Having left a size 11 Nike imprint stomped on the face of local hip hop through the ground breaking Nebulizer album, Kerser is now ready to release the first single Stand Up off of the hotly anticipated album No Rest For The Sickest due out November 2012.

The single Stand Up is a taste of what’s to come from an album which represents the many dark aspects of his life.

With his live shows causing shock waves around the country, thanks to their menacing mix of rave, rap, electro, funk and r’n’b, and his new material revealing yet more of his talents as an artist, this emcee from the gutter is out to hammer the message home – because if you didn’t now it then, then you know it now – Kerser was, is and will always be the sickest.

Available through iTunes only.

Purchase  ||  Facebook  ||  Twitter

No Where To Go is the new single, a raw, deep insight into the life behind the scenes of Sydney’s most infamous hip hop artist; Kerser. Taken from his highly anticipated upcoming album No Rest For The Sickest (out November 2nd), No Where To Go is available now for purchase via iTunes. 

With classic Nebs production to assist in capturing the feeling and vibe, both soundtrack and lyrics blend into a transcendent track bound to make waves, Kerser fan or not!

Facebook  ||  Twitter  ||  Purchase

Earning his stripes in the UK’s underground live circuit, Fraksha has proven himself to be one of the UK’s finest MC’s. Having shared the stage with artists like Skinnyman, Kano, Klashnekoff & Blak Twang as a founding member of the UK outfit Nine High, Fraksha spent time honing his craft and sold out two mixtapes, a testament to his tenure in the UK scene.

 
Opting to move to the greener pastures of Australia in 2006, after a previous visit in 2002/03, Fraksha hit the ground running, joining Aria Award winning Bliss N Eso on their sold out Get Loose tour, giving Fraksha the opportunity to slide into the Australian Hip Hop scene with ease. With the love received on the Get Loose tour, Fraksha re-pressed his Take Two (Nine High) mixtape which received rave reviews and sold out within just a few months of release.
 
Since his 2006 arrival into Australia, Fraksha has shown his versatility, being regularly booked to perform at cross-genre events (Void in Sydney, Rukus in Brisbane, Too Much and Heavy Innit in Melbourne, resident at Wobble 2008-12) displaying his unique UK flow and demonstrating his refusal to be boxed in to any one genre. From drum n bass, to grime, to dancehall to dubstep and anything in between  you name it, he can rap on it and well. As an in-demand mc for events throughout the country, Fraksha is considered one of the top Grime/dub-step MC’s in Australia.

With a critically acclaimed self titled debut album with Nine High (released July 2009) under his belt and collaborations with notable Australian artists such as Reason, Ciecmate, Tornts, Kerser, Choose Mics, M-Phazes, Sky’High & That’s Them, as well as contributing one of the highlight tracks to M-Phazes Aria winning Good Gracious (‘That’s What We On‘) album and performing on the subsequent national tour, Fraksha is now a well known and widely respected MC in the Australian scene.

Most recently, Fraksha has released his first solo offering It’s Just Bars, the first official grime release to come out of Australia. It’s Just Bars, mixed by DJ Affiks and featuring production from M-Phazes (M.O.P, Pharoahe Monch), Loco (Joe Budden, Miss Dynamite), Juzlo, Youthful Implants, has received great reviews throughout the country and the first single Next Sound Level has since been remixed by Loco, MatCant (Scattermish) and renowned dub-step producer Spherix. The mix-tape went on to win mix-tape of the year 2010 in the annual ozhiphop.com awards. With his fingers in many pies 2010 also saw Fraksha commence presenting The Sunday Roast show on Kiss FM in Melbourne, Australia’s only purely grime radio show!
 
2010 also saw Fraksha coming together with fellow MC’s Diem (Hospice Crew), Scotty Hinds (Nine High) and Murky Depths to start Australia’s first grime crew; Smash Brothers. Noted for their high energy live shows and regular radio appearances, Smash Brothers are THE crew to watch. Having received coverage on grimeforum and recording a one off set for them, they were personally asked by legendary grime producer Dexplicit to record the official Australian vocal of Pull Up Dat 2011.

No stranger to airports, 2011 saw Fraksha being booked to undertake a short tour of New Zealand alongside Dizzee Rascal, Dead Prez and more. This Kiwi connection also spawned a massive remix of Next Sound Level by New Zealand dub-step royalty Optimus Gryme and further work with the highly respected Bulletproof who collaborated on the Sky’High and Smash Brothers track and video Reign. In 2011 Fraksha also collaborated with the production duo Karton, providing the vocals on the explosive first single and video Bang from their well received album Find The Constant.
 
While continually tearing up shows Smash Brothers kicked off 2012 with a bang dropping video’s for the incendiary Gangsta, produced by dub-step kingpin Filth Collins, Loco produced Areyouf***ingmad and the fan favourite from Fraksha & Diem Crepes. Continually pushing and spearheading the grime sound in Australia this year also saw Fraksha team up with Affiks and Arctic to start the grime night 50/50 bringing to Melbourne grime heavyweights such as Teddy, Rude Kid and Swindle. Not one to rest on his laurels through the Winter months, Fraksha has been hard at work in the studio and 2013 will see him proudly release his debut solo album through Broken Tooth Entertainment.

