So where will you be? Here’s the top 3 of our recommendo’s!

DPPD Special: DJ SG x BIG CALO @ TAB

Honeys – $20, Homies – $25 (3 standard drinks)
click for guestlist

Table reservations (SMS) 9725 6138
Drive home service is also available.

From the people that brought us awesome live acts accompanied by amazing food (TAB BURGER HOW I MISS YOU), comes 2 new exciting concept nights; JUMPSTART and DPPD. This Vesak Day Eve, TAB presents a DPPD special featuring Thailand’s DJ SG and BIG CALO. Moving Bangkok’s party scene with his eclectic blend of hip-hop, R&B, reggae, rock and electronic dance music, DJ SG earned himself membership into Bangkok Invaders’ “Asia’s #1 Party-Rockin’ Crew, being one of the current hot topics in his native night scene. Fellow Bangkok Invader BIG CALO is no pushover either,  performing in all major clubs in his home country and opening for big names like  Jay-Z, NAS, 50 Cent, and Akon abroad.

P.S. One hour free flow from 11pm to 12mn for the first 100 guests!

Event Page | DJ SG X BIG CALO OFFICIAL WEBSITE | FB Page

YOU SAY PARTY WE SAY RAVE @ Fash, Butter Factory

Riot grrls – $21, Rocker boys – $26 (2 standard drinks)
click for guestlist
table reservations: (O)63338243 (E) admin@thebutterfactory.com

Thump away your weekday blues with The LFK’s infections deep and tribal tech beats, to the nu/italo disco and techno from Clash the Disko Kids; the funk, breaks and house of Shawn Livewire, you’ll find something to get your foot a tappin, head a bobbin and heart a thumpin! Throw out the cheese! This is music for your soul.

Facebook Group | Event Page

Paul Van Dyk @ Zouk

Non-Members (Zouk, Phuture, Velvet Underground) $38 (2 standard drinks)

*Members cannot sign in guests but guests are given priority entry

with over 3 million albums sold worldwide, sold-out tours across continents, headline spots at major festivals and a hugely successful recording career plus packed out dancefloors screaming his name, this has to be one of the most eagerly-anticipated gigs in recent memory. There’s no work on the morrow so you have no excuse not to party with PVD!

(image credits: synthopia.com)

Joel Zimmerman, better known by his alias Deadmau5, is not only a tech junkie and a beat addict. To fans, he’s a god-sent techno superstar who rose from near obscurity yet still keeps things real. The inventor of the Mau5head never fails to appreciate fan versions of his iconic stage prop. Twitter motormouth and Facebook funny man, always entertaining, even when you’re unaware of his music and just looking at all his updates.

Yea sure he was here at Zouk a couple of years back. But what’s also remarkable about this DJ producer ain’t just his mastery for his craft behind the decks and on his producer chair, but being a full fledged stage performer with his elaborate stage set-ups and his crazy DIY Mau5heads (ever changing, our current fave here at 8FloMusic is the full-on LED Mau5head) that guarantees one helluva trippy audio-visual ecstasy. This time round, LAMC Productions brings DeadMau5 to *Scape. Let us hope we’ll get even just a bit of that sensory pleasure Coachella 2010 partygoers got to enjoy.

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A clip fromMuchMusic 2011

Click here to view the embedded video.

Aside it does make people wonder too, what kind of Mau5heads will Singaporeans come up with to greet Joel.

And so… just for fun, here are some we found from fans all over the world!

Click here to view the embedded video.

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MoveMove Singapore will be throwing the biggest music bonanza outdoor event on the 11th June 2011.  The event, which will be taking place at the ever so enchanting Fort Canning Park, will be welcoming to our sunny shores DJ Grandma Ruth Flowers, one of Europe’s hottest exports in the party scene.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Alongside this hip mama, will be up and rising Dutch DJ Michael Saint and Korea’s very own DJ Unjin. Thought that was all? DJ BigMike will also be gracing this event and promises to pump the dance floor with his set of mind-blowing mixes.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Our very own Kumar who will also give a 10-minute stand-up comedy segment exclusively for MoveMove Singapore. Join him with his crazy antics and profound sarcasm as he takes you on a laugh a minute journey during this rain or shine event!

