How did you get started with Hip Hop?
I was introduced to the music through skating when I was 10 years old. I used to buy skate vids and they always had mad soundtracks with good underground hip hop and just went from there really. I see skating and hip hop as brother and sister in a way. From there got into graff briefly but was totally whack so decided what I was doing was more vandalism than art so then eventually got into writing raps at 16 and went from there. I have been spitting 8 years this year but only developed a style I was truly happy with about 2 years ago.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in Leeds in the North of England. Lived there until I was 15 then moved out to Perth with my family for a “year’s trial” and haven’t left since.
I grew up in Leeds in the North of England. Lived there until I was 15 then moved out to Perth with my family for a “year’s trial” and haven’t left since.
What are your musical influences?
Wow. I don’t know where to start haha. Hip hop wise it was Wu Tang, Public Enemy and Slick Rick who influenced me to start spitting. Then over the years my tastes kind of developed. Braintax was a massive influence because he was from Leeds so kind of showed me that you didn’t have to be from the states to rap and you could rap coming where I came from. A lot of UK hip hop inspired me to like Cappo, Scorzayzee, Task Force, Tommy Evans, Blak Twang, Blade, London Posse etc. Nowadays I am inspired by personal hip hop like Cage, Atmosphere, Sage Francis, Eyedea etc. I love smart lyricism that relates to my life. I don’t really like rappers who spit nice lyrics but don’t say anything with them. I take inspiration from other genres to. I like old soul, I like folk due to the story telling and even old country like Hank Williams, George Jones, and Johnny Cash for the honesty in the lyrics. I think the aggression in my style comes from listening to a lot of 80s hard-core punk and shit to, so a lot of my style comes from non-hip-hop influences, I think if you just listen to rappers you are more likely to sound like other rappers.
What inspires you to write music?
Life experiences, literature, art in general. I get inspired by so many different things. I will read a book or see a film and it will inspire me to make a song like it. I also use films and literature to give me ideas on styles to write on certain topics. I have the Lower Class Love 2 trilogy on my album which is a 3 part story in song form. It tells the story of a relationship from the start, to the break up to the recovery and I wanted to do that in a kind of 50s film noir movie style with the imagery, so watched a lot of old films for inspiration. I do things like that a lot. Everything I write about is usually something that happened to me though. Everything I write is basically all personal. Somebody once told me I make music for down and outs and I kind of like this.
Life experiences, literature, art in general. I get inspired by so many different things. I will read a book or see a film and it will inspire me to make a song like it. I also use films and literature to give me ideas on styles to write on certain topics. I have the Lower Class Love 2 trilogy on my album which is a 3 part story in song form. It tells the story of a relationship from the start, to the break up to the recovery and I wanted to do that in a kind of 50s film noir movie style with the imagery, so watched a lot of old films for inspiration. I do things like that a lot. Everything I write about is usually something that happened to me though. Everything I write is basically all personal. Somebody once told me I make music for down and outs and I kind of like this.
What is your favourite album of all time?
Jesus. Fuck knows. I can’t answer this haha. There are way too many to think of so what I will do instead is tell you the albums I am playing at the moment that I am really feeling.
Jam Baxter – Rinse Out Fridays/Spack Out Mondays
Sims – Bad Time Zoo
Raven – Ravenous 2010
Contact Play – Champion Fraff
Jesus. Fuck knows. I can’t answer this haha. There are way too many to think of so what I will do instead is tell you the albums I am playing at the moment that I am really feeling.
Jam Baxter – Rinse Out Fridays/Spack Out Mondays
Sims – Bad Time Zoo
Raven – Ravenous 2010
Contact Play – Champion Fraff
What are your goals in hip hop?
My goals are to progress and elevate really. I try to improve every time I write a song and there is always room for improvement, there is always something new to learn. The more shit I listen to the more I find what’s missing from my style. I was originally all story and personal then started listening to real technical stuff, so tried to make my bars way more technical and keep my content. Then I will hear somebodies flow and be like “Fuck I need to get my flow to that level”. I am a massive sucker for tech flows so hunt for music with tech flows and then hear it and doubt my own flow haha. Always shit to learn. Got into Jam Baxter lately and then was like fuck I need to work on my imagery more. So yeah my goal is to just get as good as I possibly can be and never stop trying to improve. The more I listen to and the more I read the more I learn, writing is a never ending process.
