Obese Records 10 Year Anniversary : Block Party
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Obese Records 10 Year Anniversary : Block Party

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Find out why Obese Records has left an indelible mark on the Australian music

Friday night just past hosted the Jagermeister Independent Music Awards. One group’s performance managed to transcend the awards, and that was the Obese Records crew’s stint on stage as part of local producer M-Phazes’ nomination for his album Good Gracious , that came out in February this year. This triumphant appearance by the Obese Records crew was a strong indication that this coming Friday’s Obese Block Party 2010 – one that celebrates the label’s ten years of operations – will be an unprecedented celebration of quality Australian hip hop.

Obese Records’ owner and manager Tirren Staaf (known by his MC name Pegz) is obviously a very proud label head, especially when ruminating on M-Phazes abilities in the studio. “I think the great thing about M-Phazes is he’s got a great current knowledge of what’s going on,” Pegz explains. “He’s extremely tapped into the world of hip hop sounds and what current producers are doing and he seems to have a really good grasp on where he wants to put his spin on things.”

Obese Records, the store, is widely regarded among Melbourne’s music scene as the Mecca for international hip hop in its capacity as the Izett st, Prahan record store. In its capacity as a record label, Obese Records has left an indelible mark on the Australian music by giving locally produced hip hop a national identity. Firstly, this was through Hilltop Hoods’ The Calling (2003). This album featured the cross-over hit song The Nosebleed Section ipthat saw Hilltop Hoods and Australian hip hop become prominent across formerly both rock-dominated festivals like Meredith and Falls, as well as radio stations like Triple J, and now the raft of commercial stations. Pegz admits that the success of Hilltop Hoods shaped the national perception of Obese Records.

“Obviously, the Hilltop Hoods with their success and their sound was what Obese was sort of known as; that souly funk sound….” he then laughs and casually concludes, “Look I don’t know how to explain it in any more depth than that… but we sort of had that early sound, where it was really funk-based and soulful.”

Pegz now reflects from the aforementioned release of 2003 and comments on Obese’s current sound off the back of acts Spit Syndicate, M-Phazes, Dialectrix, Skryptcha and Mantra.

“I think – especially over the last few years – we’ve really transformed into more of a contemporary hip hop sound. A lot of the artists on the label now are aged between twenty and twenty-five years old and obviously they have different influences – they might not have grown up on NWA and the sort of groups that we grew up with… but yeah, they’re definitely bringing a whole new sound to the table.”

Obviously, with all the celebrations surrounding this year’s block party, it’s been ten years since Obese Records released their first album, which came from their first signing, Reason.

Pegz’s tone is warm as he recalls the formative early days of Obese, but the efficiency in his language is indicative of a man who has spent his professional life as an MC and the head of a record company. “The record store has gone through numerous transitional phases, with different owners. I started working there probably around ’99 or 2000 and I was working behind the counter for about two to three years before I purchased the business.

“Before I worked there it was originally a retail store in Greville Street. owned by a guy called Ollie Bobbitt; back then it was called O.B’s – for his name. I helped out when he owned that store – probably in ’96 or something – he used to have days off and I’d go in there and just help out selling records and stuff, so there’s a little bit of history all the way back to ’96 or something. He [Ollie] sold the business onto a partner of his in ’98 or something and then around mid 2002 I ended up taking over the business.

“I think the label started as more a case of necessity from seeing so much talent out there,” Pegz comments, before he retraces the evolution of the record store itself, paying tribute to two of Obese Record’s first signings Bias B and Reason.

“When I started the label Bias B was working at the record store at the time. Reason wasn’t working there but he was heavily involved with a lot of stuff in the local scene at the time.

“Reason had been around for ten years before me as an active contributor to the scene – as early as probably ’87. Bias B had also been around for a long time,” Pegz warmly reminisces.

“Reason was a real sort of catalyst for bringing people together, I guess, and was definitely extremely helpful and instrumental in my introduction to the scene.”

Obese Records was in a way a response as Australian hip hop grew from a localised phenomena to a national genre. Pegz talks about what he considers the first definitive compilation of Australian hip hop – the Cultural Kings Compilation.