Renowned choreographer Longinus Fernandez who choreographed the closing credits for the dance sequence Jai Ho in Slumdog Millionaire will also be present. A record breaking 7,000 strong flash mob will also be under his charge breaking down the beats of the song Jai Ho. 1000 microphones with a 1000 frequencies will also be distributed to transform this flash mob into the biggest karaoke room you will ever see.

Click here to view the embedded video.

In attendance as well will be Butter Factory’s very own DJ Andrew T.  Known for his crowd rocking Hip Hop mixes, the versatile decks master also occasionally switches to House and Trance tunes to jive up the atmosphere.

MoveMove will also showcase a dance competition finals with the top 10 finalists displaying their dance moves in front of 3 renowned judges including Longinus Fernandez. The finals will be held in front of a live audience of 7,000 people with the winner of the competition bagging a whopping $5,000 cash prize. Click here for more details to get information on auditions, which will be held on 7th and 14th of May.

Official Trailer

Click here to view the embedded video.

Official Site|Facebook|Youtube

Tickets are already available from 13th April 2011 and can be purchased here.

S$48 Early Bird Tickets
Entry to MoveMove™ before 10pm only. Limited to 1,000 tickets.

S$58 Advance Tickets

S$68 Event Day Tickets on 11th June 2011

A veteran musician known for his role as the frontman for Super Furry Animals, the quirky rebel might also be known to some as one half of electro-pop outfit Neon Neon. Always on the move, his collaborative efforts with other artistes and bands include Simian Mobile Disco (“Cream Dream”, Temporary Pleasure 2009), Mogwai (“Dial: Revenge”, Rock Action 2001) and De La Soul for Gorillaz’s track “Superfast Jellyfish” for their album Plastic Beach released in 2010. Aside from being a musician, Gruff also premiered his film “Separado” last year. Recounting his steps to meet members of his family whose ancestors had emigrated to Patagonia in Victorian times.

Before his gig to promote his latest solo album “Hotel Shampoo” -his third solo album and most ambitious yet- at Tab this 29th April, the artiste spared us a few moments for a couple of questions:

What was your inspiration for this album?
Looking back at 15 years of touring.

What can we expect from your upcoming work Honey All Over and the new track Xenodocheionology?
Slices of sunshine harmony pop.

Do you reckon your songwriting has evolved in any way over the years?
I hope so, I feel like I’m still learning different ways to write songs.

With the repertoire of artists you have worked with, are there any artists you’d love to work with?
Singing with El Perro Del Mar on Hotel Shampoo was a great honor.

Any genre you would be experimenting in the future?
Futuristic Space Techno.

What is the most memorable experience for you on stage?
I once sang an open air show in Vancouver with a family of eagles looking down from a tree.

From the Super Furry Animals to Neon Neon, do these signal the expanding of your musical horizon or are they mediums for you to collaborate with different styles?
I almost feel it’s my duty as a musician to explore all possible avenues.

Where do you get your sources of inspiration?
Touring is an endless source of unexpected inspiration and new records!

Lastly, how about a status report on where your head’s at right now?
I haven’t toured much for a few years, so I’m enjoying playing live again and taking my music to new places.

Myspace|Twitter|Official|Facebook

_________________________________________________________

P.S.!!! Wanna Catch Gruff live? 8FloMusic has 2 pairs of tickets for giveaways courtesy of TAB! Simply email us at editor.music@8flo.com with the answer to the following:

Gruff is _______-handed and plays the _______-handed guitar with his ______ hand.

Sony Music invited a bunch of media writers on a limo ride where we would be privy to an exclusive screening of the new Foo Fighters documentary “Back and Forth” telling the Foo Fighters story in its entirety. The sad fact is the rock-umentary is being screened in cinemas all across the States and the best we get is a DVD release sometime around midyear.

