’ as I started DJ’ing on my own. Through doing that I eventually ended up DJ’ing for Nick and Jimmy because they needed someone to fill that vacancy.

You recently received some kudos for your cover of Frank Ocean’s Novocaine. What do you look for in a song to cover?
It’s basically just that feeling of ‘I wish I wrote this.’ There are a few tracks that do that for me, Novocaine being one of them, Heavy Heart by You Am I is another. Unsent Letter by Machine Gun Fellatio as well. In a nutshell, it is the ‘I wish I wrote that’ feeling so I’ll do the next best thing and do my best at doing it how I would have done it.

Tell me about some of your favourite shows you have played recently.
I played a show with The Accidents recently at Goodgod Small Club where we did two sets. One was originals and general covers and the second was an RKelly tribute set, all R.Kelly songs…it went off hey. That song World’s Greatest, off the Ali soundtrack…cunce were like hands in the air, singing, loving it. One thing that did detract from that show though…our set was at midnight but I was still in bed at like 11:30pm, hungover from the night before which was the Illy show at Factory Theatre. I ended up in the cross that night just having shots of anything being a dickhead haha. As for upcoming gigs, I’m playing a gig with The Accidents on the 23rd of December at Goodgod again. It’s a night called Player Haters Ball with Alphamama, Shantan and Levins. I’m DJ’ing in Brisbane on New Year’s Eve at a club called X&Y then on the 6th of January I’m playing a wedding for a bloke that hit me up about it. He’s also got CK and The Winter People playing so I was like right on.

What’s the story about you and Rick Ross on twitter? I understand he blocked you on there a while ago?
He was talking some shit, I think he was talking about Teflon Don just before it was coming out, he was talking it up heaps and every tweet was in capitals. So I just hit him up, I said ‘uh Rick, you’re caps lock is on, if you want to turn it off just hit that button on the left hand side of the keyboard, it says caps lock, should fix it for you…have a good one.’ And sure enough he blocked me. I googled it recently and turns out there are a tonne of dudes blocked by Rick Ross. But I guess, if you can, why wouldn’t you? I’d also say that with guys like that, it’s as much him as his management…they would all have access to it as well.

Hypothetically, you’re on death row, it’s your last meal and for some reason all they have available is Subway…what do you order?
Foot long chicken fillet on italian herbs and cheese. Meatball sauce on the chicken fillet with old english cheese on top then put in the toasting oven for half the time. Lettuce, tomatoe, onion, pickles…actually fuck it, if I’m on death row double meat, double cheese. Southwest sauce, a fuckload of macadamia cookies and Lift for drinks.

http://www.facebook.com/donjoyride

Having maintained a steadfast commitment to the local scene for the better part of 25 years, one of Melbourne’s favourite sons Reason has released his final album Window Of Time. The album itself features many of whom Reason has collaborated with most frequently. It is everything you would expect from the man’s final effort; passion and positivity. As per usual, he explores a gamut of themes from sport to politics to local history. Reason’s retirement is an unfortunate, yet inevitable occurence. His earnest approach will undoubtedly be missed by many.

“Peace in the Middle East”

Tell me about the straight logistics of this album. given the many commitments you have, was it a weekend effort to complete window of time? how long was this one in the pipeline?
18 months of intermittent recording at Debris’ and Lotek’s studio’s, combined with the birth of little Zac and an increase in my responsibility at school. Regular trips to South Australia enabled me to eventually complete this mammoth, yet worthwhile venture.

Is there no greater feeling than getting your family on a track?
Mia loves to see me rap. She does so on her own accord, and having Mia on the album, plus the rappertag shindig was a true highlight of my career. I’m humbled that the fam has shown me their support throughout my journey.

So what is the story with this women’s violence initiative you’re involved with?
Obese approached me early on in the year regarding an initiative with Centre Against Sexual Assault(CASA). It would entail CASA and the Royal Women’s Hospital developing a musical project in conjunction with emcees that would culminate in the release of a CDthat addresses support to those in need, in particularly women confronted by domestic, sexual and physical violence. I would be on the CD, plus the people at the organisation requested that I facilitate workshops for young people in protective custody and those who have suffered ‘violence.’

My direction has always been determined by my actions. I wear many hats, live my life on more than one stage and my priorities are many.

