DCWS Gets to Know Sydney Based Rap Artist Undertow
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Sydney based rapper Undertow has gone on to perfect his craft of connecting metaphors and syllables over crafted instrumentals. Along the way he shared the stage with some of the best in the business, including Caspa, Dizzee Rascal, Scratch Perverts, Dr Octagon, Lyrics Born, The Four Owls, Ocean Wisdom, Jam Baxter, MIA, Footsie and more.
DCWS sits down with the talented rapper to get to know him a bit more.
Tell us about your latest release and what inspired it?
The beat from Kayos is what inspired me to start, he posted a sample of it and I jumped on it within seconds. The first two verses are a reflection of where I was at the time, and how I was reacting to my surrounding. The tune is about no matter how bad it is, just keep moving forward to take what you came here for. Third verse was written post Covid last year and was a reflection of what I’d been through and my perception of AUS against the rest of the world.
What is one of your guilty pleasures?
Korean Fried chicken and beer haha, Natural wine and sampling breweries. Food is a big thing for me, and actually for most people I socialise with …
How did you first start in the music industry?
I played guitar and sang in a punk band from 94-96 around Brisbane called Not Negotiable, we did a load of shows and I knew I wanted that to continue. I then ended up getting into Hip Hop and Raves (partying too much haha) around the same time, and I like the MCs like NO3 (now Shureschock) and others.
At the time I was listening to early US artists like NAS, Wu-Tang, Souls of Mischief among others with the crews I was skating with and some of them use to write a few bars. I just continued to work on the craft, went in a battle in Brisbane in 97, and also got my first chance to MC. From that moment forward I just use to trawl around the Brisbane club/rave/hip hop scene with a mic in my backpack and beg and plead any DJ to let me MC with them at any chance I got.
I’m sure I was annoying haha, but from there linked up with various crews and well the rest is history.
What are you working on next?
More music! Time to get busy, my DJ that I work with Maniak and I have some things in the works, some collabs with various artists, some reggae releases, and also some dnb and more of the same as this EP on the way.
What advice would you give others?
Just do you! Don’t be afraid to stay in your own lane and don’t follow the norm. Monotony is boring, and we want variation in artists. Also, there is a lot of work that goes into music, don’t expect to blow up overnight. On a personal note, no matter how hard life seems at the moment there’s always light in the distance.
If you could collaborate with anyone who would it be?
I’d love to front a live reggae band, and blend hip hop/grime/dnb which I did with Kobra Kai but something with a lot more instruments. I guess I’d love to do a tune with Chester P from Taskforce fame also.
Who is the dopest artist you know?
Jesse Morris and the Shakedown are quite sick, P Smurf is an absolute powerhouse on the mic, half of my friends are artists so it’s a pretty difficult question to answer!
What’s your favourite studio snack?
Pre snack I like a hot noodle soup of some kind to clear the vocal chords, then and just water … pretty boring but those after recording beers always taste so good!