The 97 minute film feels like a triumphant declaration by the band, their way of saying, it hasn’t been an easy 17 years but we’re still here. The soundtrack alone is reason enough to get this on DVD, not just radio heavies like “Hero” and “All My Life” but older band favourites along with some very revealing commentary on their writing process. The movie runs like a timeline of events starting, of course, with Nirvana and about Kurt Cobain’s death. There are some very real emotions captured in all the interviews, for a band that portrays itself as a bunch of goofs in many of their music videos, it’s very telling and relatable.

From Kurt’s death, the formation of the first Foo Fighters lineup (Nate Mendel, William Goldsmith and Pat Smear), to strife within the band, an almost ridiculous number of line up changes, tales of rockstar addictions, and not so harmless side projects, there’s not one detail left out. Being a fan of their music, I wasn’t really clued in on the real journey of the Foo Fighters until now.

What does become undeniable as you watch this DVD is Dave Grohl’s central position in the band, it feels almost as though he is the band and he could do whatever he wanted. Kudos to him though, for revealing himself in such a candid manner, his strengths and his weaknesses as a band leader are well documented in “Back and Forth”. It is still so evident that he feels regret for the way things had to be especially when recording their second album “The Colour and the Shape” where he solemnly states “I know that William will never forgive me and I wish things we’re different but I felt this was what I had to do to make this album happen”

None of these personal moments might be news to any hardcore Foo Fan, but the last 30 minutes of this DVD is a real gem. The recording of the 7th and latest album “Wasting Light” is intimately presented. Getting away from the pressure of a professional recording space, the entire album was recorded in Dave’s home studio on old school tape with some very sweet family moments charmingly caught on camera. They seemed to have matured and are so much more of a band than just Dave anymore. You’re made to feel throughout the film, that certain past members should come back and work on this album and that’s exactly what happens! I wont spoil the surprise for you but I guarantee it’ll put a smile on your face.

I’d say this film is a must watch for fans and anyone looking for an inside look behind the machismo hard outer shell of a rock and roll m&m. But don’t get the wrong idea the Foo Fighters still rock hard, just check out the full 49 minute live recording of the entire album below. For more exclusives check out their newly revamped official website and social media. Oh and by the way Wasting Light is at the number 1 spot in Singapore!

Foo Fighters Website | Facebook | Myspace | Twitter

If you want to catch an exclusive screening of the Foo Fighters new DVD documentary “Back and Forth”  here’s a little treat for you, just buy the album “Wasting Light” from any retailer and you’ll get an invite for 2 to a screening of the film at Beer Market on the 27th of April at 8pm.

Click here to view the embedded video.

(Interview by Ivan Thomasz)

Raw Earth may be a relatively new band on the local “live” music scene, but its line-up boasts some of the best musicians who are veterans of Singapore’s blues and rock scene like Danny Loong and Francis Chan from Ublues, Victor Chen (winner of Strip Acoustic at Wala Wala), and Surath Godfrey and Hanrong from Reverie.

Steeped deep in the blues, the band is fast gaining a reputation for their raw and rocking renditions of classic songs from the 50’s to the 70’s encompassing a broad range of styles from the blues, rock ‘n’ roll, funk, soul and even classic blues rock as exemplified by the likes of Jimi Hendrix, Creedence Clearwater Revival (CCR), Albert Collins, T-Bone Walker, Otis Redding, amongst others. In between their faithful covers of these favourites, the guys roll out some of their own original songs influenced by the roots music of America and the classic pop/rock of British bands like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Deep Purple.

In the run-up to Raw Earth’s gig on Friday, 15 April at the Timbre Rock & Roots Festival 2011 at Marina Promenade, 8floMusic spoke on the phone with band leader and Chief Creative Director of Timbre, Danny Loong, about the origins of the band and its mission to “preach the blues” to a younger audience.

How did you guys first get together and how did you come up with the name, Raw Earth?