I understand you have a few other projects of that nature on the go as well. So you think this is something that has been spurred on through working as a teacher or a trait that has always been present?
It’s always been present. I’ve always had the needs of others in the forefront of my mind, and hence those that know me would vouch for this. Since the days when I was at school, I always showed compassion and empathy for those in need. Acting on it is the best way in which I develop a sense of fulfillment that keeps me humble. Plus be a father to my children and educating todays youth. I’m lucky that my life allows me to share my knowledge, understanding and support to others.

What were the prerequisites for guests this time around? Was there a desire to round up many of the key figures you have worked with over the years?
I wanted the opportunity to give myself one last chance to work with those who do, and have inspired me to the place I’m now at in my life. I grateful to them for the support they’ve given me, plus the massive contribution they’ve made to the scene. I’ve been honoured to have seen many of my contemporaries grow to be the artist that they are now today.

Is it surreal listening to the track with Hunter at the present time? Or are you just very thankful to have had that opportunity to work with him on this last effort of yours?
I’m more than humbled to have Hunter appear on my album. He was a mate, and a stalwart of the scene. It was truly incredible that Hunter was keen to jump on this release, considering his ill health at the time. The fella showed strength, was, and will always been an inspiration to both his mates and the punters. I will forever live with his memory in my heart.

What sort of influence did that bloke have on your outlook over the many years you’ve known him?
He was a true fighter in every sense of the word. His battle brought many things to the fore in this world of hip hop. It made me realise how insignificant and useless the negative rhetoric truly is. Life is far too short, and he was a catalyst for me to further change my way of thinking and dealing with situations. His passion and honesty was a gift I’ll forever cherish.

What sort of involvement do you have with broadcasting/radio these days?
I have a show on Goonbag Radio called Off The Cuff which I host with Minas from Art of War. It’s a great opportunity for me to be involved in an online radio steeze. The station itself is the premier Australian online hip hop station and the opportunities it presents are endless. We’ve interviewed acclaimed artists including Mystro, Pegz, Disorda from Suspect Packages in the UK, Bias B, Iron Braydz, Illy and Fraksha to name a few. We’ve also had live shows at the backyards of Debris from the Hilltop Hoods which also included Reflux from the Funkoars and old-school general MadCap.

Given your fondness for sports and such, was there no other way to conclude the album and your career with a track like The Final Siren? Was it one of the first ideas you had for the album?
The bookends on the album certainly have sporting-centric titles. They were definitely conceived early in the piece and form a major component of the album’s construction. I’ve never shied away within my music from my passions, with sport truly being one of them.

There’s that saying ‘if only the young could know and if only the old could do’, do you think at this point in life you have a foot in both dimensions?
My direction has always been determined by my actions. I wear many hats, live my life on more than one stage and my priorities are many. I sense that I’ve always been able to maintain a constant presence in the world of hip hop whilst maintaining focus in my endeavours in school plus the joys of fatherhood.

Are there any more live shows planned currently?
The Window of Time Tour plus The Jump Off, Hobart Launch Dec 10th and my final show on New Years Day 2012 supporting Pete Rock under the name The Runtingz Soundsystem featuring AJ and Bids.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Reason/30821080810

You dabble with the scratching yourself, however is it irritating to perpetually have such ideas in your head whilst requiring the services of more proficient turntablists to bring the concept to life?
It has been irritating for some time to be honest. I have cut or attempted to scratch from time to time since the early 90′s. It is something I learnt the basics of back then and picked them up fairly easily to be honest but never took it to that next level as my MC’ing, and then production got more prevalent. I’ve always had a massive hand in all the cuts on all the releases I’ve been involved in and always had a vision of how a particular cut should be dropped and constructed in a track but trying to explain it is real hard work at times! I’ve had a lot of long days in the studio with the pro’s trying to bring my ideas to life. A lot of scratch DJ’s look at tracks differently to MC’s I believe so it is rare to find a mutual agreement on how it should be constructed. The beauty of working with Rev is that he took my initial ideas and cuts, flipped them and added more, basically writing entire verses with that shit. Absolute genius. The practical side of my ideas is limited so, personally, I stick with what I can do and don’t try to get too fancy on the ones I tackled myself.

You speak a lot on the album regarding the rarity of scratch choruses, particularly in this country. When would you say such a style fell out of favour? somewhere between the demise of the DMC’s and the allure of Triple J plays?
Yeah, pretty much. It’s a noticeable trend I aint feeling; replacing scratch or even sample based choruses with the half sing/half rap shit. I’ve caught glimpses of out here in recent times and it grates on my ears like a motherfucker.  I literally couldn’t stand two bars of it, hence the Biz Markie line in For The Record. But even the omission of cuts and scratches in a lot of US tracks is becoming more noticable, so it’s a universal thing it’s just that here that trend of supposed rappers attempting to sing is somethin else…and not in a good way.

