Spotlight Series (Part 24)

Zeadala

This week we are talking to some truly Inspirational Talent.

Zeadala hails from South West Sydney and she is a triple threat of talent and is a very inspiring Artist and she gives back to the community.

She does it all from Poetry, Singing and Rapping and she merges it into a Soulistic flow filled with passionate Tones and Lyrics addressing Social equalities and Politics and showing a true perspective of self-reflection she is a true Artist.

Her music is a journey of strength and Soul embodying her creative talent and the challenge to stereotypical concepts of women of different backgrounds who today are underrepresented in the Australian media and Music Scene.

I hope she continues to make music as her music is raw, real and so positive and truly represents the change needed and I can see her inspiring youth and the generations to come.

Zeadala has some upcoming events and if you want to support these and even to witness this talented Artist for yourself.

Rock the Block- Wednesday 6th of November for SWS (Hustle and Flow Bar @ 7 pm -late)

Conscious Presents- Saturday 23rd November (Campbelltown Arts Centre @6pm-late

https://www.facebook.com/events/450816682459770/

FOMArt- Saturday 30th of November (Gallery of NSW @3-4pm)

Newtown Festival with South West Syndicate on the 10th of November.

Her links are below make sure you check Zeadala out and support this local Legend!!!

https://www.facebook.com/zeadalamusic/

https://www.instagram.com/zeadala/

http://www.soundcloud.com/zeadala

Enough from me here is the Interview.

Why the name Zeadala?

Eadala is an Arabic word for justice. I wanted a name that would represent what I stand for as an artist. Growing up, my Arabic speaking Father would talk to me a lot about equality and justice and why it is so important. The word kept popping up in a transitional phase of my creativity and it just felt right. The Z part is because I am affectionately known as Zee. So I guess I also wanted something that people would recognize. I suppose in English my name would read: Z-Justice.

Where did you grow up?

I was born in Thailand and grew up in Auckland, New Zealand. When I was 5 my family and I moved to Sydney where we spent some time living in Kogarah and then Fairfield. South West Sydney is where I have spent most of my life so I feel very much like a west-side girl.

What Inspired your Music?

My music is inspired by so many things- by life and my experience as a woman living on Earth. When I was younger I am sure it was my teenage angst, it was pretty rough where I grew up, and I was pretty quiet and shy so writing music was a way for me to make sense of the world around me. Some of my music was inspired by stories my friends would tell me about themselves. I’ve always been able to connect and empathize with people that way. I guess nowadays it’s the same, I empathize with people around the world and so I use my platform to share stories that spread awareness about social, political and environmental injustice in hopes of uplifting and empowering people to create positive change. There are so many artists who use their platform to do the same, and I feel very much inspired by their commitment to building strong communities. That’s what Hip Hop is about.

How Long have you been Rapping/Performing?

I have been rapping and performing for about 5 years now- I started doing both around the same time, Hip Hop is so accessible like that. It doesn’t discriminate and has space for everyone so I very much feel a part of the culture of Hip Hop and am so grateful to it. I have learnt a lot and am privileged to have the opportunities to mentor young people and pass on the knowledge that I have learnt from my mentors past and present.

What are some current projects your working on?

I am currently working on my EP that is being supported by Campbelltown Arts Centre’s Conscious Program with L-Fresh The Lion. Conscious is all about supporting artists from Western Sydney so on the 23rd of November, I will be part of a concert with the Rebecca Hatch, Jessica Jade, Mirrah, and Nardean where we will be showcasing what we’ve been working on over the past year. I am also working on a couple of theater productions- one is called To Be Honest and the other is Under The Tree. I am super excited to be a part of both.

Advice for the Upcoming Artist?

My advice to upcoming artists would be to say yes to many of the opportunities that will come your way, you never know where they will take you. I would also suggest being authentic and real when talking to anyone- people know when you’re being real or fake and at times people may just want to work with you because you’re a great and fun person to be around!

Who is your top 5 Artists Or producers or Albums?

WHAT A HARD QUESTION. These are some of my favorites for today! I might feel differently tomorrow:

Miseducation of Lauryn Hill

Steal This Album- System of A Down

Stay Human- Michael Franti & Spearhead

Damnation- Opeth

Good Apollo, I’m Burning Star IV, Volume One: From Fear Through the Eyes of Madness- Coheed and Cambria

Who would be your Ultimate Feature/Colab?

I would love to collab with Sia, I think she’s an excellent songwriter and brings magic to every song she’s on.

Who do you think the best in Oz is right now?

DOBBY! He is absolutely smashing it and just completed a European Tour. I love that he raps and plays instruments at the same time. It’s so fun to watch and listen to.

Message to the Youth?

Trust in your path. There are many ways to get to where you want to go and not one way is the best one. At times I wish I didn’t go to university and that I spent more time making music instead. However, because of this, I started performing much later in my life and I feel like that was part of my journey. I have already accomplished so much more than I set out to and am finding that it is not at all about the destination but what you do and how you feel on your way there.

Show this Legend Some Love!!!!!!

Comment below or let me know who we should interview next!!!

Peace ✌️✌️✌️

Spotlight Series (Part 23)

Mickey Deville

This week we got in contact with Mickey Deville.

Hailing from Sydney, This guy is an absolute beast when it comes to Boom bap/Hardcore Rap.

Deville is an assassin on the mic with a sharp tongue and heavy worded Intelligent Bars and an aggressive delivery that really peels your cap back and opens your mind.

