kTpure
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![[*]](./images/ozhiphop/default_icon.gif) posted on 25-9-2006 at 12:38 PM |
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[OZ Interview] The Tongue (interview by kTpure)
At just 21 years old, Sydney's The Tongue has secured victories in in the NSW Battle4Supremacy 2005, BattleActs and the 7th annual
Revolver Battle. He has just dropped his solo EP "Bad Education" featuring Sydney guests Fame, Bertie Blackman, Urthboy, JP and The Bagraiders - as
well as his DJ, Diaz. The EP and a limited run of 12"s is out now on Elefant Traks, with distro by Inertia.
kTpure: Feel good to have something out on the street?
The Tongue: Best feeling in the world.
kTpure: How long have you been working on the EP?
The Tongue: Well part of the prize from the 2005 Revolver Battle was a vinyl pressing from Zenith (big ups to those boys for a job
well done by the way, the 12” sounds brilliant). Winning that meant anything I recorded I could release, with or without a label. That was all the
encouragement I needed.
I’d have to say that Jay-Z’s “Fade To Black” DVD was also a mad inspiration. I’d recommend it to any musician whose about to begin
recording. It’s like a step by step guide on how to make a classic…and it’s amazingly simple. Just find the best beats you can, be honest with
yourself while writing your lyrics and insist on top quality. I’m not saying ‘Bad Education’ is a classic but I certainly followed those rules
as closely as I could. To answer the question though I’d have to say the EP took about 3 months of ‘on again off again’ work to complete.
kTpure: What made you decide to go with eleFant Traks?
The Tongue: Several reasons. I think firstly people need to understand that Elefant Traks IS the Herd and vice versa. By that I mean
Urthboy books the gigs, organises transport and accommodation, hustles the radio stations, puts up posters, edits the website, runs the studio and so
on. He just never stops. Everyone else in the Herd does their part too- whether it’s designing posters, doing cover art, packing boxes or whatever.
It’s all very hands-on. As the saying goes; “if you want something done properly, do it yourself”. Elefant Traks always do it themselves so
things are always done properly.
The other thing I like about Elefant Traks is their vision for the label; they aren’t buying into the whole “hip hop has to be about being whose
the best and whose the hardest” thing. They’re about music and community and the message - the way hip hop used to be. Hip hop started as a
rebellion against the norm - like punk. The whole reason hip hop was cool in the first place was because there as nothing else like it - nowadays its
mainstream and 90% of artists are just imitating other artists. I think Elefant Traks is a dope label because it pushes for originality.
kTpure: Obviously you came to most people’s attention from doing battles. What are some of your favourite moments from doing that
circuit?
The Tongue: The Battle4Supremecy experience was pretty amazing. I’d watched the 2003 and 2004 DVDs so many times that it was sort
of like stepping into a movie to actually be there. At the Australian finals I got to hang with a lot dudes I look up to - people like Delta, Simplex,
The Hoods, Trials - the kings of Adelaide. Also I guess taking out Revolver was a big thing for me because no one from NSW had ever done that before.
Ozi Batla and Hyjack had come close in the past so it felt like a win for them that night too.
kTpure: What are a few things you learnt from doing battles?
The Tongue:
1) Believe in yourself and it doesn’t matter what the other guy says.
2) There is no “fair” way to judge a battle.
3) Confidence beats aggression every time.
kTpure: The first time I saw you battle was at the Pure Bred vs. DoubleBeef Battle, and you were dressed as a blind man. I thought it was a
bit gimmicky till I heard you battle and realised you had skill. I know you have had a few other alter-egos – is that what they are? What motivated
you to do that?
The Tongue: Yeah, I called that character MC Sympathy. I’ve also battled in a tight-fitting swimming costume (Ian Thought), with a
huge cardboard penis on my head (The Dickhead) and of course as Osama Bin Ladden (Osama Been Rappin’). It grew mostly out of boredom, listening to
the same ‘you’re a fag’, ‘your crew is wack’ type punch-lines over and over again. MC battles can be so entertaining but often they’re a
letdown because people resort to lowest common denominator rhymes in the heat of the moment. The costume thing guaranteed that people, including
myself, wouldn’t get bored.
kTpure: I guess when you are in costume you could be a little pre-emptive and prepare ammunition before you go on stage…true?
The Tongue: You could…but you could also do that without having a costume…and many rappers do. You could also argue that
wearing a costume gives your opponent a lot of ammo against you. Either way, if I couldn’t freestyle then the costume wouldn’t mean shit would it?
kTpure: Was there one moment you decided to make the “transition” from Battle Rapper to Recording Artist?
The Tongue: Not really, that was always the plan. One of the most powerful forces in hip hop is reputation - if you don’t have one
you’re really just another face in the crowd. So, yeah, there was always a vague notion of how I wanted things work out. Step A was to take out as
many battles as I could, Step B was to start touring the live show, Step C was to hook up with the best label I could. It takes discipline to make
things work but it’s definitely worth it.
kTpure: Do you feel there is extra pressure to release something dope after being successful in the battle arena?