Much of the sentiment on For The Term Of His Natural Life could easily be interchanged with the track Hate The Scene which is obviously close to a decade old now. Tell me about how your sense of purity is reflected in the way you have released this album?
Everything about it is pure in the sense of the term hip hop. I’m a purist of our culture and have lived it for many years, it found me at a young age and it has been with me all the way. So I could never use it as a means to milk and flip into something it’s not to make a fast buck. It’s my way of life, it’s my existence. That’s why the title is what it is, because it best sums this up. It chose me, trapped me and I’m locked in ’til the end. I see the way other people are misusing the term hip hop to release music thats in no way hip hop, the music isnt hip hop, the way they went about it isnt hip hop… This is hip hop, live and direct, no shorts, no sellout, exactly how I see it was meant to be delivered.

Given all the grievances you just mentioned, given the way you operate is perhaps out of step with a lot of what goes with the culture in Australia, do you ever feel like an anachronism with a pulse?
Haha…yeah kind of. I don’t get caught up in what anyone else is doing or the way they operate. Those that are fairly like minded to myself, I’m down with and tend to go back and forth with on rap matters but the others don’t matter to me to be perfectly honest.

I hate it when a dope beat gets picked by a dope MC but they refuse to acknowledge that the instrumental in question does not fit their style. Be it voice, flow, rhyme style whatever, its a big problem I reckon…

Obviously the album title is derived from, amongst other things, the Australian novel. Was the decision to appropriate the phrase immediate or more of a slow burn?
It came up in conversation with my man L-Roc who blessed me with the cover art, and we were talking over a few drinks about my time in the caper, what I’ve seen, who I’ve seen come and go, all that sorta shit…and he said something along the lines of naming a track the title after the book/movie as there is a lot of similarities in our respective stories. The obvious being him being trapped in his situaion with no chance of chance of release and me with mine in this world of hip hop. It grew on me over the weeks and really made a lot of sense when I revisited the classic tale. Hence why I gave that title to the LP.

You only have to listen to your music for thirty seconds to realise your penchant for internal rhyme or ‘multis.’ when were you originally inspired by such a style/method and which individuals provided the impetus for that initial interest?
I gotta say I’m a bit of a geek when it comes to the study of rhyme structures. When I first started scrawling raps on paper it was straight Dr. Zeuss shit. Actually not even that cryptic! Haha, just last rhyming word, real typical. But given the time and place, it was to be expected. I probably didn’t really differentiate your T-La Rock’s and Grand Master Caz’s to your Run DMC’s and PE’s ’til a bit in. When I started to notice that dudes like Cool J and Kane’s non-topical shit, like their battle raps that went a little deeper pattern wise I guess I subconciously started to emulate it. When I break down my earliest rhymes I actually recorded, they were a lame-arse, Aussie kid version of Kane! That’s the best way I can put it. I started to put more into it really from the get-go, well from the time I actually started to press record. I liked the dudes who put those bigger words in and then when I really broke down the science of dudes like G Rap and noticed how they rhymed not just the last but maybe the last couple of syllables I guess I just instantly took it on. By the time I became familiar with Percee P & Organized, etc…I was really working to get the most out of my rhymes on that level. It is important to note that you always gotta keep it in check with the flow. Know your limits and what works in regards to technique versus style. Lord Finesse, to me, is someone who bridges that gap to a tee. People that just focus on multis or super techy shit can get so caught up in that the style and the delivery suffers. So it is a fine line and add-on after add-on sometimes has to be culled for the sake of keeping the flow in check!