A true artist with raw relentless wordplay and aggressive undertones with dope rhyme schemes than will get you up and along with the flawless production on his tracks keep your headbanging.

He has worked with some serious talent including the legendary Producer C-lance, DJ Eclipse, Merkules, Matt Maddox, Burke the Jurke, Esoteric, Apathy, Celph Titled and Slaine.

Support wise he has torn up stages with Legends like Chris Webby, Merkules, Mad Child and Necro.

We first heard of Mickey Deville with his Cloak and Dagger Album released last year which has 8 Tracks of heavy wordplay and intelligent bars and packed full of legendary features like Slaine, Apathy, Celph Titled and Merkules.

His Links are below make sure you jump on his socials and support this Legend!!!

https://www.facebook.com/mickey.deville/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC8_IV17SaV0fSXkiC177xuQ(YouTube)

https://soundcloud.com/mickeydeville(SoundCloud)

https://www.instagram.com/devillehimself/(Instagram)

Enough from me here is the Interview.

Where did you grow up?

Sydney, born and raised.

How long have you been rapping?

Started taking it seriously around 2010. I was a metal vocalist for a while before that though.

What was your introduction to the underground scene?

As far as the Aussie rap scene? I dunno. I still don’t feel like we’ve really been formally introduced.

Describe your Sound/Style?

I guess you’d call it hardcore rap, or boom-bap.

What is the first album you ever owned?

I wanna say it was Michael Jackson’s Dangerous album. It was either that or the Flash Gordon soundtrack. Hand-me-down shit when I was a kid.

In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Tough to say. Depends on how you look at it, I guess. Maybe Tech N9ne. He’s kind of a big deal.

Do you have anyone that you consider your mentor? How has their help or advice shaped you?

Nah. No mentors. Plenty of peers and collaborators, but they’ll tell you, I never listen to their advice ha ha.

What in your opinion is the biggest barrier an artist like yourself, has to face and overcome, to gain any commercial success?

Again, depends how you look at it, man. What’s popular in rap now is nothing like what I do, so there’s that. My style is more Americanized too, so I think that makes it tougher to gain traction with a homegrown audience. I’m not in it for commercial success though. To borrow words from the late great Sean P, as long as they go yo, Mickey D goes in, I can live with that.

Advice for the Upcoming Artist?

Practice. Practice until you’re as good as the guys you listen to, then practice some more. Too many rappers can’t rap these days.

What would be your dream collaboration with any rapper or producer?

DJ Muggs, no question.

Who is your top 5 Artists Or producers or Albums?

That’s a tough one. I listen to tonnes of metal and other shit too, so that’s tough.

Without overthinking it, top 5 rappers, I’ll say:

Pac

Chuck D

Redman

B-Real

Ice Cube

Message to the Youth?

Grow up.

Ha ha Nah, I dunno. Stop mumble rapping into USB mics and putting it on YouTube.

My latest release, Cloak & Dagger, is available now on all digital platforms. Working on some new projects right now too, so people can add my Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to keep up with all of that.

Show this Legend Some Love!!!!!!

Comment below or let me know who we should interview next!!!

Peace

Huncho

Spotlight Series 22

Oddsox Interview

We got in touch with Oddsox , a Unique rapper with solid flows and catchy lyrics.

Hailing from Woodstock, Victoria a place with more Bales than Beats ,this guy is a legend in the making and is one to look out for. I see him doing big things!!

His high energy flow and story driven lyrics are captivating and really bring you along on the journey that is Oddsox we can see the dedication to his craft.

Oddsox released High School Reunion on September 13, 2019, and this is a solid album showcasing his skills as a lyricist and a story driven MC this is a dope release i really felt the music and the beats & narrative really enhances the experience ,This is an instant classic.

Oddsox has blessed the stage with Artists like Bluntfield,Mr Ruckman,Braidz,Clue,the Rukus,Seth sentry,TYS,Velvet Sands,Martian and MadChild.

His Links are below make sure you check him out and show Oddsox some Love!!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/inspioz/

https://oddsoxmusic.bandcamp.com

https://www.instagram.com/oddsoxmusic/

Enough from me here is the Interview!!!

We gave him the Motive 8!!!

Why the name Oddsox?

– My whole music vibe is being that odd sock (hence Oddsox), trying to find where I fit. My music celebrates that it’s okay to just be who you are, even if you are a little bit different.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in a semi-rural area called Woodstock, on a farm.

What Inspired your Music?

I’ve always loved music. I am a fan of a lot of different genres and artists and find this to be a good building block for music creation. I’m a big believer in all art being a huge impressionist dot painting, where your job is to look at all the other dots and add yours in.

How Long have you been Rapping? What are some current projects your working on?

I’ve been rapping for 7 years and releasing music for the past 4 years.

I have two more projects in the works: another concept EP titled “Something to Lose” and a trap mixtape titled the “The Sox Drawer”.

Advice for the Upcoming Artist?

Just be patient. Releasing music is a long haul game – it takes a lot more work and time than you first realize. Always try to be working harder at it than the person next to you.

Who is your top 5 Artists Or producers or Albums?

My top 5 artists of all time is too difficult a question to answer…..but I am currently listening to Da baby, Kodak Black, Mac Miller, J Cole and Chillinit

Who would be your Ultimate Feature/Colab?

The reason I fell in love with Australian Hip Hop was because of 360. Doing a song with him would be a huge tick off my bucket list.

Message to the youth

Just be yourself, even if you are a little left of centre.

Show this Underground Legend some love!!!!