For those in the know, it is no earth shattering news that Fraksha has now signed to release his next album, My Way, on Broken Tooth Entertainment. Fraksha has been kicking around the scene for years doing his thing and always staying mad prolific. In recent years, his work with Smash Brothers has garnered a great deal of attention alongside Scotty Hinds, Murkey Depths, and the one and only Diem.

Fraksha – My Way drops March 1, 2013 through Broken Tooth Entertainment.

BTE  ||  Fraksha  ||  Twitter  ||  Soundcloud

Since the release of his collaborative project The People Vs Tycotic (2006), which received spins from triple j and featured guest vocals from names like Phrase, Spit Syndicate and Torcha, Tycotic has become an unstoppable force in the scene, with his punchline heavy rhyme style and rock-solid all terrain flow.

With a reputation for delivering an electric live show, Tycotic has toured Australia and landed support slots for the likes of Tech N9ne, Bone Thugs n Harmony, Bliss n Eso, 360, Drapht, Illy and Kerser, just to name a few. 2008 saw Tycotic release Conversation Domination distributed through MGM, and soon after embarked on the Conversation Domination Tour.

As well as working on his own music, Tycotic was the executive producer on Xrsize’s debut LP Lyrikally Fit (2007), and even more recently has directed music videos for Kerser. With a brand new video (The Weed Song), and an EP titled Epica about to drop, Tycotic is back with a vengeance. So don’t say you weren’t warned.

Tycotic  ||  triple j Unearthed  ||  Facebook  ||  Twitter

Kerser, the now infamous champion of the Australian underground, is back with his second album No Rest For The Sickest. Joining forces with production don Nebs once again, the symbiotic duo continues to strengthen their unique sound, one which has taken the country by storm.

With less than one year between releases, Kerser’s debut effort The Nebulizer ran down the gates of convention, and in its wake generated a new sub culture captained by the brazen emcee. Thousands now hang on his every tweet, facebook update, wait anxiously for his next YouTube clip. Defiant his music remained untainted by the onslaught of attention, Kerser has created an honest, raw and ruthless sophomore album, his notorious conviction still intact.

Vocal contributors on the album include cohorts Rates, Nebs, and Sarm, who bring their perceptions to the table, already set by Kerser with all manner of poignant topics.

No Rest For The Sickest is out now.

Purchase  ||  Facebook  ||  Twitter

DJ Skae is back again with his third compilation album, DJ Skae’s Guestlist 2. Showcasing artists from Sydney’s Hip Hop scene Skae has hand picked some Australia’s finest artists to feature on this compilation.

These include Kerser, Sky’ High and pioneers Def Wish Cast. Production is also handled by some of Sydney’s favourite producers including DJ A$K, Nebs and B-Don. The limited run of physical copies comes with a free DVD with video clips from album and some bonus videos too.

Track list:
Booby Trap – Daily Meds
Bacon & Eggs – Benji
Catchin’ Z’s – Sleepwalkers
Fortune 500 – Collective Crew
Mad World – Sceptic, Nihilist & 2Far
In Crime & Ivey
Darknights – DJ A.$.K feat Defwish
Comin For The Throne – Dseeva
Down With The Heights – Herb
(J.Neri, Provocalz, Gunsta)
Fresher Than You – Sarm
New Day – Izzy n The Profit feat B-Don
Lonely Lyricist – Kade MC
Don’t Wanna Know – Sarah Connor
Kerser is Sick – Kerser
Mr Neverdidright – Kaye
Look At Me Now – Sky’High
Midnight Streetz – 2LOCO In Crime & Ivey
Ram Raid – Hyjak
Get On Down – Illergic
Madd Technik – SWR (J.Neri, Provocalz, Gunsta)
In The Club – The Hed UBD feat Fortay At Large
The Weed Song – Tycotic

Purchase  ||  Facebook  ||  Twitter

Kerser, the now infamous champion of the Australian underground, is back with his second album No Rest For The Sickest. Joining forces with production don Nebs once again, the symbiotic duo continues to strengthen their unique sound, one which has taken the country by storm.

With less than one year between releases, Kerser’s debut effort The Nebulizer ran down the gates of convention, and in its wake generated a new sub culture captained by the brazen emcee. Thousands now hang on his every facebook update and wait anxiously for his next YouTube clip. Defiant, his music remains untainted by the onslaught of attention, Kerser has created an honest, raw and ruthless sophomore album, his notorious conviction still intact.

On the back of his latest release the Sickest himself is coming to you on the No Rest For The Sickest National Tour. Boasting huge supports at every stop including: At Large, Rates, Jaydee, and many more these are shows you don’t want to miss.