Basically, I got to meet our lead singer Surath, when he was auditioning at Timbre and from then on I had the feeling that he would be able to do a repertoire of blues, rock ‘n’ roll and classic songs by people like The Beatles and CCR (Creedence Clearwater Revival). And we talked about it when he started playing regularly at Timbre, about a year ago and this was something that we developed together as time went by and the band was started about three months ago. But before that, the bass player, Francis Chan and I used to play together in Ublues, and we played together for close to five years. As for Victor Chen, the guitar player, he’s someone I’ve known for a while also, and we’ve played together before, also. But as a band, playing as a five-piece in this line-up, we’re three months old.

As for the second part of your question, we called the band “Raw Earth”, because it really describes the “soulfulness” of our music. We try to go back to the basics of vocal harmonies and to the basics of blues. And you know, the blues is a very ‘earthy,” very eclectic, very “real” kind of music. So, we felt that “Raw Earth” best describes our music.

Your band seems to favour electric blues and blues rock from the likes of Muddy Waters, B.B. King and Grand Funk Railroad. What is it about the blues that attracted you guys to it and made you want to play it?

I’d like to add another style of music that our band also plays and that is classic rock. Classic rock, meaning, I’m talking about early rock ‘n’ roll. I’m talking about people like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones, and CCR which is one of our favourite bands. Because that’s the third music style that we actually play quite a bit. Why do we play the blues? Well, the blues is something that’s been around for a long time. I’ve been playing the blues for a while, and as a form of music, it is the root of a lot of pop and rock music that we have currently. And in a way, every time we play the blues, we pay tribute to the past legends and stars of the blues like B.B. King and Muddy Waters.

And to a certain extent, we don’t want the music to die. In Singapore, there are not that many blues bands, and a lot of people don’t realise that the blues is a very important foundation for popular music. And it’s partly our passion and also to get the audience to explore this style of music, to learn more about it. And to expose it more to the younger crowd. These are the various reasons that we play the blues.

Personally, for me, the blues is one of the most inspirational forms of music. It came from poor (black) people, it came from people who were mistreated. And out of their collective experience, they sang songs of hope and of unity which is amazing! And therefore, when we play, we try to bring to give respect to that.

Do you guys play any original songs besides the covers that you usually play in your sets?

Yes, we do actually. Raw Earth is a very collaborative process. I bring some of my original songs to the group and Victor brings some of his own to the group, and we take these songs and make them better, by making them more “Raw Earth.” Some of these songs are more acoustic or more jazzy, so together we give them the Raw Earth treatment. We kind of make them more eclectic, more rock, little bit more bluesy.

What are some of your original songs?

I have a few. “Marnie Lee” is one of them, which is kind of a jump blues that I wrote a few years ago. Another one is “I Can’t Cook” which is also a jump blues, very Louis Jordan-style . It’s very fun because there’s some comedy in the song. The blues can be very funny, because it’s all about life stories and sometimes you make fun of it, and “I Can’t Cook” is an example of that.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Do you guys have any plans to release an album?

We hope so! We are working on our songs and that’s one of our priorities, actually. At Timbre, although we have some cover bands, at times we do feature some singer-songwriters. We feel it’s important for local bands to write their own songs to express what they want to say to their audience. So, that’s one of the priorities for Raw Earth.

What do you think of the rock bands in today’s international music scene? What are your favourite bands of today?

I do listen to some current pop music and I like all kinds of music. Some of the musicians I like are more of the musician-producer/singer-songwriter type. Just to give you some examples, like John Mayer, Jason Mraz, and Bruno Mars, who even though is very “pop,” is known in the industry as a very good musician-producer. People will say that Mars is very mainstream, very commercial, but actually the guy has a lot of soul influences and he is one musician that I have a lot of respect for. Dave Matthews is another one of my favourites.

But if you ask me what I think about today’s pop music, like I said, I like those by musician-songwriters, you know, people who compose their own music, and music with a funky, soulful backbeat to it. I don’t really appreciate the over-produced “artificial” pop stars of today. I tend to go for the musician-types.