Comment below or let me know who we should interview Next!!!

Peace out

Huncho

Playboy the Beast Interview

Spotlight Series (Part 21)

Playboy the Beast Interview

We are going international again and we have a huge underground Artist.

This week we got the chance to interview Playboy the Beast, Founder and CEO of Murder Musick Ent and underground legend, He is more than an Artist he is a Movement!!!

Hailing from Charlotte, North Carolina he is an underground heavyweight and he has an arsenal of Bars and Skill ready to body any track coming his way.

PTB is a Hip Hop powerhouse from Rap to Horrorcore this guy does it all with high energy chopper flow and easily switches to a dynamic gritty raw flow.

Working with some serious Underground icons like Twisted Insane, The Jokerr, Stevie Stone, King ISO, G-Mo Skee, Seed of 6ix, Cryptic Wisdom and recently Jahred from Hed PE.

We have been pumping his tracks for a while now and he has 2 Albums out and one on the way.

Self Made Self Paid is 17 tracks of underground gold, Full of dome cracking beats and lyrics that shock and awe you with the raw talent possessed by this Artist.

Mark of the Beast Reloaded is a 23 track long masterpiece of quick chopper flows and hypnotic horrorcore Bars and beats that will open your mind and keep your headbanging.

A true definition of tour de force, PTB is a Triple threat and an example of what hard work and talent can produce.

His Links are below make sure you jump on his socials and support this Legend!!!

https://www.facebook.com/187GANG4LIFE/

https://www.facebook.com/PLAYBOYTHEBEAST187/

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCNDJzCuFVRt7i3Fl0PG0l4w/featured

Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/playboythebeast187

https://www.instagram.com/TheRealUndergroundKing/

Enough from me here is the Interview.

We gave him the Hustle 9 (Beast Edition)

Why the name Playboy the Beast?

Well.., it used to just be Playboy, that name came from the fact that I used to party and f*ck lotta b*tches, tbh. And, I am a life long Vice Lord, and one of our symbols has always been the playboy bunny, and I just feel my street name, and the meaning behind that symbol represented me as an artist fairly well so, I stuck with that. In and outta prison, getting into lots of fights, lifting/training and getting pretty jacked.., we later added “The Beast” to my original name, to make the name more original and, to better represent who I was, my style etc.

Where did you grow up?

Spent my childhood in Iowa, and Minnesota. Most of my childhood, from around age 12 when I caught my first case to my mid/early twenties.., I spent locked up. Bootcamp, Detentions, Training schools, to eventually prison/jail. Did most of my time in Iowa DOC.

What Inspired your Music?

Life experiences. And music has just always had a major impact on me. I have always loved it. For as long as I can remember. Music is a way for me to release. I feel like it is what I was meant to do and, like everything I went through in life, was for this purpose.., to make me the person/artist that I am today.

How Long have you been Rapping?

As a career, less than 10 years now. But, I have been freestyling, writing poetry, lyrics, for 20+ years now. Since I was a kid, in and out of lock-up. Before everybody was a rapper and before it was super trendy and accessible lol

What are some current projects your working on?

Right now, I’m finishing up a few paid features. I have a 10+ track collab album that I am doing with one of my artists, King Malo of the saint paul kings. whole project is fire. Then, I am also working on my next solo album.., I’ve got Jahred from Hed PE on this one, Seed OF 6ix, Twisted Insane, C. Ray, Lex The Hex Master, Young Wicked, a lot of UG heavy hitters comin’ through for me on this one. And as always I have about 10 paid features on the deck that I’m working on as well. Prob drop a couple of singles in the very near future.

Advice for the Upcoming Artist?

Quality over quantity. Work smarter, AND harder. Invest in yourself. Don’t expect to blow up and go viral overnight. I personally feel the long road is the best way to build a solid foundation and to have longevity in the rap game. But, I’m still trying to figure sh*t out myself lol So, really.., just do whatever works for you. We all have different goals and, choose different paths to reach the goals. There isn’t any blueprint that you absolutely have to follow. What works for me may not work for the next man

Who is your top 5 Artists Or producers?

Producer wise, Project on the beat.., the new guy I started working with recently. He’ll be pricing about half of my new album. Am a big fan of DJ Paul, Timbaland, Scott Storch, Lil Jon, Dre of course.., and all them dudes from back in my day lol Artist wise, Bone Thugs prob my all-time favourite.

Who would be your Ultimate Feature/Collab?

Hed PE was on that top of that list but.., we made that happen. So, currently, I think.., a PTB x City Morgue track would be insane. Or, a Bizzy/Krayzie Bone ft. would be dope as well.

Message to the Youth?

Say no to drugs lol Fr tho. Stay in school man, get an education, stay focused. Get involved in sports, stay busy. And, avoid drugs/alcohol at all costs. The sh*t is pointless. I’ve been through it. Just be yourself, don’t follow what’s “trendy”, or worry about fitting in man. Just do you. And, do what YOU want to do.

Show this Legend Some Love!!!!!!

Comment below or let me know who we should interview next!!!

Peace out

Huncho

Spotlight Series (Part 20)

Dj Skae Interview

We have a true local Legend of the Scene this time around we spoke to DJ Skae, A very well known figurehead in Hip Hop in Sydney.

Hailing from Sydney, This guy does it all Graffiti, Producing, Records and plays live sets with international and local artists.

With over 20 Years in the game, Skae has represented the culture of Hip Hop performing and painting and working closely with various artists in opening sets to scratch sessions.