No Rest For The Sickest Tour Dates
Friday 11 January 2013 – Villa Nightclub (18+) – Perth
Saturday 19 January 2013 – Fowlers Live (AA) – Adelaide
Thursday 31 January 2013 – Entrance Leagues Club (18+) – Central Coast
Saturday 2 February 2013 – The Hi Fi (AA) – Sydney
Saturday 9 February 2013 – The Hi Fi (U18) – Melbourne
Saturday 9 February 2013 – The Hi Fi (18+) – Melbourne
Friday 15 February 2013 – The Hi Fi (18+) – Brisbane
Saturday 16 February 2013 – Coolangatta Hotel (18+) – Gold Coast

Youtube  ||  Facebook  ||  Purchase Album  ||  Facebook Event

If you don’t know the name by now, you need to check yourself cunt. Alex Williamson aka The Loosest Aussie Bloke Ever is taking not only the internet by storm, but also carving his way to becoming one of Australia’s most in demand stand up comics. With upcoming shows at the Adelaide Fringe Festival and also The Melbourne International Comedy Festival, Alex’s loose brand of comedy is proving to be a juggernaut.  

aahh: With over 25 million views on YouTube and over 150,000 subscribers, it’s hard to imagine YouTube without your video’s. What has it been like becoming a famous face on a platform like YouTube?
Alex: It’s whack. People stare at me in public and I can tell they’re thinking, “is that the sketchy cunt off the internet?”,  I just flip out because when you’re stoned everyday you already feel like everyone’s staring at you. But life’s the same. I’m broke as shit. I hang out with some fucking ferals at times also. Just whoever has weed basically.

aahh: You started performing stand up comedy back in 2007 and in 2009 you won the RAW comedy festival. Was that the point when you first thought “yup, I can make a go of this comedy stuff”?
Alex: Yeah I was always a bit of a performer in high school, did drama and all that shit, so I figured I could give stand up a healthy crack. I’d watched everyone from Seinfeld to Rodney Rude, and I was bloody obsessed with making cunts laugh (and MILF porn).

aahh: You also did a stint on radio, is that because you thought you had a head for radio?
Alex: Oi get fucked mate, my head is symmetrical and shit, don’t give me that head for radio business! I only did radio because it’s one of the few media platforms you can just sit there flat-out wanking, whilst being a performer.

aahh: The title of your brand new Fringe show is Alex Williamson and Friends. How long did it take to come up with the name for that?
Alex: I didn’t even come up with the name. My manager came up with it because I fell asleep in a crack den for 6 nights and the deadline for the show name came up lol.

aahh: Tell us a bit about your “Friends”? Are they cool cunts?
Alex: Yeah man, I have these characters, Loose Aussie, who does shit like wear the same clothes two days in a row (he’s fucked in the head aye), and my other character is Musical Drug Dealer, who does songs about fingering teenagers and shelving pingas. It’s deep.

aahh: Speaking of cunts, we’ve just seen The Loosest Aussie Ever team up with a series of hip hop artists including Seth Sentry, Kerser and Eso of Bliss N Eso for a few short videos. What has it been like working with these guys and are you a fan?
Alex: I’m a big fan. I didn’t listen to much hip hop in high school, but I’ve really got into it last few years, and god damn it’s catchy and original shit. All the lads I’ve teamed up with so far are true pros (and sick actors turns out). I’m actually working on a comedy/electro/hip-hop/drug-trip album currently, so stay tuned.

aahh: We recently played the ‘cunt’ game on my mates Facebook wall, are there any movies you forgot to include in the ‘You Can’t Say That’ Video that need a mention?
Alex: “A Few Good Cunts” made me laugh my ass off. Some cunt tweeted that at me.

aahh: We hear that your currently in LA, what are you doing over there?
Alex: Meeting all sorts of TV and film crews, as well as loosing money in Vegas and exchanging phone numbers with homeless people when searching for drugs. Fucking Hollywood baby.

aahh: We follow you on Instagram and no surprises to anyone, you’ve been loving California and it’s new marijuana laws. Are you planning to relocate to Cali specifically for that reason?
Alex: I’d love to do 6 months a year here. There’s just so many Cali sluts that need to be throttled by an Aussie lol you feel me?

aahh: To finish off, why should people come see you at the Adelaide Fringe & Melbourne International Comedy Festivals?
Alex: Coz I’m a real mother fucker, and there’s way too many fake mother fuckers out there. I can also ride my push bike really fast.

You can get more information and tickets to all of Alex Williamson’s shows by following the links below. Be quick, this shit will sell fast.

Gig Guide  ||  Adelaide Fringe  ||  Melbourne International Comedy Festival

Obese Records, Australia’s first hip hop label, was established in 1995 as a small record store originally named OB’s. After the business was bought and renamed by Tirren Staaf (Pegz) in 2002, the label was created as an outlet for the distribution of Australian hip-hop.

Melbourne’s emcee Reason with his album Solid, was the first release on the label, closely followed by the scene-defining Culture of Kings and Obesecity compilations. Over the course of its twelve years, Obese Records has seen success stories such as Hilltop Hoods, Muph & Plutonic, Drapht, Illy, release award winning albums, play to crowds of thousands at Obese Block Parties, and cement their places in Australian hip hop history. Current artists on the roster include Plutonic Lab, M-Phazes, Dialectrix, Thundamentals, Spit Syndicate, Pegz, Chasm and more.