Cultural Kings Compilation came out in 2000 I believe, and that was the beginning point – that’s when everyone really started to come together I think,” he recalls.

Pegz’ own first release on Obese came out in 2001 and was called Pegasus. However, his career in MCing had begun many years previous. “My first release came out, I believe, in 2001 and I featured on a release in 2000 by Nuffsaid, it was Beats From The Vaults. So that was the debut, you know, officially released,” he chuckles. “Before that I’d had numerous experiences through live MC battles – I started as early on as ’95.”

Pegz now recalls that it was the suburb of Richmond that featured a lot of the this state’s first live hip hop shows, “The old Cherry Tree that used to be in Richmond (and is still there, but under new owners) saw a lot of the early MC battles and hip hop shows and there were a few battles sort of along Swan Street at random pubs – I can’t remember their names now,” he laughs.

It was these humble, grass roots beginnings that formed the basis for the Obese Records outlook that artists retain all creative control.

Pegz sets out this outlook, saying “Creatively we’ve always had the stance that the artist and their own integrity will come through in their music without us having any involvement.” He pauses before expanding on this point, adding, “I think there’s a silent understanding of what we expect and it’s just a quality record. The artists seem to be regularly inspired by each other and there’s a friendly competitiveness with every release that comes out. I’m sure the other artists are looking at it going, ‘I can do that better’.”

One Obese artist who has recently released a record that has impressed Pegz is Skryptcha – who has recently released his album The Numbers on Obese and will be appearing The Block Party.

“I feel there’s a real sort of humbleness to his sound and I feel it’s really, really accessible in terms of the subjects he’s talking about, the production and the sonic back drop,” comments Pegz. “Skryptcha to me seems like a really good natured, standard, Aussie bloke from the suburbs and I think a lot of people can relate to that. There doesn’t seem to be any rock star-ness about him at all.”

Pegz then explores exactly what the lyrical themes are that he likes in Skryptcha’s rhymes, adding “I like the way he wears his influences on his sleeve, and it’s something I tend to do also. I also think that his approach to music – in terms of he’s always willing to take on peoples comments about his music and ask people for help and advice – he’s got a really open mind when it come to wanting to learn more.”

Another Obese artist and Block Party attendee that Pegz has mad props for is Mantra.

“He’s got a real hunger and a genuine nature. You can tell how much he likes the music and the amount of work he puts into his lyrics; I definitely think he’s one of the best lyricists in the country.”

“I think he just seems to be so hungry ‘cause he’s been around for a good five or six years and hasn’t got the praise or recognition he deserves. So it’s sort of nice to see someone with that ability – who can often get overlooked in the industry because their rhymes are a little too complex for radio or something – do well. I’m just really happy he’s made a record on his own terms without having to make any poppy stuff on there and he’s still got feature albums (on radio stations, and ‘zines) and a heap of success with the record.”

While obviously being a huge supporter and fan of all the Obese artists Pegz is very definite about explaining his involvement with each artist’s album is up to the individual.

“I am not really involved in the production process for the Obese artists, except for just talking with them numerous times about the direction of the album and what I thought the fans would want and how they could possibly expand that fan base,” he states.

“But when it comes down to it I trust every artist on the label to choose their own direction – I’ve never dictated a sound or anything to any artist – they are intelligent enough to know that if they want to achieve certain things there’s perimeters they’ve gotta’ walk within.

“We’d never sit down and say look you’ve gotta’ make a song really catchy or anything.”

PEGZ is appearing at the OBESE BLOCK PARTY 2010: Obese Records’ 10 Year Anniversary alongside a huge line-up of hip hop talent including Mantra, Bias B, M-Phazes, Illy, Spit Syndicate, Skryptcha, Dialectrix, Gully Platoon, Tuka & DJ Morgs, Chasm & Vida-Sunshyne, Simplex, Reason, Hyjack & Torcha, Maundz, Fluent Form, Ciecmate & Newsense, plus live graffiti by Jase (Beathedz) and a showcase by the Wickid Force Breakers. It’s at The Palace Theatre this Friday October 8.

Tickets from ticketek.com.au, 132 849, palace.com.au, Obese and Wax Museum Records.