Skae is a true icon of the scene and is one of the hardest working DJs in the Oz Hip Hop Scene, Living and breathing the fundamental elements of Hip Hop.

Well, known across the Club and Festival scene he has supported over 60+ Gigs also he supports and promotes the Local Scene and has released 3 Compilation Albums.

1)Dj Skae’s guestlist- Released in 2009, was a masterclass of hip hop and production which featured a huge amount of talent and took out OzHipHop.com‘s compilation of the year (2009).

2) DJ Skae’s A-List released in 2011, Was another massive release and had a huge a line up of underground artists/DJ’s like Blades, Sereck, Social Change, Chase , Invincible Armour, Dj Butcher, DJ Vame, Torcha, DJ Morgs, Daily Meds, Rivals and Sceptic & DSEEVA.

3)Guest List 2- Released in 2012 and is by far one of my favourites as it encaptures that spirit of Hip hop and also has a huge list of inspirational Artists/DJs, Featuring big Artists for its time like Sleepwalkers, Daily Meds, Benji – PK Crew, DJ AK, Sarah Connor, Kade MC, Kerser, Hyjak and Izzy n the Profit.

Also forming Skae Music Co in 2009 offering Promotion, Marketing, Management, Production and Artist growth and of course Merchandise as well bringing the underground and commercial market together.

His Graffiti Art is beyond words, its awesome and he really brings out his A-game if you ever need any graffiti work done hit him up you won’t be disappointed they are banging works of Art.

His Links are below make sure you check him out and show this Sydney icon some Love!!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/DJ-Skae-15509741687/ https://skaemusic.bigcartel.com/ https://open.spotify.com/artist/3rNvFMuThmKcmB6rh6KFJ8…

Enough from me here is the Interview!!!

Why the name DJ Skae?

The name is my initials. It’s DJ “S” “Kae”. Everybody read it as Skae and it stuck so I stopped correcting everyone to “S” “K” and ran with it.

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in North West Sydney and running up and down the West Line!

What is one experience in life that, without it, you wouldn’t be the artist you are today?

The experience of growing up in Sydney has helped mould me to the artist I am today. If I had to narrow it down to one experience, I would say my first concert night seeing Ice Cube and Cypress Hill rock the Horden Pavilion and then heading to the trains with Skore.

How long have you been a Producer/DJ?

I have been DJing for over 20 years now and producing for about 10 years. I have also been running Skae Music Co, my record label for about 10 years now.

Do you have anyone that you consider your mentor?

DJ Myme has helped with along the way with the sharing of heaps of knowledge, experiences, tips and techniques. We continue to jam together and I still learn from him.

How has their help or advice shaped you?

Myme has taught me that there is more to djing than just djing and the technical knowledge has saved some of my shows and others show that I have been called on to help in dire situations. The show must always go on!

What is the first album you ever owned?

The first album I ever owned was “Let’s Go” (1985) a compilation album featuring The Pointer Sister and other various artists. The first single group album I owned was NWA’s “Straight Outta Compton”

Which ingredient do you think is most essential in making your sound and style the way it is?

That street influence, Raw and Ready!

If you could change anything about the industry what would it be and why?

I’d like to see more releases on vinyl and bring back the 12” with the acca and instro.

Advice for the Upcoming Dj/Producer/Artist?

Keep grinding and perfecting your art. Sometimes you just have to release your piece because you can’t perfect it forever. Most overnight successes have over 10 years of grinding in the background.

In your opinion who is the most influential and successful artist in your genre today and why?

Dr Dre is the most influential artist to me. He has been consistently on top of the game for twenty years and still comes with a new production that blows me away.

What are three things you look for when you see an artist play live?

1) An interactive DJ. I want to see the MC and DJ bounce off each other on stage!

2) Stage presence. I want the artist to own that stage and perform their material with meaning.

3) Interaction. I want to see the artist interact with the crowd and get everybody involved and

excited.

Who is your top 5 Artists Or producers or Albums?

1. Dr Dre 2. DJ Premier 3. NWA 4. Sean Price 5. Snoop Dogg

What are some current projects your working on?

I am currently on a production album. It will feature local and overseas artists over my production.

Message to the Youth?

Learn the history of whatever you are passionate about and don’t talk to the police!

Shout outs to Roske WL, Nogo DGKS and AWED!

Make sure you show DJ Skae Some Love!!!!!

Show this Underground Legend some love!!!!

Comment below or let me know who we should interview Next!!!

Check his page out and He has a New Years Eve event in Tassie!!!

Peace out

Huncho

Spotlight Series (Part 18)

Richie Uchiha

We are going international again and this time we contacted the multi-talented Artist and creator of Trap Goth Richie Uchiha.

Hailing from Oakcliff, Texas, This guy is a Multi-talented MC that lives and breathes anything Music.

With a unique style and unique flow, He really embraces his style and image and is true to the artist he is. Richie Uchiha is more than an Artist he is a movement bringing the new wave with him.

Stylistically he is a mixture R&B, Hip Hop and Pop and adding Rap/New Wave to his arsenal makes him a hybrid Talent powerhouse.

Easily switching flows from punchlines to adlibs and then switching to quick bars accompanied by heavy banging trap beats he smoothly navigates he definitely is through and through a new wave legend.

Finding the love of music while working with the group 1X and at the age of 18 he went solo dropping 2 singles Rider Chick and I don’t know.

Presently starting and building up his “Gothic Rap Movement” which is gaining traction on the daily and attracting new fans this Artist knows how to Hustle.