The nerve centre at Obese HQ, headed by Operations Manager Fern Greig-Moore, Publicist Lindsey Martin, and Sales Manager Terry Ho, includes sales, publicity, marketing, accounts, and A &R services. In 2013 Obese Records signed its first management contract with successful underground emcee Kerser, one of many important artists on the extensive distribution roster.

As the label continues to wave the banner for credible hip hop releases in Australia, the demand for distribution has increased. Boasting industry stalwarts such as Broken Tooth Entertainment, Crate Cartel, Wordburner/Bias B, Lookup and Karsniogenics, Obese Distribution umbrellas over 100 of the country’s finest hip hop acts. Managed by Frank Mincone, The Prahran store (4A Izett Street) has become a hip hop mecca in Australia for committed fans, hosting media listening parties, in-store signing sessions, radio marathons, and its own segment on Obese TV.

After years of demographic observation, Pegz recognised the demand for a cultural hub in Frankston after noting a large portion of hip hop enthusiasts inhabited the bay side region. The decision was made to replicate a second retail store. Conveniently positioned at the heart of the township, the shop features an impressive wall piece by Melbourne graffiti artist Shem and will be open five days. Business hours are Tues – Sat 10am-5:30pm, and 10am – 6pm on Fridays. Besides vinyl, CDs, and the label’s own merchandise, Obese Records retail will stock street apparel and accessories from brands such as 1Line, Wu Tang, Burn Crew, and Kangol. Quality paints from Ironlak, Molotow will also be available to customers over 18, as well as a wide range of arts supplies, street art magazines and DVDs. 

The store’s opening signifies an important time in local hip hop culture, where in the face of the demise of physical music sales across the industry, the hip hop community continues to support vinyl and CD production. With a highly productive 2013 and beyond planned, keep an ear out for upcoming Obese Records related events, and other announcements in the coming months.

Obese Records  ||  Youtube  ||  Twitter  ||  Facebook

Presenting the self titled debut album from Sarm of the acclaimed Sydney duo That’s Them. Featuring guest spots from undisputed kings Kerser, Rates, Fraksha, Tornts, Dialectrix and Rinse (Bingethinkers), with production by Nebs, the album burns its way across your ears the same way the intense orange of the 6 panel digipack sizzles across your retina.

Combining the futuristic, angular production of Nebs with the characteristic hip hop and grime flavoured flow of Sarm, this will be yet another hotly debated and passionately devoured release featuring the new sound shouldering its way out of Sydney’s West. Nebs‘ electro disco influenced production pops like fizzing, acidic neon across the black granite opulence lent by deeply dug soul samples cut by masters such as DJ Mathematics, DJ Floskel and DJ 2Buck.

Never one for the same old humdrum, Sarm contrasts the sharp grime style of Fraksha with the mellow flow of Dialectrix, and the snappy bravado of tracks like I’ll Abuse You For Fun with the devastatingly honest When You Hear This, about the diagnosis of Sarm’s daughter with leukaemia. Dropping on April 12 through LookUp & Obese Distribution, Sarm is about to unleash volcanic heat on the local hip hop scene.

Track Listing:
Live And Direct Ft DJ 2Buck
Fresher Than You
This Is Our Time Ft Kerser, Nebs & Rates
Nice To Meet You Ft Dialectrix
I’ll Abuse You For Fun
Back In the Day Ft DJ Mathmatics
Keep It Moving Ft Fraksha
The Cheeky Kid Ft DJ Floskel
Don’t Mention My Name
Raw Is life Ft Tornts & Nebs
Love Of My Life
Global Warming Ft Rinse
Roll Up Ft Nebs & DJ Mathmatics
My Own Back
Bang Your Head Feat Kerser & Nebs
When You Hear This
Who You Know Ft DJ 2Buck
All I Have

Instagram  ||  Facebook  ||  Twitter

Kerser returns in 2013, this time teaming up with brother and best mate, Rates for We Here Now. Having dropped last Sunday 24th March, the stand alone single is now available on iTunes as a digital 3 track package, including radio edit, instrumental and accapella.

This past year has been intense for the Campbelltown emcee. With increased notoriety, Kerser has endured the biggest transition of his life, not to mention the most isolating. We Here Now is a rags-to-riches tale, contrasting between an optimistic present and days survived. On writing and performing with Rates: “It’s the best ay. ‘Cause he’s my brother, but he’s my best mate. So it’s a dream come true, we’ve both been working together for years and years. We both think the same.” – Kerser

With production by long-time beat benefactor Nebs, We Here Now is upbeat and features old-school samples and heavy drums. Due to the overwhelmingly positive response to his No Rest For the Sickest Tour early this year, Kerser, along with Rates, hit the road again, this time focusing on regional areas all across the country . The We Here Now Tour will commence in June of 2013. Dates and further info to be announced soon.