You mean the ones who have real songcraft?

That’s right! Songcraft and really good performance. Like you know, when you go to a concert, you know you are going to get the real thing? (Laughs) But when it is overly-produced, you’re not very sure? But with the real thing, musicianship is very important.

So, if you were to compare the music of today with the rock music of the 60s and the 70s, what do you think is so great about the music of the past that really distinguishes it from the music of today?

I think the really distinctive thing about it is that the experience is different. I can’t say which is better or not, but I guess that the music of the past, like the blues, came out from poverty, came out from a lot of suffering, it came out from the civil rights movement (of the US in the 1960s) , it came out from a lot of political situations. And also it came through a few wars like WWI and WWII. You know, at that time, when people sang songs, they really sang from the deepest (part) of their souls. People like Bob Dylan, for example, who lived through those years, they have something to say, there’s a substance in the songs. That’s why I really respect the music of the past, from someone like Robert Johnson all the way to a band like the Beatles. So, when they sang, they had something to say and we can feel it in the music.

Of all the artists and bands that will be playing at the Rock & Roots Festival this year, which are the ones that you are most excited about?

I’m actually excited about all of them! I have to say that having Bob Dylan in Singapore really tops the excitement. I’m also very excited to see Michael Franti , in fact, all of them, like John Legend. But if you’re going to see just one artist, than it’s Bob Dylan. He is the consummate singer-songwriter. Not only that, his songs have changed minds, his songs have created movements.

And he has been very prolific, as well.

Exactly! He has his message in his songs and people are moved by his songs. It’s very clear and evident that he is very involved in society.

Click here to view the embedded video.

What can the audience expect from Raw Earth at your gig on April 15th?

We will be playing our originals. But I guess for a blues performance, it’s best to be captured “live”. When we play on stage, when we groove together, we communicate the blues together, it’s like we’re playing to our friends. So, what the audience can expect is a strong groove, but when it comes to the blues, we try to be as “real” as we can. We are very excited to be part of Rock & Roots and we’re very proud to be one of the bands representing Singapore.

Going forward, how do you see the Rock & Roots Festival growing and developing in the future? Will we see more local bands being represented?

For us, we do keep a percentage of the platform not just for Singapore bands but also for regional bands. Last year, we had a band from Indonesia called Gugun & Blues Shelter. So, for next year, in our festival, we would like to have two or three Singapore and/or regional or Asian acts.

What are your hopes for the “live” music scene in Singapore?

To be brutally honest, I hope and wish that the audience, as well as the musicians, will not forget the beautiful music of the past. Instead of being fascinated by what is coming out “last week,” (they should also be getting in to) so much good music from the 60s, 70s and 80s, not just internationally, but also from Singapore. And as part of the journey, if you don’t know your roots, how are you going to make it to “the next mile”? And for us, I think that’s what we try and do. As for Raw Earth, we will also be covering songs by Singapore blues bands from the 60s and 70s …

Alright! Like The Straydogs?

Yes, that’s right! And the Pests Infested. We intend to take their songs and perform them. Because, you know, it is important to remember and appreciate the past, and have some grounding and foundation.

Official Facebook Page

Raw Earth will be opening for Rock & Roots this Friday at 6.30pm.

Catch them LIVE every Wednesday from 9.15pm at Timbre (Substation).

After last year’s successful debut, Timbre and Bluesfest return with a stellar lineup this April 15 & 16—a second dose of exhilarating aural pleasure to hit our tiny little island in a span of 2 months.

Opening the festival on Day 1 is local blues and rock outfit Raw Earth (SG REPREEEEZANT!), led by Danny Loong, Timbre’s Chief Creative Director.  If you weren’t at their MOSAIC gig this year, check out their covers here. International heavyweights that follow include Bob Dylan, Toots & The Maytals and Michael Franti & Spearhead. One of the key figures of the burgeoning Reggae and ska music scene back in the early 1960s, Toots & The Maytals (formerly The Maytals) was credited to father the term “reggae” in a Jamaican recording with the release of “Do The Reggay” in 1968.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Credited as one of the “100 Most Important People of the Century” by Time Magazine, Bob Dylan released The Witmark Demos, Vol. 9 of his Bootleg series late last year. Comprising 47 demo recordings of songs taped between 1962 and 1964 for Dylan’s earliest music publishers. A musical revolutionary of the 1960’s Dylan continues to influence major figures across generation and genre, from The Beatles, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Guns & Roses, Rage Against The Machine, White Stripes to Norah Jones.