I listened to his tracks and I was really surprised at the quality and spirit this Artist has.

1)Dead Gang which is a short but banger of a track and showcases his Level of skill.One of my favourite tracks. (https://youtu.be/4bOLv-H_rGM)

2)Off Drugs is another banger of a trap and he transitions from fast flow spitting to chill balanced hooks with ease showing his multi-flow influence. (https://youtu.be/2qIBHbAMctw)

3)You Don’t Know(Freestyle) is another solid addition to this artists catalogue and a well-produced video to match. I enjoyed the cockiness and confidence of this track and he really shines on this. (https://youtu.be/sa_hgq_2F34)

I really see this guy going places and you should follow and join the growing movement that is “Uchiha Compound Movement”.

His Links are below make sure you check him out and show this Goth Trap Legend some Love!!!!!

links:

https://www.facebook.com/OfficialRichieUchiha/ IG: https://www.instagram.com/officialrichieuchiha/ TWITTER: https://twitter.com/TeamRichUchiha HYPER FOLLOW: https://distrokid.com/hyperfollow/richieuchiha/dead-gang

Enough from me here is the Interview.

We gave him the Hustle 9 (Sharingan Edition)

Why the name Richie Uchiha?

My name is Richie Uchiha because it was inspired by the anime character is Itachi Uchiha

Where did you grow up?

I grew up In Dallas (OAKCLIFF) Texas

What Inspired your Music?

Well, I Inspired myself with music it’s just a passion thing for me. Because music is apart of me.

How Long have you been Rapping?

I have been doing music for 11 years

What are some current projects your working on?

Well, I have this project I’m on this beat, And get away coming. I also got a movie I’ll be In called Social it’s gonna be great

Advice for the Upcoming Artist?

Be yourself stay humble and follow your passion.

Who is your top 5 Artists Or producers or Albums?

Marilyn Manson Chris brown Xxxtentacion Slipknot Eminem

Who would be your Ultimate Feature/Colab?

Marilyn Manson and Chris brown.

Message to the Youth?

Stay In school, go to college, become successful you got this never give up even when times get

tuff.

Show this Underground Legend some love!!!!

Comment below or let me know who we should interview Next!!!

Peace out

Huncho

Spotlight Series (Part 17)

Mitchos da menace Interview

We have a huge feature on this Spotlight Series we spoke to the Legendary Mitchos da Menace.

Hailing from Western Sydney this Artist is a Hip hop heavyweight and reps West Sydney to the fullest.

Stylistically he is a rapid-fire force to be reckoned with his high level of energy, heavy tones and quick-witted bars and his beats are always on point.

From Rap to Grime he has it on lock, These qualities and Lyrical skills make him an Iconic Rapper on the Scene and his experience really shines through.

He has even done tracks with international legends like Young Buck, Rich Boy and Local legends like Fraksha, Kerser, Fortay and Alex Jones.

Album wise he has had 3 solid Album/Ep releases and they are all solid bangers.

Menace MDMA was one of the first Albums I heard and it was an instant favourite of mine, It has track after track of certified bangers.

Straight Menace No Chasers was a continuous bar fest on every level and the beats on point as always, 12 songs of solid lyrics and heavy street music.

Silence was insane and was a hard-hitting Album beat wise and Lyric wise a huge follow up after Straight Menace No Chaser.

Menace has Supported and shared the stage with Jarren Benton, Fortay At Large, Alex Jones, That Kid Kearve, ChillinIt420, FRAKSHA, Nhostic, TKO, Talakai, Skrub, HUSKii, Lil Sknow, Shadow, Diem, Scotty Hinds and many more.

There is so much Raw Talent Coming out of Western Sydney, Head out to the local gigs and see for yourself!!!

He has an EP dropping in Jan and a single from the EP will be released on 31/10/19 make sure you follow and get ready for it.

His Links are below make sure you check him out and show this Western Sydney Legend some Love!!!

https://www.facebook.com/mitchosdamenace/ http://m.youtube.com/channel/UClaFTf-y8LCUqloSK-lr1NQ linktr.ee/mitchos_da_menace https://instagram.com/mitchos_da_menace?igshid=1w7v5mnrpr64e

Enough from me here is the Interview.

We gave him the Westside 10 (Menace Edition)

Why the name Mitchos Menace?

Bruz the name menace actually was called to my older brother when we were young and then I came along with that attitude and the mother called us Lil “menaces” rest is history

Where did you grow up?

Doonside West Sydney, But also Lalor Park has a big amount of time where I spent as my nan lived there and I spent and I lived with her a lot over my life.

What Inspired your Music?

Was the American gangsta shit bro NWA, Ice Cube, Cypress Hill, then to the goat Eminem .. I learnt that this was an escape too and some therapy getting stuff out I can’t really say out loud yeh.

How Long have you been Rapping?

Fuckkkk spitting since a youngin aye freestyles and what not but recording/writing only for like the last 5 years.

What are some current projects your working on?

Heaps brother a lot of features for mates albums dropping soon and a couple of huge features I’m wrapping up now, expect an EP by jan

Advice for the Upcoming Artist?

Give it you’re all … visualise what you want to stay persistent and Make sure you just be yourself!! That’s key most of all

Who is your top 5 Artists Or producers or Albums?

Shizzz this is just atm yeh as we can go so many ways lol dead alive For now though this current time –

Bugsy Malone, Stormzy, Dave east, Dave, KO .. that’s on the rotation

Who would be your Ultimate Feature/Colab?