The Tongue: The only pressure that gets to me comes from within. Only I know if I’ve done my best or if I haven’t. I guess there
might be some heads out there who expect my recorded shit to be battle-orientated but I’m more than happy to smash their expectations. That’s not
really who I am. Besides, now that the single has had good support from JJJ there’ll be a lot of people who’ve heard my stuff who have never even
been to a battle.
kTpure: Are there any specific Australian MCs you drew inspiration from? I noticed the Delta sample on “Bad Education.“
The Tongue: Yeah, I’ve got a lot of respect for Delta. He’s a proper b-boy. Ozi Batla has just released an album called “Exit
Strategy” that’ll impress of lot of people…I think he’s one of this countries most underrated MC’s…the dude is a legend and never gets the
props he deserves from the underground. Muph and Pegz and Lazy Grey and The Hoods have all influenced me in some way. Lyrical Commission are hard to
fuck with and I think the next 13th Son album will be killer. Also I’m really impressed by a lot of the younger guys coming through at the moment;
Purpose, Motions, Mantra, Spit Syndicate, Pohetikut…so much talent right there…
kTpure: Let’s talk about a few of the featured artists on the EP. The production for the title track “Bad Education” was done by ‘The
Bagraiders’. Can you tell us a bit more about them?
The Tongue: The Bagraiders are three dudes…I went to school with two of them. Their stuff is normally electro and they play at
underground dance clubs around Sydney…they’ve done remixes for Sneaky Sound System, Van She and The Valentinos. You can check out their other work
at http://www.myspace/bagraiders.com
kTpure: That track is a pretty severe juxtaposition with the bouncy second track “The Punch”, produced by ‘J.P.’ Who is
J.P?
The Tongue: J.P is a very talented young producer my DJ, Diaz, introduced me to. He’s done beats for Sleeping Monk, a British soul
group called The Brand New Heavies and even has a track on the upcoming Foreign Heights album that features Murs. J.P is not a producer people should
be sleeping on.
kTpure: How did the collaboration with singer/songwriter Bertie Blackman on “Don’t you Ever” come about ?
The Tongue: She was my best mates’ sisters’ best mate and we all grew up together. True story. I actually hadn’t spoken to her
in about 3 years before I gave her the call but her voice is so incredible I had to give it a shot. As far as I’m concerned she’s probably the
most talented female singer songwriter this country has ever produced. She’s just released her second album and I’m headed out to buy it tomorrow.
Cop that shit!
kTpure: The EP also features Sydney staples Fame, DJ Diaz and Urthboy. Do you think the EP has a distinctive Sydney sound? Is there such a
thing?
The Tongue: Not really, I think the beauty of the Sydney scene is that is doesn’t have a distinctive sound. The EP brings a variety
of styles and that’s what Sydney is all about. We’re very diverse here. Def Wish Cast and The Herd sound totally different. Macrcomantics and
Overproof sound totally different.
kTpure: I know you performed at the 2006 Melbourne Comedy Festival and The Belvoir Street Theatresports competition. Do you
have ambitions to follow this path?
The Tongue: Acting is good fun but it’s a nasty industry. There is no government support for local theatre here and the Australian
film industry is in a shambles at the best of times. Don’t get me wrong, occasionally we make some good films in this country but we also spew out a
lot of trash. For every Eric Bana there are 1000’s of very talented actors who never make it…or worse yet…spend most of their acting career
doing shoe polish commercials….
With acting the words, the dialogue are always someone else’s. The thing I like about music is that the lyrics are your own and its something you
believe in. Most Australian television for example is just mindless fluff but the actors are so desperate for work they’ll take anything that is
offered to them. There’s not a lot of integrity to be found in that scene. It really is like that show “Extras”…everyone thinks their big
break is just around the corner…
kTpure: Searching “The Tongue” in google leads you to sites about bad breath. Where can people check out some stuff online?
The Tongue: http://www.myspace.com/thetongue06 or http://www.elefanttraks.com
kTpure: Any other mixtapes floating around you are on?
The Tongue: The 2005 PureBred Mixtape, Spit Syndicate’s “Futures Bright” Mixtape and The “Sin City” Mixtape I did with Ozi
Batla, Good Buddah and Jack Prest back in June. You can download that one from my myspace. But remember – the “Bad Education” EP is in stores
now!
Sydney Launch Party - Details HERE:
Interview by kTpure
The Tongue & DJ Diaz Pics courtesy of Elefant Traks
©2006 OzHipHop.Com – No part of this interview can be used without permission from the Webmaster.
[Edited on 25-9-2006 by kTpure]
www.guanabana.com.au
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gerling
the humble magnificent
Posts: 14629
Registered: 23-10-2002
Location: SYD
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Mood: Looking Forward to Melbourne!
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| posted on 27-9-2006 at 08:42 PM |
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Great stuff.
Lovin the unbuttoned shirt look 
"I had been my whole life a bell, and never knew it until at that moment I was lifted and struck."
Annie Dillard
Maggot Mouf interview - http://ozhiphop.com/forum/viewthread.php?tid=114472
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Alida
Oz Hip Hop Member
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Registered: 20-2-2006
Location: ADL
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Mood: sigh
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| posted on 4-10-2006 at 04:10 PM |
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| Quote: | Originally posted by kTpure
The Tongue: Yeah, I’ve got a lot of respect for Delta. He’s a proper b-boy. |
Word.
Great interview, kT. Very insightful and entertaining.
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