With The Sound of Sunshine available in stores from Mar 28 2011, Michael Franti makes a debut appearance together with his band Spearhead this year at Rock & Roots. Hopefully, we’ll be able to catch him performing tracks from the album!

Click here to view the embedded video.

On Day 2, we have a well-diversified mix of Trombone Shorty, Imogen Heap and John Legend. Up-and-coming Grammy nominee Trombone Shorty with his band Orleans Avenue will show us what is “Supafunkrock”. A jedi master of the trombone and trumpet, expect to be impressed by an explosive combination of funk, rock, R&B and hip-hop. (In addition to ogling at this snazzy looker.)

Click here to view the embedded video.

Returning act Imogen Heap probably stands out from the other acts with her alternative synth-pop style, but who’s to complain when you’re brilliant! Following an announcement on 14 Mar 2011, any material from the other half of Frou Frou’s next album after Ellipse will not be out until after June 2011. So in the meantime, do yourself a favor and soak up all her musical glory while you “Wait it Out”.

John Legend, an avid advocate for social awareness released “Wake Up!” with The Roots on Sept 21 2010. Following its debut and coming in at #8 on the US Billboard 200 chart, he will be here to close the festival with a 90min set.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Concession tickets are already sold out, so don’t risk it and get your tickets now!  Psst. Get the 2-Day Premium package. What’s the point of going if you’re only going to be thaaaat far away from the stage? If you’re satisfied with the live telecast on the giant screens you might as well stay home and wait for some really gung-ho partygoer to upload the entire festival (pixelated, shaky and horrendous sound quality) on YouTube, part by part. And DUH! It’s a no-brainer to go for both days!

Official Site|Facebook|Twitter

“Michaela” is on sale now at all Starbucks outlets and she has already begun a “Starbucks Tour” don’t miss these dates at outlets (hopefully) near you

26 March Sat, Raffles City 3pm

2 April Sat, Paragon 3pm

9 April Sat, Holland Village 3pm

In the mean time enjoy some pictures from the launch held at TAB.

Michaela Therese | Facebook | Myspace

Check out our interview with Michaela as well, right here.

Australian pop singer-songwriter Lenka has been on a whirlwind world tour ever since she hit the big time with her global smash, The Show. She was in town to launch her latest album, Two, on the Epic label (distributed by Sony Music), at TAB at Orchard Hotel on 26 February. 8floMusic met up with the petite brunette singer at Klapsons Boutique Hotel to find out more about her new album, her songwriting process, and how she has been coping with the pressures of life on the road.

Your debut self-titled album has been described as being mostly a collection of bright, cheerful and whimsical songs, and you’ve been quoted as saying you would like people to hear more love songs on album Two? So, how very different is Two from your first one?

Actually, I think there are more love songs on album Two. There weren’t that many love songs on album #1, as it was more about life and trying to figure out my own place in the world. And Two is more about being in love and kind of dealing with that and revelling in that. It’s also about trying to overcome hardship and continuing to kind of pick myself up and move on, because that’s a theme I really like to discuss.

The songs on your new album, like “Roll with the Punches” and “Sad Song,” were they inspired by your experience of moving from your hometown of Sydney to Los Angeles and then, from L.A. to Brooklyn?

Yeah, partly and also touring. I had a really crazy year of travelling around the world all through 2009. It’s just like every few days, I was on another plane going to another city. It was really fun but it can get quite hard and get quite lonely, as well. So, I did get a bit depressed at times and found myself sitting in a hotel room somewhere and feeling like completely lost. Some of those songs like “Sad Song” in particular, are about the process of trying to pick myself up and move beyond that. Usually, I write the song when I’m starting to feel a little bit better.