Purchase  ||  Instagram  ||  Twitter  ||  Facebook

The third full length episode of Obese TV is here. Obese TV aims to feature dope new segments such as ‘New Releases’, ‘Classics’, ‘Obese Retail’, ‘Spotlight’, ‘Backstage Pass’ and more. Each episode of Obese TV will be hosted by a different member of the scene.

Following the success of Kerser’s No Rest For The Sickest Tour earlier this year, the infamous emcee hits the road for the second time in 2013 due to popular demand, accompanied by brother Rates and hype man Jay Dee. The Kerser and Rates - We Here Now Regional Tour kicks off on the 5th of June in NSW, the tour will make its way around regional Australia throughout June and July.

On top of Kerser and Rates having just released their single We Here Now together (now available on iTunes), Rates is also due to release his debut album Rebuild & Destroy later in the year through Obese Records Distribution. Keep an eye on Kerser’s Facebook page here for further announcements including local supports and state by state shows. 

Tickets  ||  Facebook  ||  Twitter

Much could be said about Rates… an artist, a musician, a good humble guy, or a raging lunatic… either way, he is fast making an impression on the rap scene. Older brother to one of Australia’s most promising and talented artists Kerser and best mate to Jay Dee.

Rates is well known for describing this lifestyle and often giving good advice to kids and people in the same situation. This fact is evident on I Rap Because, simply stating why he chose this life and provoking quite alot of thought along the way. Rates has toured all over the country and has performed at many sold out venues all across Australia.

Rates, along with Kerser, have been gaining plenty of momentum with the new single We Here Now. The track tells a tale of their journey as artists, transitioning from an adverse development, to a fully certified identity in the hip hop community. Rates’ latest fan pleasing activity has set the scene for his album release, which is set to land later this year. Check out the new Ferocious promo filmclip below. Destroy & Rebuild is due June 14th.

Obese Records are happy to announce Rates has been signed to Obese Distribution!

Facebook  ||  Obese Records  ||  Purchase We Here Now

Presenting the self-titled debut album from Sarm of the acclaimed Sydney duo That’s Them. Featuring guest spots from undisputed kings Kerser, Rates, Fraksha, Tornts, Dialectrix and Rinse (Bingethinkers), with production by Nebs, the album burns its way across your ears the same way the intense orange of the 6 panel digipack sizzles across your retina.

Never one for the same old humdrum, Sarm contrasts the sharp grime style of Fraksha with the mellow flow of Dialectrix, and the snappy bravado of tracks like I’ll Abuse You For Fun with the devastatingly honest When You Hear This. Out now through LookUp & Obese Distribution, Sarm is about to unleash volcanic heat on to the local hip hop scene.

Purchase  ||  Instagram  ||  Facebook  ||  Twitter

Earning his stripes in the UK’s underground live circuit, Fraksha has proven himself to be one of the UK’s finest MC’s. As a founding member of the UK outfit Nine High, Fraksha spent time honing his craft and sold out two mixtapes, a testament to his tenure in the UK scene. Fraksha now presents his debut full length player, My Way, and it’s out now.

aahh: Was the title for the LP ‘My Way’ an obvious choice?
Fraksha: Yeah pretty much it was. I had a couple of different working titles while I was recording, but towards the end while I was listening back to tracks, I realised I said it a few times in different tunes and it seemed to sum up what the record was about really.

aahh: Can you tell us what a few of those working titles for the album were?
Fraksha: ‘All Seasons’ is the only one I can remember now actually, I felt that it suited the varying moods across the album at the time, but really in the end ‘My Way’ suited it perfectly.

aahh: Your new LP contains elements of grime, but spans across a wide range of sounds. Was releasing an album with such a diverse range of tracks high on your agenda? 
Fraksha: Not in a conscious way really, I think that in general I’ve done different things and not really stuck to a ‘sound’ as such so it was natural that my album would follow a similar path. Grime is an electronic genre that is traditionally 140bpm and originated from the UKG scene of the late 90’s early 00’s as it became more MC orientated and a bit darker. It shares a lot of similarities with how hip hop came through in that it was a sound that came from the streets and had a dancehall influence to it. I’m not sure how I see its future in the UK, let alone Australia to be honest. Sounds are becoming more interwoven everywhere and while you might not see a huge grime scene spring up, I think you will see influences creep into people’s sounds a bit more over here.

aahh: You recently signed to independent kings BTE. What was it like having the experience of the guys over there, they have been in the game for a long time now. Obviously this had it advantages?
Fraksha: Yeah man, it was an honour to sign up with the guys at BTE. The label and its artists have a long and rich history within the scene here and have really cemented their place in it. It’s wicked to have that backing and hopefully some people who might not have heard of me might check the album out on the strength of that alone. Obviously, I’ve put out records before, but to a large extent a lot of the non-music stuff has been done by myself and the other people I’ve worked with. It was such a good feeling to have friends I trust be able to shoulder that stuff and use their wealth of experience to do it right. This meant I didn’t have to stress about anything other than the music really.

