| Q1 : How did you get your alias/rap name? |
| I was trying to brainstorm a name back in high school as I had decided it was time to start to build a name for the crew and myself. I had entered an all ages battle which was also my first time on stage when I was 15, when it came to my turn I completely froze and was speechless, all I remember was people shouting and laughing. I felt like crap for ages about it, although in the scheme of things it wasn’t a big issue at all. Then one day I was sitting on my bed and looked up at a poster on my wall that I had had since I was 10 which was covered in hundreds of scattered smiley faces. It then clicked as I had also gotten over the awful first time on stage experience and I chose the name smiles again. |
| Q2 : What year did you first get into hip hop? |
| From a very early age I liked everything, weather it be ricky martin, frank Sinatra or puff daddy I’d bump it, however I began to steer towards hip hop during the earlier years of high school after a conversation with willow, I played him a dre and snoop track which I loved because it had a dope dope beat and willow didn’t like it based on their verses it was after this that I got into the lyrical side of hip hop, he showed me the light. |
| Q3 : Who have been the major influences on your career to date and
how? (musical or other) |
| There are so many, I just bought an 80 gig ipod and am frustrated because I can only fit my favourtite cd’s on it. So far I have on it wu tang, redman, bliss n eso, pharse, bubba sparkxxx, universal soldiers, lupe, jehst, taskforce, eminem, big pun, much of the demigodz, rhymesayers, and def jux labels music. Willow is a mojor influence on my music as well. |
| Q4 : If you could perform or record with anyone dead or alive - who
would it be and why? |
| I’d love to do a collab track with jay z, jehst, method man and redman, eminem (if he brought that heat) with a duet consiting of elvis and lilly allen on the hook… it could turn out horrible however it would also be legendary. I’d love to perform with the game, I’d just feel like the hardest brother on earth. |
| Q5 : What countries and cities have you most enjoyed performing in?
Any interesting stories to tell? |
| We have performed in a ton of places around Australia and my favorite show to date was the nurcha fest show in Adelaide. It was the most eventful show we’d experienced to date. We were overly overwhelmed by the crowds response, there was everything from people clapping in time and mouthing our lyrics to spray cans being let off in the air, to heads trying to jump up on stage, security was asked to man the stage. there was such a magical atmosphere in the room, I’ll never forget it. We also performed in japan. Before the show I had written a couple of the artists names down on my arm to shout them out once we were done, however by the time of our last track the ink had run on my arm from sweat so I couldn’t make out all of the names. I got stuck on one name imparticular… Onigashima. I could only read Oniga which I repeated unwittingly a couple of times. After the show a few dudes were like “tight set, but what was with you yelling out ni**er at the end there” I just had to laugh. |
| Q6 : Across your career to date, what highlights will you hold onto
till you die? |
| Willow and I had just played a show in Canberra for a massive hip hop charity event called rhyme intervention with 20 plus acts and had proceeded to party back in our hotel. I’m quite close with a crew called natural causes who also played. On this occasion chance from natural causes was trying to get sleep while everyone around him was smoking, drinking etc. It came to everyone’s attention, that chance, who was so desperately trying to sleep, was using a pillow as a blanket and a blanket as a pillow, it might not sound like much but it had everyone in fits of laughter for the next 20 minutes and to this day. I’ll never forget that. |
| Q7 : Vinyl and analog have played such a massive part of the
development of hip hop, how do you feel about the shift to digital? |
| I dislike it in some ways however like it in others. I feel music now lacks an element of rawness that it once had back in 90s which vinyl played a big roll in. I mean look at nwa or big pun compared to now music now days. Going digital has made music of all genres so much more accessible and easy to make. Now days there are fewer fans than rappers at many shows. I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing. although it is what it is, adapt or die I suppose? |
| Q8 : What advice do you have for young, aspiring artists
(MCs/DJs/Producers)? |
| Listen to as much hip hop as you can, when you create something weather it be a beat, lyrics or whatever think to yourself would your favorite rapper bump this? Also record when ever you can to develop a style, I mean we’re still developing ours, it generally takes a while.. you should hear my first track haha I sound like a year 4 student giving a school talk about moss. |
| Q9 : What one thing in your career you would most want to be
remembered for? |
| I’d like to be part of the crew that gets rid of the term ‘australian hip hop’ and turns it into just hip hop which is what it should be. Its all hip hop, this country has some of the best rappers the world has to offer so I think it’s very possible for Australian artists’ music to make a dent in the international scene. |
| Q10 : What other activities do you enjoy doing when you're not making
music, rehearsing or performing? |
| I like playing sport.. soccer, tennis, wii tennis haha I love just chilling out with friends having a drink on the balcony. The beach is dam nice as well on the right day. I also love seinfeld, family guy and prison break. That the diet that my kids will be raised on I’m sure haha |
| Q11 : Why hip hop? |
| Coz pop music’s for pussies. haha no honestly because you can say something. I feel its much more personal than any other genre, you can make people laugh, cry, learn, and fly all in the same song, it’s a beautiful thing. |