The song “Roll with the Punches,” from hearing it, I get the feeling that it was about a difficult relationship you had at the time when you were adjusting to life in America?

Yeah, actually it was about a couple of things. It was about a personal fight that I was having with someone, and I had just gotten off the phone and I was feeling like really upset. It’s also about some career stuff, as well. Like about the industry and feeling like getting pushed around, and things don’t go my way and I have to “roll with the punches” and just go with the flow and really just trying to teach myself to get the best out of life, rather than let it knock you down and try to focus on the positives, basically.

All things considered, looking back now, do you think you made the right choice to move from Australia to America?

Yeah, I do! Because I wouldn’t be in Singapore, if I didn’t, for example. I wouldn’t have the fans that I do worldwide, if I had stayed in Australia because the industry there is a lot more insular. It’s a great little music scene there but it’s kind of “Australia-based”. Whereas America is very much about trying to be this centre of the world, so it’s a great place to start and move out to other countries in the world. So, you know my life has changed a lot, but I think it was a good move.

“Heart Skips a Beat” is the first single to be released here in Singapore from your new album.  Tell us, what’s the story behind this song?

It’s a kind of funny story. I was literally having a bit of a problem with my heart, it was getting a bit fluttery. And I asked my friend who is a doctor about it and what did he think of this and I’m a bit worried. He said to me, “Well, Ha! Ha! Sounds like, you must be in love!”

Click here to view the embedded video.

]]> http://music.8flo.com/2011/03/03/lenka-on-two/feed/ 0 http://music.8flo.com/2011/02/24/duels-official/ http://music.8flo.com/2011/02/24/duels-official/#comments Wed, 23 Feb 2011 16:19:54 +0000 Vishnu http://music.8flo.com/?p=1386

Recently we got a whiff of something new happening in the hip hop scene here. A brand new rap battle league, (yes, think 8 mile), “Duels Official” has been holding sessions regularly and now they’re promoting their first legit event titled “Legal Gathering” They’ve even received recognition from local sponsors as well as American and Canadian rap battle leagues. Check out some of that just below. We had a little informal pow wow with two-thirds of the Duels team, Dan Rapscallion and Enero. Here’s what the pair had to say about rap battling & hip hop in SG.

Click here to view the embedded video.

8FloMusic : What is a rap battle?

Rapscallion : It’s pretty much like back in school when two guys are just teasing each other and a bunch of friends are just sitting around them laughing, that’s what rap battling is basically. Most people are gonna think “8 Mile”.

8FloMusic : What are the elements of rap battling?

Well, there are many “technical” elements in a rap battle. For instance a flip; it’s a taste of your own medicine. Its like if I slam the 8flo logo, and you use what I said about it against me. In terms of crowd response, that makes the audience go crazy, they love it.

8FloMusic : Who do you see attending a rap battle?

Rapscallion : Besides the hip hop heads, who are into battling and watching it, I’d say people from the poetry scene. Chris Mooney of Poetry Singapore wants us to do a literature workshop for them in July. For the first time the poetry scene is reaching out to the hip hop scene. I’m damn proud of that.

Even the very deep rooted subcultures, like punks, skinheads, the hardcore scene, these guys wanna come down. See, it’s a war of words, if music is universal then words are equally universal. Music and words are communication. If you speak english you can be at a rap battle. You don’t have to dress like me to be there.

8FloMusic : You guys are advocating rap battle as a form of entertainment for the masses, despite the fact that it is still quite niche. Do you think it will ever be as popular as going to a club to catch a DJ?

Enero : Well I think it’s two different things. Rappers here are not used to criticism, but in a rap battle you can’t avoid it. I just want to say because the scene is so small at the moment, we don’t want emcee’s to quit. We need them to do it consistently, battling is a warm up to doing serious music, we need to grow. Even the guys who are doing music now should give it a shot! It’s fun, when you’re battling and the crowd goes wild for that one punchline,I’d say it feels just like doing a dope 3 minute song on stage. I’ll admit we are in our infancy so we need lots of encouragement and involvement from as many performers as possible.