Obviously the solo album is something that has been on the boil for a good few years now…could you give me a basic chronology of how the material came together for the final product? What is the difference between oldest and newest tunes?
I’ve sat on some stuff for a bit now, the nucleus of the album was probably centred around joints like Ever Since, Strips, Omega Man and For The Record. The idea was to come with that classic blueprint, if you will. All bases and basics covered that follow the rich vein of classic rap albums, not because I was too lazy to come with something new but because it’s tried and tested; true hip hop to me. New shit has been tried all around them basics and some worked plus a lot failed. If you follow my back catalogue, it all pretty well sticks to the script. So without consciously attempting to make a track about the state of the game, a sex tale, an ode to the artform or DJ’s, a street track etc, they just fell into the scheme of it naturally. The tracks I mentioned were probably the first written as parts to the album that actually made it. The oldest raps on the album would be the first half of Strips, the second part was added later but that verse comes from a while ago. Also The first three quarters of Ever Since is quite old, it’s almost been an ongoing track as my bio unfolded…so I’d say they were the first two entirely completed. Same Shit also has elements from a long time ago, the good thing is, even though some of it is years old, everything on the LP was actually re-recorded and mixed within the last two years. Pretty much two years ago is when I put everything else aside to focus on the album and I took past bits, current bits and from then on created bits to get it to that finish line. Some of it was scrapped, beats were changed, parts of verses added, fixed, re-wrote, etc. All of my ideas had to come together as one in the end and that ideal was one of the things that probably dragged it out in the end, but I’m a firm believer that an ALBUM has to be cohesive, it’s all got to mould into one. I also had raps that were written as part of the album that either didn’t have a home as far as a beat goes or I was over the respective instrumentals intended for it, so new instrumentals were sourced, which also changed the original landscape too.

Was one particular domain out of lyrics and instrumentals more painstaking than the other to piece together?
Piecing them both together was the painstaking part. I’m not sure if you know but I don’t write my shit traditionally and rarely ever sit down with a beat and come with something end to end, so my shit is all over the place, mainly in my head. So putting instrumentals to pre-written joints was undoubtedly the hardest part to putting this together. I grafted and sifted through mountains of beats from all over the globe, literally thousands. And no shit 90% were incredible, but the correct ones had to suit 110%. I hate it when a dope beat gets picked by a dope MC but they refuse to acknowledge that the instrumental in question does not fit their style. Be it voice, flow, rhyme style whatever, its a big problem I reckon. So it’s something I’m hella picky on and was a hard task but I think we got there in the end!

Given the perfectionist gland is constantly on overdrive, was it a difficult mental hurdle to entrust something as crucial as the instrumentals with other producers or did you eventually realise it would be a better album for it?
Three or four years ago I may have said yes, but there’s a plethora of incredible producers out there that are great people too and their beats actually suit my style down to a tee. I could see that there were beats I personally made for the album that either weren’t cutting it like they seemed a year or two earlier or I’d lost interest in them or other producers were sending me shit that suited a track I had in the works better than my own beats. I’m not too precious to identify that, acknowledge it and utilise it to the albums advantage, hence the inclusion of more and more producers. In all honesty I could have blessed a chunk more of the stuff that came my way but the ones you hear got the nod because they were perfectly suited to the respective joints. It’s also probabaly worth noting that every joint on there also had my hand on it, I mixed and sequenced them all, so things like help to keep the varying producers stuff all in YOUR ballpark and keep the flow and cohesiveness required to keep it thorough as an album.

For The Term Of His Natural Life features some crucial and long awaited collaborations, for you personally anyway. There were some murmurs online recently about potential linkups for the future, with mentions of Def Wish Cast no less. Is that particular combination something you definitely be interested in pursuing?
Yeah, I’m sure Strut and I will forever feature on each others’ shit and who knows…potentially re-link as LC or something along them lines in the not too distant. Connecting with Laze was well overdue and bringing my Kings Konnekted fam on board was natural, them motherfuckers are the best thing since sliced bread and three quarters of the countries rap populace dont even know they exist! I had a list of US collabs in the pipeline but culled them for varying reasons this time round but re-connecting with Q was something I had envisioned a while ago. The DJ connections are also a collab that may tend to go unnoticed but I really respect the art like you wouldn’t believe and all those I got involved are great people and killers at their trade. As for the online potential linkups, haha, its all a bit hearsay. There’s always wishlists and what if’s floating in circles and always have been, most never actually eventuating. As far as DWC goes, who knows? All I can say is I have an incredible amount of respect for them guys, Sereck(Unique) is no less than the truest definition of a B-Boy, hip hop head, real mutherfucker I know. Seriously I feel his authenticity like I know my own and have kept up with his hip hop life throughout the journey. There’s no doubt someone like him could have easily utilised my album title for their own! He lives, breathes and shits this culture like I do. It would be a challenge to connect on a musical level with them no doubt. Both styles are 110% real rap but at the same time worlds apart, it could be interesting. LC-DWC collabo sounds like somethin to end all though doesn’t it? Haha…who knows? maybe one day!