Brah alive, Stormzy/Bugzy/Eminem, dead Tupac/biggie/big L

Who do you think the best in Oz is right now?

Right now mmm I could change this daily lol but no shit, Maybe COMPLETE,Chill, HUSKii (don’t get upset cunts 😂)

Message to the Youth?

Life’s going throw you some lessons and some curveballs, yeh, but gotta be a decent person no matter what, we get put through somethings to see who can handle them, you choose what you wanna be ! … but your the youth enjoy the moments, not all things are bad or have to choose bad … music example got me out of the shit for sure 🙏🏽 sky’s the limit lads and ladies.

Show this Legend Some Love!!!!!!

Comment below or let me know who we should interview next!!!

Peace out

Spotlight Series (Part 16)

Declan Dunne Interview

Here at Hustlers Handbook, we like to mix it up with the young up and coming artists, as well as they, are the future of our scene.

This week I got to speak to Declan Dunne an up and coming artist hailing from Melbourne a state known for a lot of talented artists/producers and a huge hip hop scene.

Declan is confident, driven and has the right attitude and skill level to become a force in the Hip hop scene.

His bars are solid and show versatility in his music, he has a storyteller rap vibe and utilises the Beats well.

We have been following some of his music and he sent me some tracks to listen to I love the fact he experiments with his beats and these are traits of a true artist.

Some of the tracks we listened to were:

1)Good Morning- This track I really enjoyed as he flows with a solid story premise and coupled with a Lo-fi Beat creates an engaging Track.

2)Lookout- Another banger of a track and the beat is amazing and his flow really brings this one home.

3)Abuse-The beat again is well-produced and flow is rapid and shows the ego/confidence this is a dope track.

4)Danger Zone-This beat is simple but a classic and he again spits a solid set of bars.

He recently supported Yankee Lee at Boney Bar and they have Collaborated on a track China 2 Australia which is being released soon.

This artist is one to look out for and mark my words he is going to be a known name in the Melbourne Hip Hop Scene.

His Links below make sure you check him out and show this Up and Coming Legend some Love!!!!!

https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100012464400010 IG-@declan.dunne12

Also, give make sure you check out: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZgeuvVYCZDE

Enough from me here is the Interview.

We gave him the Motive 8 and he didn’t disappoint!!

Where did you grow up?

Bro I moved around too much when I was young so I spent some time in Victoria, south Sydney coastal and central coast new South Wales all by the age of 10.

Then I spent my teenage years growing up in a small country cane farmer town called Proserpine. I spent 7 years in that place so I picked up a lot of that culture.

This place produces mad talent man n that’s real. I gotta salute all the real ones I had met there and I am appreciative for everything I went through growing up there. I met some of my day ones there.

What Inspired your Music?

I was watching the Australian rap scene from a young age and I thought wow this is great! these people are making a career off this and I thought man I can do this too! I gotta big ups to everyone before me who have been paving the way for us man younger generation and older but on some real shit when Kerser was coming up he took this rap game to a whole new level and showed people that this can be done independently so that also inspired me. when I had seen what EMCEE KERSER did I was like Woah and that gave me more insight and made me think anything can be done.

Me and the boys used to relate to his music a lot around 2012 n I think I was about 15 at the time and that’s when I first started writing down rhymes… At the same time, yer my music has a message n that’s important also to me the hustle of the music is important too. Cos at the end of the day I want the freedom of that internet money.

How Long have you been Rapping?

I started rapping in 2015, I put a project on sound cloud called “the deckumentary” and that shit sucks so bad, I recommend you check that out for a good laugh, my bars have always been crazy however I was lacking knowledge of vocal mixing and basically anything music but I was always able to rap on beat and since then I have improved a lot on flow, songwriting, delivery and production, but hey I had to start somewhere so basically I got straight into it when I decided to take music seriously.

What are some current projects your working on?

Bro right now I’m working on some crazy different new sounding music experimenting with different flows, beats, melodies and finding my sound I’m having a lot of fun working on these new beats I got I’m not gonna say whom I’m working with right now I want to wait till it’s completed. I also have a 20 track mixtape which is ready to go just thinking of where to release it and what to do with it, this unreleased project has some beats from Drufi, 2ray(NV), Denno Gee, StillFilthy, Smokie, N-TENSE and featuring rappers such as 2ray(NV), Vinny Vegas, B-Rae, BaldiniOne, MerynHall(Daizy Chains) all the production was done by DennoGee and Tony Fossey.

Also been working hard with my brother Yankee Lee man this guy is a legend in the making, A Chinese rapper killing it right now and I’m grateful to have met a great guy, all of you should be on the lookout for his music video “Chinese boyz”. And our collab track “China 2 Australia”. Just wanna thank everyone who has helped me out and all the people I have met along the way. Basically, bro, my aim is to always update and improve on the music I am cresting, right now I am experimenting and developing my sound.

Advice for the Upcoming Artist?

My advice is to step your game up! If your up and coming then you just like me! Step your game up and go hard, right now is an amazing time to be an artist in Australia, own your craft bruh! Stay inspired and keep going! If you are up and coming you already on the way, just keep pushing barriers!

Who is your top 5 Artists Or producers or Albums?

Bro in no order my favourite artist would have to be Reptilian Civilian, Justin Webber, Connor Jones, Denno Gee, Yankee Lee.

Who would be your Ultimate Feature/Colab?