aahh: As an emcee that’s released a mixtape titled Just Bars, you must always be writing. Did you write specifically for My Way, or did you have some raps put away for a project like this? 
Fraksha: For the most part, I’d say 80-90% I wrote specifically for it and I had maybe a couple of verses here or there that I re-wrote for it. I did have stuff stuck away for an album, but then by the time you come to do them they just feel stale. I just threw away pages of rhymes at one point because I wanted a clear head and a fresh start.

aahh: We’ve seen a few film clips drop for the album including Creepin’, So Long, Fix Up, and This Thing Of Ours. What has it been about these tracks that made you want to do a film clip up for each?
Fraksha: I feel that each track has something different about it that made me wanna showcase those tunes, in a way. ‘Creepin’ we just had to do a video for no question. I really wanted to do the tune with Flea and Gutz because they’re both sick guys and its a mad tune and I knew it’d be a popular one. ‘Fix Up’ is a personal favourite of mine and I’m real happy with how that one came out. ‘So Long’ is a just a mad hype tune and an automatic choice for a video. Lyrically and sonically its an important song on the album.

aahh: Why would you say that ‘So Long’ is such an important tune from the album?
Fraksha: It’s a big tune, it’s got quite an anthemic feel to it I reckon. It’s an important tune for me personally as it really sets out what I’m about and what I’ve done over the years.

aahh: We’ve started to see a lot of top American rappers head out here to perform from the States. Would you like to see more UK heads touring in Australia and if so, who?
Fraksha: Yeah for sure man, I’d love to see Skinnyman and Durrty Goodz over here, both MC’s I’m huge fans of and I think would go down well over here.

aahh: You mentioned Skinnyman and Durrty Goodz, as artists you’d be keen to see out here in Australia. Are these guys the albums that you reach for when you want to listen to a bit of music?
Fraksha: Oh yeah for sure, certain guys music just doesn’t ever leave my headphones. Some music you’re always adding and deleting off your iPhone, iPod or whatever but some stuff will always remain. Another artist I’d add to that would be Trim, just the song writing ability and his consistency is just too much. I often put all his mixtapes on random and I’ll never get bored or find myself skipping through tunes. There’s a depth to these artists missing in others.
I listen to a hell of a lot of DJ mixes, that’s what I mainly check for because you’re getting variation, different styles and it’s a good way to keep on top of the biggest tunes really. I listen to a lot of dancehall too, there’s so much character to it and really it’s probably the most varied and versatile genre in modern music.

aahh: My Way has been out for a moment now, whats the feedback been like?
Fraksha: Feedback has been real good, been real happy with it. Obviously you would always like more and from certain quarters, but of the feedback I’ve got it’s been nothing but positive. It’s always interesting hearing people’s favourite tracks and often it can be the last ones you might expect!
I’ve noticed that people have generally been more taken by the more Hip Hop sounding tracks over the grime joint which I assumed would happen locally, but a lot have people have commented on the consistency across the whole thing and it sounding like a complete package even though there is such variation in the sound.

aahh: Looking back on the album would you have changed up anything if you had the chance too?
Fraksha: Nah nothing really I don’t think. There’s other guests I would like to have worked with, but you can’t fill up an album with a million guest spots, although some do I suppose.

aahh: You’re a big fan of spitting live bars, we’ve seen you in numerous radio shows and cyphers. What is it about that type of performance that you seem attracted to?
Fraksha: Because that’s what rapping, mc-ing is all about at its basic form, spitting live! A studio MC is a dickhead MC, if you never put yourself on the line in a live environment to prove yourself, then you aint no MC in my eyes. I used to try to run cyphers on Triple R and it was actually hard work persuading people to come in an represent or they wanted to prepare for weeks and all this bullshit or you got the feeling they didn’t wanna put themselves out there to be judged alongside others who might show them up. No confidence in their own skills. I used to be think for fucks sake most of them are part-time hobbyists, basically.
Radio was always a huge part of our culture back home and instrumental in giving us a platform to practice and to get better. When you know you’re on radio every single week for an hour, just spraying bars basically, it really makes you sharpen your stuff pretty quickly. You wanna be standing out from the others, you wanna be coming with new stuff not just recycling stale old bars and I’ve tried to where I can encourage more frequent radio sessions and getting as many involved as I can. It’s all about sharpening skills at the end of the day and doing what I love and I feel that myself and my crew have been vital in championing this live radio element over the last 5-6 years.

