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Anybody who knows their Aussie Hip Hop knows that the quality and
quantity of decent artists has exploded in the past few years, bringing
an array of new sounds from around the country. There is a new
generation of crews unfolding, and in Brissy you can catch a decent
hip hop show every weekend. One of the most memorable is
the Allegiance, with MC’s Coops and Biotic, whose messages range
from the deeply spiritual to the revolutionary, with some banging
party jams thrown in for good measure.
We caught up with the Allegiance to find out where they’ve come from,
and where they’re headed.
WHAT GOT YOU INTO HIP HOP?
BIOTIC: I grew up listening to live bands like R.H.C.P, R.A.T.M,
S.O.A.D, Pantera, Nirvana etc and I think I was due for a timely change,
it seemed like almost overnight I started seeking out more rap.
I started with US, now I mostly listen to oz. hip hop.
COOPS: Before I first picked up a mic I was always into writing
whether it be short stories or poems. It was a good way to
get shit off my chest at a time when I hadn’t yet progressed it into
rhyming and lyricism. Eventually it evolved with a tempo,
a beat or a melody in my mind to coincide with it, so I hit up an
open mic competition in 2004, which I won and I got to record my first track.
HOW DID YOU GUYS MEET?
BIOTIC: My mate Doobs actually
knew Coops from a young age
but I was at Manfreds (PNB) and
Coops noticed my girlfriend at the
time and re-introduced himself. I
put 2 and 2 together from what Doobs had told me, I put 2 and 2
together and introduced myself. COOPS: I’m sure it was at one of
the wednesday night hip hop shows in the valley around 05-06.
We met through a mutual friend Doobs who’s father played senior
football with my dad in the early 80’s so I’d known Doobs for years.
We organised to do a colab track, 1 track turned into 2 and it
snowballed from there. So anytime one of us were doing a set the other would be involved in a couple of tracks. As we began recording
more tracks it made sense to work together seeing as we were pushing forward at a similar pace as solo artists.
INFLUENCES?:
BIOTIC: Informer (By Snow), Regulators
(Nate Dogg and Warren G) Dangerous Minds (the movie)
Necro, Immortal Technique, music in general, life in general,
all the good, bad, easy, difficult situations ive been in with family
and friends, weed, nature, all the little things I find
interesting.
COOPS: 2pac, Bob Dylan and Bill Hicks would be top 3
off the top of my head. I’m influenced positively and negatively
by everything i hear and see around me. 9/11 has been a
major influence on me. That single event got me asking alot
of questions.
WHAT ARE THE MOTIVATIONS BEHIND YOUR RHYMES?:
BIOTIC: At first I found it fun and easy to be able to pick up a
pen and any old scrap of paper and write a rhyme for free,
anytime, anywhere. These days I still just want to have
fun with it, but things are definitely more serious with gigs etc.
My goal is to stay motivated and pump as much quality
music as possible.
COOPS: In the year or so before i first got on a stage i was
becoming really fed up with bullshit I’d hear on the radio
and see on tv. The same playlists and over-exposure of certain
artists on commercial radio gave me the shits, so instead of just
being pissed off about it I thought I’d put my 2 cents in and
try to put a voice out there for people that believe in what I
believe in, which could range from anything from day to day life
to politics, the industry to, whatever. The same goes for today.
FAVOURITE GIG?
BIOTIC: Fresh Till Def and Nurcha, but I love and remember
all the open mics. The first Source club on
my first taste of live rappin on the open mic in 03 – And winning
the Babbleon battles on Australia Day.
COOPS:: Fresh Till Def. The whole night had a great vibe and
there was heaps of VC heads in attendance.
GROUP HIGHLIGHT:
BIOTIC: Uber gig was sick, and Fresh Till Def but the Qld
Rollerblading Titles at Morayfield was fuckin inreal when
El Sammo and Milne ripped it up doing stunts on their
motos during out set – Cheers boys, mad shit!
COOPS: Doing a set to open up for Muph N Plutonic at the
Gold Coast was pretty mad. But pretty much every time
we get up on stage and perform in front of people ready
to have a good time, that’s a highlight for me.
DRINK OF CHOICE AT THE BAR?
BIOTIC: Long/Wrong
afford them, but usually I drink beer or bourbon.
COOPS: Beer or a Bundy and Coke
FAVOURITE COLD ROCK COMBO?:
BIOTIC: Ahh that’s a hard one! I think I’ll have to go
with the old cheesecake/strawberry combo with flake
and choc sauce and real strawberries mixed in bitches – yeahh!!
COOPS: Peppermint choc chip.
WHAT ARE THE FUTURE PLANS FOR THE GROUP?
BIOTIC: Keep working on tracks, pick up the pace and quality
in production and live shows – we are working on an album
but priorities are really to knuckle down and try as hard as
hell to keep it creative & original.
COOPS: We plan to have an LP ready sometime in 2009, there’s
also talk of a mixtape. Plenty more gigs and hopefully get to tour
and play outside South East Queensland.
SHOUTS:
BIOTIC: Velvet fuckin couch mother fucker – all the lads that
have been holding the North side down with me getting all
fucked up and shit for fuckin ages! I love each and every
one of you! (you know who you are!) Briz, Oz, Hip Hoppers
that continue to raise the bar and force me to work even harder.
My family and last but not least – all the ladies that I have
had the change to get freaky with – you know who you are,
but I cant remember you all! Haha jokes, I remember…. PEACE
COOPS: The VC massive and anyone and everyone
thats supported us in what we do. The beatmakers, producers,
promoters, friends, and family.
CHECK OUT THE ALLEGIANCE AT WWW.MYSPACE.COM/theallegiance08