Almost five years ago now, Vents burst the proverbial Australian hip hop bubble with a little old release called Hard To Kill. Coupled with some dangerous production from Trials of the Funkoars, it was a veritable onslaught. 2011 sees Vents return with an album four years in the making. Marked For Death is the brutal older brother of Hard To Kill. Social, economic and political musings feature throughout. Vents elucidates the anguish and frustration resultant from unemployment, welfare, drugs and a search for distinct purpose. Marked For Death is going to go down as one of this year’s best without a shadow of a doubt.

Will it be Clementine or Lawman as the next Vents release to co-incide with some 2012 shenanigans?

Definitely Lawman.

For real though, do you have a list of Seagal titles that you’re working your way down?

Nah, I share something in common with the Funkoars in that we both give our albums incredibly stupid titles. I won’t be naming the next album after any Seagal titles. For what it’s worth, I think he’s gone a little psychotic.

Obviously the first single is more of a catalogue of errors than a definitive recount of global history…still with such a title, did the inevitability of some upstart offering critique ever occur to you?

To me, the single is really about the unique relationships between people that capitalism produces and the idea of the class struggle as the motor that is constantly driving historical change. These ideas have become a historical curiosity rather than ideas with contemporary relevance that should be seriously considered as part of public debate. I like the idea that I have somehow ended up with (some very minor) degree of influence where I can encourage young people to start thinking critically about some “fundamental truths” that we’re taught never to question. I’m fully aware that it’s becoming increasingly hard to imagine any sort of radical social change taking place today but if we can start thinking critically again about the way we are taught to perceive this world we are tossed in, l think this will eventually lead us back to asking those “big” questions again about what a future society might look like and what might be the best way to go about that.

Trials has handled all the tunes in this new disc. Did you ever entertain the idea of getting others on board or was this part of it always a foregone conclusion?

Trials makes like five beats a day and they’re all slappers. Why would I go elsewhere? Plus, I love the cunt. I’m probably the worst friend and bandmate in the world-I’m lazy, unmotivated, inconsiderate, but he’s stuck with me and gave my albums his undivided attention even though he knows there’s no way we’ll sell as much as say, Drapht, and there’s far more money to be made elsewhere. He has a passion for making music that noone else I’ve seen has, myself included. He LOVES making music, he finds happiness in it, and it shows in the quality of his work.

How long have you had Adfu taking care of things on the decks?

Since 2009. He probably came in about half-way through the album. Adfu helped out with writing duties and vocals; he mixed almost the entire album; he did all the scratches; he recorded/engineered a great deal of it; he also makes beats. When we perform live he is almost always front and centre stage with me screaming into the microphone and jumping about. I’m looking forward to starting the next record from scratch with him there during the entire process.

Where’s God Now? is one of a few discourses on faith and worship and such on Marked For Death? Tell me about your personal context with those lyrics in particular.

I hope he doesn’t mind he telling this story, but I remember going to (Catholic) church with my parents when I was young, and my father always refused to accept communion. That always stuck with me; if he didn’t believe in God or the whole body/blood of Christ ritual then why not just play along with the crowd. When in Rome, right? It wasn’t until later on in life I started to think that back then he probably did believe in God, and in fact was angry at him, and this was some sort of symbolic gesture to God-”fuck you” maybe? This is the general gist of that song to me; it’s not that I don’t believe in God-quite the opposite. It’s because I believe in God, and his ability to help me if he wanted, but I asked and he hasn’t and he won’t-so fuck him. For me, anyway; Sesta’s verse is a more well-rounded critique of religion and the social problems that religion creates by itself, I think.

We’ve been told that capitalism is the natural order of things and offers us the possibility of realising true happiness; so if you’re miserable, it must be your fault or you’re doing something wrong. We’re told that you just need to think more positively; or that you were born with some genetic disposition towards unhappiness or aggression.

Lack of distinct purpose and the substances that assuage this feeling also cop some treatment on the new album. Give me the lowdown on the super premium ways to pass the time in little old Adelaide.

For many years, Adelaide had a ten-plant limit on growing cannabis which meant that anything under that and you would only receive an expiation notice-no criminal conviction. By the time it was rescinded we had created a generation of potheads and a mecca for cannabis growers and pot smokers in Australia. Without a sense of purpose or direction in life, it is easy to fall into the trap of becoming a pothead as it makes boredom tolerable. I’ve had a pretty tumultuous, off and on relationship with weed throughout my life. I think it’s a “good” drug, it gives you a different perspective and creatively it can be great but like anything else in life, if you abuse her, she will abuse you right back. But then, if you drink too much water you will poison yourself and die. Everything in moderation.