aahh: Following on from that question, what are you thoughts on the state of MC’s in Australia currently. Do you think there’s enough live performance etc?
Fraksha: I don’t think there are enough live performances, but what that’s down to I’m not sure. There seems to be a shortage of promoters I’ve noticed, or promoters working in the underground at least. Gig wise in Melbourne used to be more vibrant for local stuff, international shows have increased I think, but getting the support really depends primarily on your relationship with the promoter rather than your musical output.
I know I can probably come across as quite negative, but I make no apologies for it. When I look around at the rap talent coming through It’s pretty shabby in my eyes. Now that doesn’t mean people don’t have talent, its music after all so it’s all individual taste but to me most of it taste’s pretty shitty.
There’s probably a handful of MC’s I’d check for and a handful more that, while I don’t listen to them, I can rate them for what they do.
I used to be anti-elitist, but nowadays I’m actually sometimes feeling like this shit aint for everybody to do, some people just shouldn’t get involved. There’s this have-a-go attitude which is all well and good but with the more people doing something, the more it gets watered down. You start off with red and end up with pink, we don’t all have to be nice about each others music, we need to be critical for the sake of quality. That’s why we’ve ended up with so much blandness and copycatting. I wouldn’t have dreamt about going anywhere near a mic until I was sure that I wasn’t gonna get mocked, now kids are ‘practicing’ in the full view of anyone, making mistakes publicly and putting music that ain’t ready out there and this is stuff that will follow them forever. Once it’s out there, there aint much hope of getting it back, that’s why it’s so important to work at your shit and not just release stuff just because you have the ability to do so.
Stick to being a music fan if all you’re gonna do is imitate. If you wanna get involved start a label, start promoting, do something other than making music if all you’re doing it for is to ‘be involved’. Nothing wrong with just enjoying the music that’s there!
As well as all the shit that has to then be sifted through it also clogs up the scene with too many rappers and then you have a situation like we do now, where there are not enough gigs then it can be next to impossible to get gigs unless a) you have a booking agent or b) you’ll do the gig for free or for drinks. A huge proportion of people are falling into the latter category unfortunately. At international gigs, most people are there for the main act and support acts are there to pass the time so crowds will be there regardless, so an act playing for free or for a bucket of Melbourne bitter stubbies and $50 is always going to be the more attractive option to a promoter.
The politics that goes on behind the scenes of putting on shows, booking artists etc is incredible and about as far removed from ‘the music’ as can be.

aahh: We want to ask you about some of the earlier days when you first arrived in Australia, what was it like trying to break into the local scene back then and what were your first impression of hip hop here?
Fraksha: My very first impression was a live gig (Culture of Kings 2 in Melbourne) and thinking man that’s strange hearing an Australian accent rapping. Back in England I hadn’t really been exposed to much Australian culture, it was Neighbours, Home and Away and Romper Stomper so it was weird at first. Once I’d began to check out some different stuff and see what was what I really started to get a feel for it and I love the way the accent is used by some people. What I’m not a fan of is the kind of bland neutral accent that is pretty prevalent where its kind of neither here nor there, I like hearing a strong accent with character.  It wasn’t hard to get doing stuff over here, I put in work and made some good friends. Everyone was very receptive and we all love music so it doesn’t matter where I’m coming from really. When I first arrived it was real exciting meeting loads of new people, shows at new venues and all that comes with just jumping into a new city in a new country, it was a mad busy and fun time!

aahh: Do you have any feelings on the current threat to community radio, and what impacts do you think this could have on the scene as a whole?
Fraksha: Yeah I do, it’s terrible that they might be getting funding cut, but it’s also not surprising really is it. It’s not big business so government couldn’t care less. If stations like PBS etc had to shut down it would be a big blow to our scene, but what exact effect it would have, I’m not sure to be honest. For artists like myself these stations are our main radio output and to lose that would be unfair, not just to us as artists – though that would undoubtedly be shit – but I mean for the general public. Taking away that option and leaving people with just commercial radio and the few huge non-commercial stations – which behave in many ways very similar to the commercial ones – would massively restrict the type of music available to listeners and leave us with whatever the majors want to force feed down our throats. Of course, you can say well just turn the radio off if you don’t like it, but that doesn’t account for the people who don’t know there’s other stuff out there, people who are not currently enjoying it purely because they’re not aware of it.
Telling someone to turn the radio off if they don’t like it is basically saying ‘you shouldn’t be allowed choice.’ Think about it as it’s the same for all of us. We all grew up hearing pop music on radio, in shops, on TV etc etc and no one questions it really. How happy were you when you realised you’d discovered something new musically and from the time you realised there was a whole other world of music out there, you never looked back. It’s almost pity you feel for those unaware of the world of music out there aside from the Top 40.
On a related note, Triple R are on some dickhead movements the way they handled the recent issue with the Top Billin’ show and showed they’re completely out of touch from the local scene they claim to represent. How can a so-called ‘community’ based station make such a rash decision going against the collective anger of the same community that supports them by tuning in, by subscribing etc. Big mistake.