I reckon Rates from ABK should jump on a track with me ay. I always liked his flows, content and the way he structured and delivered his bars. If I can find the right deal to get that dude on a track that would be hectic he’s a beast and a great artist in my opinion.

Message to the youth?

Yo! ima say it straight up this shit is fucked up and this life we living is not easy, This world is strait up dog eat dog, there are snakes out here and no one really gives a fuck about us.

You gotta stay true to yourself and be ready to fight on your own, there are good people out here too and people just like you! Find your tribe and treat one another like family, we work better in numbers. 100% be yourself and strive for positivity follow your dreams and believe in your self… Read more books… Educate… Study more… Do whatever you wish and don’t live to impress anyone else but ya self! Love your self! life is full of great experiences and opportunity to stay true to your self and stay ready my Gz.

I want to learn from the youth too, I want to hear the perspective and story of the youth, I’m not going to put myself higher than my youth because of my age. Life opportunities are endless so think outside the box and be ready to learn.

Even if you make mistakes that is ok because you can learn from experience.

Show this Legend some love!!!!

Comment below or let me know who we should interview Next!!!

Peace out

Huncho

Spotlight Series (Part 15)

This time around we have one of the Icons of the Sydney Hip Hop Scene Mighty Ash.

Hailing from Sydney, This guy is a well known MC that is pretty much involved in anything Hip Hop he lives and breathes his craft.

His style is a mix of the Old School/Funk and Groove and he dabbles in most musical Styles, This coupled with a positive and high energy level and not to mention a huge level of lyrical technique.

A hybrid of music and technique and the many years of experience in playing in various bands and Running/Performing at the many events in Sydney makes him one Sydney’s hardest working Mcs and the level of support he has shown to many Artists truly speaks volumes about Mighty Ash.

Since 1996 he had been a part of Bands such as Metaphorthesis, Ninja Vanish, Funkhouse, The Herb Boys, Metabolize, Graft, Venn, The Mudluck Trio and many more.

Some of the artists he has shared the stage with are Onion Man, P.Smurf, Jake Izzy, Matt Xander, GhostAttacK, Bigredcap, Losty, Lee Monro, Mitus, Acizm, EpifanE, Trigz, Swiftboi, Beat theory, Wolves, Zeadala and Sarah Maxwell.

My advice to any up and coming Sydney artists would be to check out his page and follow the events he is at. You could learn a lot from Mighty Ash and learn some respect for your scene and your craft.

His Links below make sure you check him out and show this Underground Legend some Love!!!!!

links:

https://www.mightyash.com/ https://www.facebook.com/mightyashmusic/ https://www.facebook.com/RahRecords2016/

Enough from me here is the Interview.

We gave him the Hustle 9 (Old School Edition)

Why the name Mighty Ash?

For that, we have to go back to around 1990/91 when I was in high school with a guy named Ashley. For a little while there we kind of swapped names.

This was right before I got into a bunch of rap/graffiti crews where you had to have a tag/alter ego, mine was always Ash and the name just stuck.

Around the late 90s I was developing my Emcee persona I was heavily influenced by the Free Jazz and Modal Jazz movements of the 1950s to 1960s, as well as the Old School, New School and Golden Era of Hip Hop from the 1970s to 1990s.

This introduced me to musicians such as Pharoah Sanders, Duke Ellington, Grandmaster Flash, Big Daddy Kane and so on. It seemed you either had a name of stature, royalty or what sounded like a pimp name. So for me, I felt adding the Mighty to the Ash brought all that together.

Where did you grow up?

I was blessed to be a mouse of both the country AND the city. I lived with my mum in the Inner West of Sydney and with my father in the mountains of the South Coast of NSW.

The South Coast is a very creative culture and community which taught me a lot about expression and art and freedom in being an individual, the city of Sydney taught me about being a performer, networking and the roots of Hip Hop.

What Inspired your Music?

I couldn’t even begin to name artists or albums, my record collection starts in the early 1930s and doesn’t skip a beat until the modern-day, and I’m inspired by all of it.

I have always been listening to and playing music for as long as I can remember. I can’t think of a period of my life that isn’t defined by music. I was digging into my father’s record collection from very young and got my first vinyl at the age of five.

I feel as if music is a part of being alive, a part of existence, and a way to create life, and feelings and emotion. I find people turn to music for support and to get free of negativity. Life and being alive is an inspiration, music is a language of that.

The beauty of Hip Hop to me is that I can take all those hundreds of types of music, all those personal and universal experiences and emotions, and blend it all into one thing.

Hip Hop is one of the few styles of music I know that is defined by its influence from other music.

What I try to do with that is create something to take people out of the burden of everyday life and give them a short holiday from stress and over-intellectualizing the world we live in. For this, I turn mostly to Funk, Jazz, Folk, and Rhythmic music to create a classical and familiar Hip Hop sound. I want it to be familiar, but also personal to me AND to the listener.

When I’m inspired by a type of music I am also inspired by an experience or a friendship, where I was or who I was in my life when it came to me.

How Long have you been Rapping?

Hard to say. I guess I’m one of those cats that learned to rap by imitating the artists I listened to on record, the earliest of which would have been RUN DMC in 1986.

By the early 1990s, I was free-styling at school and by the late 1990s, I was performing in bands.

What are some current projects your working on?

I have a ridiculous back catalogue of music I am always working on.

I’m one of those people who can never finish something because I’m worried it’s not good enough. So we can say there are about four or five albums sitting in that chamber.