What is on your bookshelf currently?

I am reading a graphic introduction to Jacques Derrida that I grabbed while killing time between flights. Definitely the last thing I needed. Somewhere in the last twelve months I became slightly obsessed with psychoanalysis and have been trying to get comfortable with that stuff; mainly Freud and to a lesser extent Lacan, who I’d say is probably like trying to read Vietnamese while you are on mushrooms. Psychotherapy has died a pretty painful death-in the clinical sense anyway-mainly due to insurance companies not wanting to fork out for long sessions when pharmaceutical drugs and pills are a much more economically sensible option and far more efficient at returning you to “normal functioning” again. It’s a shame, everything seems to be able to be reduced to a chemical imbalance in the brain these days. If I want to take psychoactive drugs to forget my problems, there are far better options out there than fucking Prozac. I think psychoanalysis is still incredibly useful as a cultural critique especially when combined with Marxism.

Apart from that, I started reading ‘Kingdom of Fear’ the other day but I got bored around page 40. I have a pretty short attention span these days and rarely finish books.

Another fairly consistent aspect of Marked For Death is the medical jargon. What do you attribute this facet of your songwriting to?

Couple years ago, Obese MCEO Pegz decided to hang up the microphone with regards to solo material. A spate of monumentally significant personal experiences soon drew the man out of hiatus. The result is a new full length album; Drama. It’s a thoroughly diverse experience featuring production from one of the best local line-ups assembled in recent history. Plutonic, M-Phazes, Jase, Chasm and Simplex all provide the backing for Pegz’ lyrical explorations of loss, politics writ large and small, love, humility and criticism. As the title suggests, the album is heavy on the sentimentalism and introspection but there are a couple of bangers along the way as well, namely when Pegz teams up with Dtrix and Joe New over some M-Phazes beats.

The opening track on Drama features a nod to your mate Tim Dog. For those unfamiliar, could you describe that particular episode?
Tim Dog ripped us off $4000 for a record he didn’t deliver, then proceeded to write two lovely diss tracks in my honour…I heard recently he’s been arrested for ripping off old ladies, lol.

I hate to harp on about something so trifling but what was the motivation for the lack of colour in the artwork for this new album? It’s a somewhat striking choice…
The lack of colour helps bring out the drama in the image; which is based on 1970’s New York – think Raging Bull vs Warriors.

Obviously the new album, on the whole, is quite personal. Was this kind of song writing solely what drew you back into releasing solo material or were there other factors at play as well?
There are too many factors to mention, but the main reasons for Drama’s release was the death of my closest friend, and the hunger to show I still have something to contribute.

Dtrix and Joe New pop up a couple of times on Drama. Are you boys working on anything concrete at this stage?
No not at this stage, we’re all working on new solo albums.

I think pop-references add something extra to song writing; they can create kindred humour or evoke empathetic despair. The great poets have been doing it for centuries, it’s one of many stylistic components I’ve been developing since I started.

Do you think the intrinsic value of making music that you refer to in Go To Your Head is ignored increasingly as hip hop in this country receives greater recognition?
Yes, unfortunately humility and success don’t go together.

Tell me about the genesis or spark of inspiration for Crime In The City.
The spark came from my affinity with 1970’s New York: the environment and people who created the culture. I wanted to shed some light on the pioneers; their transition from outcasts and gang members to cultural icons.

There are a handful of producers behind the boards for this album. Did you have a particular sound in mind to marry this range of styles? Or was diversity desired?
Diversity was desired to create contrast points, but consistency was methodical through the nucleus named M-Phazes.

What was the motivation to include Blind Man on Drama? Do you feel it just correlates exceptionally well?
I think the album needed to finish on a personal note as the rest of the album only skims the surface.

Water Marks, much like Blind Man, is one of the more poignant, poetic pieces on the album, countering the festive sentiment found elsewhere. Is there a consistent setting or context you find yourself in when you write lyrics of that nature?
I gravitate to those more reflective and conscious tracks, and find them much easier to write than the party anthems. My everyday mindset is more reminiscent of Water Marks than Capital P for example.

Were you at all surprised by just how true to life Reason’s talkback radio impression was?
I am not surprised because we hosted a radio show for years, and he always sounded like a Triple M knob, lol.

After the notorious announcement that you would not release any more solo material are you really reluctant to make a call either way now? Ie. whether you will or whether you won’t come out with a solo project again?
I think I’m starting to realise I’m very different to any other artist out there and I should be cherishing this gift. As one facebook friend recently stated – ‘ no comment’.