aahh: Your quite a vocal MC when it comes to commercial dick ridding and all the connotations that come along with hamming it up for radio. What do you think of artists who pander to markets?
Fraksha: Most of the scene are fucking yes men and I think my opinions are pretty well-known, as you say I have been quite vocal about it. A good radio DJ/station will hunt out good music and educate the listener or bring awareness of quality music that perhaps isn’t as widely known. A shit radio DJ/station will play music based on personal and business relationships or perceived ‘cool’ factor regardless of the music itself. If Skrillex recorded the sound of him shitting into a plastic bag and drummed up enough internet hype – which ain’t hard to do with the right backing, see ‘Harlem Shake’ for example – then mainstream radio would play it and drum it even further into our heads. We see this kind of stuff all the time yet no one goes ‘hold on a minute, ain’t he just recording the sounds of him taking a shit into a plastic bag’, it just gets lapped up.
One thing I won’t ever do is beg for airplay, I wont beg for ‘Likes’, I won’t set up a Facebook page to beg for ‘all my fans to email/SMS Triple j to request my song’, I wont show respect to some lame pop station just in the hope that they will allow me some day time spins, I wont suck up to presenters. If my music is ever gonna be played it’s gonna be down to the music only! How many artists getting national radio play can honestly say they’re getting spins purely on the music they’ve made and the work they have personally done and not off the back of some relationship or someone else forging a relationship. They exist, but it’s very few and far between. I know how this shit works, people can’t take me for some mug, I see it with my own eyes and it’s not a game I’ll play.

aahh: Do you have any plans to take My Way around the country?
Fraksha: I have plans if people wanna see me! I’d love to play the new stuff around the country and hopefully I’ll get out to most places this year. Melbourne is locked in at Laundry on May 18th and that’s a double album launch with Sarm. The rest will follow as shortly soon as they’re locked in.

Fraksha – My Way is available now through Broken Tooth Entertainment. 

BTE  ||  Fraksha  ||  Twitter

Destroy and Rebuild is the debut album from one of Sydney’s most thought provoking lyricist. The talented rhymster’s debut release provides an insight into a dark world constructed within the walls of a racing mind. Providing an intriguing introduction, How Sick, produced by Nebs, gives listeners the perfect introduction to a story which shaped both he and brother Kerser’s success.

Anotha Day Anotha Dolla displays the skill and creative abilities of this south west Sydney MC. From here one can’t help but feel totally emerged and somewhat hypnotized by a roller coaster of emotions. Rates explains his life and the turbulent ride which has landed him in psych wards and run ins with the law, but at the same time proving he isn’t one to give up. It’s not hard to see why this artist has such a loyal and thankful fan base.

The album boasts solid features including Sydney’s king Kerser, crazily talented Jay Dee (United Forefront), and Geelong’s very own Fatty Phew, all bringing their own flavour to this crazy album. With great production from Discourse, Tornts, Nebs, Elliot Waite, Geko and Seven Six. Destroy and Rebuild truly is a journey from start to finish.

Track Listing
01 How Sick
02 Anotha Day Anotha Dolla feat. Alyson Murray
03 Appalin’
04 Falling Down feat. Ginger Van Es
05 Off in a Race feat. Jay (UF)
06 Poison
07 Under rated feat. Kerser
08 Hard Times feat. Fatty Phew
09 Call it a Lack
10 Lost
11 Udbay

Facebook  ||  Pre-Order  ||  Soul Clap

Destroy & Rebuild is the debut album from Australia’s most talked about new emcee; Rates. The LP contains complete generosity of self as Rates uncovers his innermost thoughts and experiences. The turbulent past few years of his life have seen him in and out of psych wards, and through numerous run in’s with the law.

But through all the hardship, the most fulfilling aspect to Destroy & Rebuild is Rates’ resilience, his refusal to give up. It’s not hard to see why this artist has such a loyal and thankful fan base.

The album boasts solid features including Sydney’s king Kerser, crazily talented Jay (UF), and Geelong’s very own Fatty Phew. With production from Discourse, Tornts, Nebs, Elliot Waite, Geko and Seven Six. Destroy & Rebuild is an evocative masterpiece from start to finish.

Following the release of Destroy & Rebuild, as well as popular single ‘We Here Now’ with Kerser, the brothers have been travelling around regional Australia on their We Here Now Tour.

*Please note: the Victorian leg of the Kerser and Rates tour has been rescheduled, see below for all dates.

Purchase  ||  Facebook  ||  Online Store

After a climactic 10th anniversary in 2013, Come Together is back to give its best year to date. Same venue (Big Top at Sydney’s Luna Park), same time (June 7, Queen’s Birthday Long Weekend), with a new but no less epic line-up, Come Together 2014 will shake the room to its foundations, with the biggest, brightest and baddest names in the local hip hop scene.

A natural headliner for this year’s Come Together, Kerser needs no introduction. His 2013 album S.C.O.T. debuted at #5 on the ARIA Charts, #2 on the iTunes Charts, and #1 on the ARIA Urban Charts.  He’s been cementing his chokehold on the hip-hop scene since the release of his sophomore album No Rest For The Sickest (#1 on the national ARIA Urban charts, #1 on the iTunes Hip-Hop charts, and #14 on the overall iTunes charts).

Combining a titanic line-up with an iconic venue, this is your chance to see some of hip-hop’s biggest names and get in some quality times with free rides across Luna Park, all under one roof. With tickets selling fast in 2013, get ready, Australia – it’s time to Come Together once again for what’s certain to be Sydney’s most colossal night in hip-hop this year.

Official  ||  Facebook  ||  Twitter