The next release will probably be a collaboration with the Sydney producer and beat-maker Bugsy. Then I am going to be sitting down with GhostAttacK to start putting together a project, and hopefully during this release a solo L.P I’ve been working on for a couple of years.

At this point, everything I’m doing is through Rah Records so keep an eye on them and you’ll be in the loop.

Outside of the studio I am performing constantly in Sydney and the Blue Mountains and attending cyphers and freestyling and getting out and about as much as possible.

Advice for the Upcoming Artist?

If you are just starting out in the Hip Hop thing I would advise you to choose as early as possible what path it is you wish to take. Are you planning on being a celebrity? Are you looking to make a name for yourself in the local scene and build from the ground up? Or are you planning on merging into the underground and seeing where the adventure of life takes you? All of these things take time so you should be making moves right now.

You won’t make a name for yourself by just recording some substandard ‘rap’ in your bedroom and plastering it all over social media. You need to get out to the venues, you need to turn up to other people’s shows, you need to get to know the O.Gs on a first name basis. Become recognized as someone who turns up and supports the culture.

Master your craft, reach out, ask for advice. Once you have a show or a record then you should ask for support, until that time jump into every cypher you see, be fearless and humble. Go and say hi to that artist you are in awe of. Don’t be shy.

Who is your top 5 Artists Or producers?

Beastie Boys has always been a big one for me because they are one of the most versatile, which is super important to me. Chuck D is probably the epitome of what an Emcee is to me.

Ice T is one of the greatest storytellers and can become so many different people at will.

For producers, I can’t go past Automater and DJ Premier as well as KutMasta Kurt.

But that’s enough of the classic American artists, we need to finish on a local note

.

Izzy taught me a lot about the other elements of being an Emcee, namely freestyle and hosting.

And the guys from Def Wish Cast as well as A.S.K, P.Smurf and everyone involved in SYD DEF JAM all made me feel welcome in the scene when I was coming up in Sydney and that meant the world to me, so I hold these people in the highest regard.

It’s one thing to be a fan of an artist, it’s a whole other thing to break bread with these people as equals and feel like you’re actually a part of something.

Who would be your Ultimate Feature/Colab?

Oh wow, I mean wouldn’t it be great to feature on like a Run The Jewels album, or do a track with Kool Keith and KutMasta Kurt, but in reality the ultimate would be to do something meaningful, something that is actually of great importance to the culture, beyond fame and feeling special to actually putting my name on something legit. It HAS to be Def Wish Cast. In the city I’m from they are the kings.

Message to the Youth?

Unless you want to be the next Australian Idol I suggest you pay no attention to the radio, tv, and all these fancy music videos coming out of the United States.

American media likes to sell the dream of the super-rich and famous rapper, but it never tells you the real story of the roots of Hip Hop, the elements, the O.GS, and the kings and queens.

Don’t approach Hip Hop as some drug dealer gangsta pimp cool guy thing. Avoid the cliches of sexism and homophobia and abusive slang fed to you by the media. Go out and find the real thing.

Study the elements, meet the artists, work on your craft, be sincere, be humble, contribute.

When you get somewhere remember to reach down and help out the next generation of kids coming up. Hip Hop is not a fashion or a slang or a trend, it’s a culture, and it’s in your city, go out and get down with it.

Show this Sydney Legend Some Love!!!!!!

Comment below or let me know who we should interview next!!!

Peace out

Huncho

Xelf Interview

We have been keeping it Local but today we are spreading the love internationally.

We got in touch with Xelf.

Xelf is an up and coming rapper hailing from Chicago but now repping Connecticut.

I was drawn to the confidence and creativity this young artist has and he will definitely be one to look out for and is holding his city down to the fullest.

He has a chilled out vibe and has the spirit of a true artist and he has some solid beats as well and works well with solid lyrics and delivery.

Release wise he has some dope Tracks/Videos and an EP full of bangers, Make sure you check out his Links Below!!!

https://song.link/Dontcountmeout https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQ-ofgPrb0C42vEn8l1Dx2Q https://instagram.com/_x_elf?igshid=fo1yzi8ohhdz https://www.facebook.com/timothy.reliford

We gave him the Hustle 9, (Chi-Town Edition)

Why the name Xelf?

Because nobody can be you… they can try to imitate what you do and how you do it, but can’t be you at all…. and I’m original with everything I do

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in Chicago but moved back home to Connecticut my sophomore year of high school.

What Inspired your Music?

Everything around me inspired my music…. everything I went through and what I’m going through now… I look at situations in my life like damn I know there’s people out here that could fee what I’m talking about in the music

How Long have you been Rapping?

I have been rapping since high school… around my junior year was when I said ima take it seriously then took some time off cause of other things I was dealing with… and not too long ago I got back into the music

What are some current projects your working on?

I just dropped my EP “Don’t Count Me Out” last month and that’s been going crazy, I’m getting nothing but good feedback from it so that’s good…. but as of now I’m back in the studio working on my mixtape that I plan on dropping next year, and putting finishing touches on a couple of videos so we lit.

Advice for the Upcoming Artist?

Be your self … that’s it that all. Stay true to who you are and do what you feel is right. A lot is gonna come with this so just be prepared.

Who is your top 5 Artists Or producers?

Xelf Calboy A boogie Meek Pnb rock

Who would be your Ultimate Feature/Colab?

It’s a few big names I would want to work with.

Message to the Youth?

Don’t let anybody count you out

Show this Underground Legend some love!!!!

Comment below or let me know who we should interview Next!!!

Peace out

Huncho