There are an abundance of pop culture references both from Australia and abroad on Drama. Does this kind of thing unconsciously find its way into your song writing as you get longer in the tooth?
I think pop-references add something extra to song writing; they can create kindred humour or evoke empathetic despair. The great poets have been doing it for centuries, it’s one of many stylistic components I’ve been developing since I started.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Pegz/142300225829158

Few can attest to the kind of longevity and sheer dedication to the music shown by Melbourne bedrock Bias B. Late May saw the release of his fifth full length solo album Biaslife. It’s loaded with anecdotal history and nostalgia from the B man. Tunes like Midlife, When I Sleep, Melbourne City and Rap Life provide brief, but potent, portals into Bias B’s experiences with life and music. He is joined by an array of fantastic talents including Lazy Grey, Maundz, Ciecmate, Joyride, Aux One, Geko and DJ Bonez to name but a few. The man himself generously set aside some time recently for a yarn.

In what ways do you think the first track on Biaslife distinguishes itself from the countless others that utilise the same analogy?
In Love With The Music was the first track I wrote for the album. I had a concept of making the entire album about my relationship to life in a double meaning form. So I wrote about my love for different aspects of life as though I was in love or in a relationship with them. After a few tracks had been recorded I decided a whole album with the same concept might get a little tedious so I left it at that. I think this track distinguishes itself from others with the same analogy because it is through my eyes and is about still being in love as opposed to just having a love for the music.

How do you reconcile that developing tension between commitments to artistry and family? Is there such thing as an equilibrium?
At this point there is no equilibrium but I am working towards it. For me being an artist is not an everyday thing. I can’t just turn on creativity when I have the free time. I need some inspiration to spark it off. Its often late at night or early morning when I come up with the best ideas and feel most creative but having children to wake up to stops me from getting in the zone and writing for hours. At night the problem is I can’t write ’til 4am like the old days because I know I’ll be waking up any time from 5:30 onwards. On the other hand I take what is happening to me family-wise and include these situations within my writing to try and understand it better myself.

What is it about the manner in which Ciecmate operates that drew you towards recording the album in his studio?
We have been friends for many years now and share the same birthday so I’ve always felt comfortable recording with him. It amazes me how often I will have an idea and say how about we do such and such but before I can even finish explaining he is already doing it. It seems we click when it comes to studio time. Also the fact he is a rapper and a producer, I believe it gives him a better understanding of where I am coming from and what I am trying to achieve.

Besides family, what other commitments did you have to configure around the completion of Biaslife?
Family is my number one commitment and as I don’t work it’s a full time job raising kids. So when it comes to the finishing touches on an album it can be real stressful and difficult getting things done when handling all the final mixing, artwork, tours, cuts, etc myself. On top of that I have a few other bigger projects on the go which had to be put aside to get this album out. I will now have more time to focus on those commitments. What you ask? Stay tuned…

Is the mindstate mentioned on When I Sleep the dominating force in your attitude these days?
No I would not say that. I often try to ignore much of what is going on in the world for it is quite depressing if I think about it too hard. There are so many problems and horrific things still happening in the world these days and I find when I’m lying in bed, trying to sleep, is when I realize how good I actually do have it compared to millions of others. The most important thing to me right now is my immediate surroundings and the things I can control.

To be honest the majority of people bringing out records in Australia are happy enough just to recoup their money. Sure there are some bigger names who make some serious coin but if you are not getting played on Triple J or Nova and not conforming to that ‘radio’ sound, then you are lucky to move two or three thousand units. Take away the initial outlay for recording, mastering, pressing, prom,o etc and you are not left with much.

That Feeling is another one of those ode to the music anthems but interestingly, you discuss having up and comers approach you for advice and such. How does your perception of the culture here change when this happens? I’m guessing you never anticipated it and it would be a strange and slow process of getting used to it.
I think my time working in the Obese retail store and my time on public radio on PBS and RRR helped me get use to it. There were always people dropping off demos and generally asking me how to go further and what they had to do to get to where I was. I feel like people have always been asking me for advice ever since Beezwax dropped so I’ve learnt how to deal with it. It feels good to help others and to see them put in the hard yards to achieve something. It’s mostly the same advice. Be unique, be yourself and don’t try to sound like the next man. Practice daily and when you are ready to show your music to the world hit it with an impact so people take notice.