My goals are to progress and elevate really. I try to improve every time I write a song and there is always room for improvement, there is always something new to learn. The more shit I listen to the more I find what’s missing from my style. I was originally all story and personal then started listening to real technical stuff, so tried to make my bars way more technical and keep my content. Then I will hear somebodies flow and be like “Fuck I need to get my flow to that level”. I am a massive sucker for tech flows so hunt for music with tech flows and then hear it and doubt my own flow haha. Always shit to learn. Got into Jam Baxter lately and then was like fuck I need to work on my imagery more. So yeah my goal is to just get as good as I possibly can be and never stop trying to improve. The more I listen to and the more I read the more I learn, writing is a never ending process.
When is your album available and where will we be able to get it?
Album will be out in Late May/Early June. Hopefully I will be hooking up a distro deal but if not I will push it hard online and at shows. DIY styles. This album is my baby. It is called Heart Core and I have pretty much said everything I want to say on it. The main theme of the album is really me trying to get my shit together and failing then doing it then failing and figuring out why this is, why I was put on this earth, why I fuck up so much. It is kind of a roller coaster ride tale of man trying to get his life and head together.
Album will be out in Late May/Early June. Hopefully I will be hooking up a distro deal but if not I will push it hard online and at shows. DIY styles. This album is my baby. It is called Heart Core and I have pretty much said everything I want to say on it. The main theme of the album is really me trying to get my shit together and failing then doing it then failing and figuring out why this is, why I was put on this earth, why I fuck up so much. It is kind of a roller coaster ride tale of man trying to get his life and head together.
Who have you worked on your album with?
Just crew and friends really. I only really like working with people I know and gel with. The whole thing was recorded, mixed and mastered by Rob Shaker who I consider a good mate as well as one of the best at what he does. Bipola who is my good friend from way back (I recorded my first ever official song to one of his beats called Limb Cuttaz haha, it was some horrible horrorcore type song, and we just both seemed to progress at the same time until we reached the level we are both at now) did all beats on the album except 4. I think his production is amazing and suits my style to a tee and the next album will be 100% Bipola. The album has also got 2 beats by the incredible Creed Birch who I think is the next M-Phazes. I got a beat by Rob Shaker who is a Perth hip hop legend and a beat by Eddy Xtrackt who gave me a beat that just blew my brains out. I didn’t want to get a ton of producers on it. I wanted to keep it minimal so I got a consistent sound. On the guest spots we have my boys from 32 Krew, Kadyelle, Thorts, Bitter Belief, Cortext and Enkhan. It is pretty much all crew and friends really.
How do you feel about the scene in Perth?
I think right now it is at a turning point. I had my first live set about 5 or 6 years ago and there were like 3 other rappers apart from SBX actually doing shit and now it is thriving. We have like loads and loads of new MC’s who are active. I think we are slowly entering a second golden era of Perth hip hop with so many releases coming out and so many constant live shows. This is the healthiest I have ever seen the scene.
I think right now it is at a turning point. I had my first live set about 5 or 6 years ago and there were like 3 other rappers apart from SBX actually doing shit and now it is thriving. We have like loads and loads of new MC’s who are active. I think we are slowly entering a second golden era of Perth hip hop with so many releases coming out and so many constant live shows. This is the healthiest I have ever seen the scene.
Have you got any shows coming up?
Yeah the next big one for me is April 7th at The Rocket Room where I am having my listening party where I perform tracks from the album live. I have only just really started doing shows again after pretty much a year off to work on the album so getting my new set together. Also performing on Easter Sunday for the Launch Easter Show. Got a set on April 9th at Railway, April 29th at Velvet Lounge. I am performing for the RTRFM Hip Hop Fundraiser on May 14th at The Bird. I am Supporting Creed Birch for his album launch in a month or so and I am performing at Harrys Bar on June 9th. I will be announcing my album launch dates soon also.
Yeah the next big one for me is April 7th at The Rocket Room where I am having my listening party where I perform tracks from the album live. I have only just really started doing shows again after pretty much a year off to work on the album so getting my new set together. Also performing on Easter Sunday for the Launch Easter Show. Got a set on April 9th at Railway, April 29th at Velvet Lounge. I am performing for the RTRFM Hip Hop Fundraiser on May 14th at The Bird. I am Supporting Creed Birch for his album launch in a month or so and I am performing at Harrys Bar on June 9th. I will be announcing my album launch dates soon also.
Check out these tracks from Soma.
Make sure you check out Soma on Facebook.
No comments:
Post a Comment