8FloMusic : In a sense rap battling is about the technical side of hip hop, about lyricism and creativity, not just beats and club worthy melodies. What do you think about it ?

Rapscallion : Well, simplicity sells there’s no doubt. So does controversy. The basis of a rap battle is the grudge between two emcee’s. When you see guys online vlog-ing about how they’re gonna destroy the competition it creates a buzz about that battle, an excitement. Entertainment is a big part of what we want to push, there’s no point having the most technical lines if it isn’t entertaining to the crowd.

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The emcee’s are not gonna repeat what they’ve said in the vlogs. They’re writing material to step up the game and really bring it to their opponent. Flips, filler lines that help to set up the next killer line, set-ups. Yes, it can be technical, but right there, in the battle, it’s either entertaining or it isn’t.

8FloMusic : Seen any emcee’s just go blank and choke during a battle?

Enero : Ah, it’s common in a battle.

Rapscallion : Yea! I’ve choked, its a learning experience. It makes you want to never let it happen again. Choking is just part of the journey.

8FloMusic : Hasn’t rap battling always been an underground culture? The underground side of hip hop?

Rapscallion : What happened was BET and MTV started televising rap battles but Grind Time are the ones who brought it to the next level. So, I’d say that its not that underground anymore. Sponsors do come in and get the organizers to put up elimination style competitions. Now, rap battling is a platform for rappers to get noticed but not just for music, its a great way to get noticed for comedy writing and almost anything.

8FloMusic : Do you think Singapore has enough consumers to sustain a hip hop market?

Rapscallion : It already is being sustained, if you’re talking about B-boys, DJ’s, graffiti artists, but if we talk about rap specifically, I’d say the past year was good for rappers. Look at Kevin Lester, Big Getta & Sheikh Haikel. The household names are definitely doing well, but I believe good management will make the difference. What we want to see is Singaporean artistes being signed outside the island but still maintaining ties with the community here.

8FloMusic : Do you guys have any other plans besides promoting the rap battle scene?

Enero : Yea, personally speaking, hopefully by this year i’ll be releasing an album. I wanna do it the same way that Dumbfoundead did it, gain some prominence through battling and hopefully I’ll have enough fans by then who are willing to support my release. I just wanna garner that support through battling. Everyone in Duels Official has big plans and we just want to help each other out in whatever way we can.

8FloMusic : You mentioned earlier that there will be no beat playing in the background during the battles, why?

Rapscallion : Lots of people have been asking us about this. It’s not like battles you might have seen on youtube or MTV. In a sense we’re trying to educate and entertain the crowd at the same time. Look, rap battling now is not about the beat that you can nod your head to, it’s about the words, it’s a new wave. The audience has no choice but to listen to the words. We’re putting ourselves on the spot as well, the emcee’s can’t be complacent, they have to make sure they kill it.

8FloMusic : Do you think we have the rap battle talent here?

Enero : I’m actually quite happy, we didn’t really get to choose who we wanted to participate in our early events. Our battle emcee’s are guys we got to know through their music, not from battling. When we we’re doing the promo battles, that was the first time we heard them, to be honest, yes, some of them choked, but there were some emcee’s that surprised us. I just hope there are more guys like that out there who are willing to battle.

Rapscallion : I feel like I have some friends who could be great at battling, the gift of gab, guys who can get on people’s nerves. These guys should get into it. There are sarcastic emcees like Caustic who have a great sense of humour.

Enero : Maybe in the future battling won’t just be for rappers anymore.

Rapscallion : There is an emcee in America, Reverse Live who is the frontman of a punk band!

8FloMusic : Any last words?

Rapscallion : Yea come check out Legal Gathering this Saturday 26th Feb 6-8pm at Scape’s Youth Center Lab.

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