Out of those up and comers who would you strongly advocate punters check out?
They don’t fall into the ‘up and comers’ category these days but a few names along the way would be Fluent Form, Maundz and Mantra. All are rappers who have great charisma, clever wordplay and lyrically on point. Not that Mantra ever asked me for any advice. Just thought his name was worth mentioning there for someone to check out.

Lazy Grey and Len One are some of the numerous guests to appear on Biaslife. Can you see yourself working on a full length project with these blokes?
Now that we all have kids I don’t see it happening. We have been trying since Boney & Stoney (now available through iTunes) to spark something off but as we get older there are too many life factors that get in the way and the fact we live in different states does not help. Originally Biaslife was going to be entirely produced by Lazy Grey but even that became quite difficult to organize. I’m sure we will continue to collaborate on tracks in the future but as for a full length I’m not sure.

How would you say you have changed as both an artist and a person since Beezwax in ’98?
I think I’ve grown up and matured both as a person and as an artist. These days an album is a more serious thing me and I want to do the best work possible. Ive realized you can’t change it once it is released and it will always be there for people to remember and judge you by. If it isn’t your best effort than you will always regret not putting in that little more time to make it shine. These days I put more thought into a writing a track. After being around for over a decade I think people also expect that little bit more from me with every release. As a person I live by the rule “the older you get, the happier you get”. This comes from spending your time with those you feel comfortable around and enjoy spending time with. Growing up you have to find who are your kind of people and where you belong and in doing so you can often waste too much energy trying to fit it. Maybe it’s easiest said as “getting too old to put up with peoples petty bullshit”. The main change personally though would be my confidence and belief in myself. Some people refer to it as ego but its more pride that I got myself to a place where I am happy being me.

How long have you been wanting to get Joyride on a track?
A couple of years now since I first saw him with Spit Syndicate on one of the Block Party tours. Besides his great voice he is a great bloke to have around. He is a great entertainer too. I’ve seen him DJ between sets, do back ups for the rappers whilst playing the keyboard or doing the cuts. Then he’ll sing his hooks in between and if there are some technical difficulties on stage he will just start singing his own songs to keep the crowd entertained. He is known as the show stealer.

What is the origin of this Subaru pride that earns a few mentions on the new album?
It’s the best car I’ve ever owned and bought it with my Beemixes money a few years back. I wrote most of the tracks for Biaslife sitting inside it under a bridge in Richmond by the Yarra. My little quiet place away from kids to get some writing done. Most of Aerosol Era was also written whilst sitting in that car, and many concepts for tracks were initiated whilst playing beats while driving. She is very special to me.

How much of an affliction is the gross misperception you speak about on Rap Life?
I still find it amusing that people think I’m living large or making major coin from this rap game. Ever since Beezwax I’ve had fans who still think it’s all about what they see in these hip hop clips that come out of the US with all the girls and cars. I’ve had rappers I don’t know asking me to put them on shows as supports and when I say I can’t they say shit like “just remember who helped you buy that house you are living in”. To be honest the majority of people bringing out records in Australia are happy enough just to recoup their money. Sure there are some bigger names who make some serious coin but if you are not getting played on Triple J or Nova and not conforming to that ‘radio’ sound, then you are lucky to move two or three thousand units. Take away the initial outlay for recording, mastering, pressing, prom,o etc and you are not left with much.

On the same track you refer to those incapable of competently doing business. Is this simply an unfortunate reality that comes with the territory of organising live shows?
A good promoter is hard to come by. They often last a year or two and then give up which opens the door for a newcomer who does not really know the ropes yet so you become a part of their learning experience which can often be a negative. When I was organizing shows everyone involved was looked after. Ask anyone. I prided myself on doing it right. I’ve had to deal with promoters not show up to gigs, some try and pay half of what was agreed, give you two standard drinks for a whole night and even at times I couldn’t get a water until I was about to walk on stage. Then they go and call you a diva for complaining. It still goes on. The majority do a good job and put their all into making it work. Its all about contract these days. Signed.

Speaking of which, plans to hit the road in the near future?
I have a few of the shows sorted starting with Gold Coast 24th June, Brisbane 25th June, Melbourne July 2nd, Perth 7th July and Geraldton on the 8th. More to be confirmed.

http://www.facebook.com/biasb

Sick shit from Tommy Illfigga, new album Walk A Mile dropping August 15.

6pm weeknights, SBS, do your eyes a service.

This woman, is as intelligent as she is beautiful.

As you were…