For those that don’t know of him, 360 is an Australian rapper who had a certain degree of success with a track called “The Festival Song”. Probably the largest mainstream following/radio play since the Hilltop Hoods were big.
If the festival song was 360’s child prodigy moment then currently he’s going through his teenage experimental years. And he is. In the last year I’ve heard him go over all different styles of beats from dubstep to southern stuff, finding what works for him. and it has been interesting & rewarding following that.
Last year he kept a small buzz going via the release of a mixtape – “please be seated” – and starting “Rappertag”.

I’ve already posted his most recent video – Just Got Started, which copped criticism for the sample not being old enough (seriously…) and on the weekend he upped these two of his new album

I think I told him on saturday that Miracle In a Costume only got interesting around 1:34.

the online response was pretty much the direct opposite of my opinion though;

Its are well and good to make tracks designed to get heaps of airplay on NOVA & JJJ… But are you at all worried about your musics longevity?? My point is heaps of Kunts will bang out Classic Lazy, Bias, Hoods, Bunks etc. albums Forever whereas noone would ever give the Festival Album a run again…

I enjoy it but yeah it is fashion music, it will be gone as quick as it came.

followed by much praise for miracle in a costume.

And that seems to the dominant opinion (or at least the most vocal one) here in australia. If a track doesn’t have a soul sample and a boom bap formulaic beat then it’s “trash/not real hiphop”. Which is kinda pointless, ’cause as important as the hoods and lazy grey et al are/were to the domestic scene there’s no point trying to sound like them, 10 years after the fact.
It’d be a shame if ’60 took heed of these opinions and missed a chance to put something out there, on commercial radio, that doesn’t fit in the narrow defines of “real” hiphop.

The thing is, talking to local rappers and producers it’s not a sentiment shared by any of them. Just about everyone I’ve encountered is constantly looking to new scenes and sounds for ideas and inspiration. If in the near future Australia developed it’s own sound (not just the accent) the way other geographic regions have it’d hardly be surprising.

Acts to look out for locally that I’d recommend are what’s coming out of Fraksha’s camp at the moment fraksha/Diem/smashbrovas etc particularly the stuff with Kurk Kokane.
And I copped these two yester, Haven’t given a proper listen to them yet though.
Download Zarkov – Are We Having Fun Yet
Download Megatroid_ Battery Brain
Also check out my last post. Louie Knuxx has been based in Melb for the last few years and producing his own beats now too.

Ungh, this is badly worded/constructed, I’ll prolly come back and delete this. Going to put the finishing touches on a beat tonight then send it off to 360 and it’ll be available for free download soon.