Taking it to the streets: An interview with the Pott Street crew.

[Megan Spencer]

Winners are grinners if the photo below is anything to go by! The pic was taken directly after the huge win for NT hip hop outfit - and MuNT Forum members - Pott Street at Friday night’s 6th annual NT Indigenous Music Awards.

The hard-working hip hop crew from the Darwin suburbs won the “coveted” ‘Emerging Act of the Year’ Award. And not only that,
a $10 000 touring grant to go with it. Sweet!

L-R the Pott Street “family” are ‘Gusto’, ‘Fliz’, 'O' Zee and Dizzle. They’ve been hard at it making music, building an image, finding their voice and garnering a staunch audience base for the past decade. Pott Street are the perfect example of the self-contained contemporary music group borne of the 'internet age'. It’s not just by necessity that they produce everything ‘in-house’ - from music to music vidoes; it also comes from a strong desire to define their voice and image in an effort to stay ‘distinct’, especially in the current culture/market, flooded with all things ‘generic’. Plus it can’t hurt having a photographer, audio engineer and mult-media developer on the crew!

Consequently Pott Street have built a solid network/community around them, making their presence felt via viral campaigns and platforms such as My Space, Unearthed and twitter, which they make the most out of. Anyone who’s checked out their ‘prize-winning’ MuNT Forum page will know that these guys are not content to settle for the ‘factory settings’ that come with free webpages. There’s a big effort to leave their mark wherever they go, whatever they do...

And just as well… Zac writes on the Pott Street My Space page, “Through tireless networking and the in-grained hustle that comes with the hip hop culture, Pott Street has managed to independently secure national and international radio play”. If you’re in hip hop you gotta hustle! Plus there’s a clear understanding of the importance of of building a community of ‘friends’ around what they do – and what they do is make polished, dancable hip hip that can veer into electronica, sometimes with messages and sometimes without.

Pott Street are a part of the renaissance Australian hip hop has spent the last decade growing into. They have their own stories to tell, points of view on the world and enjoy being part of something that’s growing in popularity and stature - the global hip hop movement. For a sizable chunk of time now, Australian artists have been able to hold their heads high without fear of having the finger pointed at them as American rap’s 'poorer cousins'… All thanks to pioneers like The Herd, Hill Top Hoods and Hermitude – and lately Oz hip hop stars Bliss n Eso, TZU and Combat Wombat. When these guys started topping the charts everyone sat up and took notice. And took them seriously.

It could be Pott Street’s turn very soon. With new album High North on the way, and a big tour ahead of them in 2010 courtesy of their IMA windfall, things have suddenly gotten very busy for these four friends who all grew up on the same street in Moil: you guessed it, 'Pott Street'. Music NT chewed the fat with all four members, just before the NT IMAs…


Music NT: Who does what in the band, where are each of you from and what are your day jobs?
Tim Johnson AKA Fliz AKA DJTJ. Vocals/production. Born and bred in Darwin grew up on Pott Street in Moil, I.T. Technician and Audio Engineer.

Zac Watt AKA Gusto AKA DJ Gusto. Vocals/production. Born in Melbourne, moved to Darwin at age 11 and grew up on Pott Street in Moil. Multimedia Developer & Photographer.

Adam Austin AKA 'O' Zee. Vocals/production. Born and bred in Darwin. Liaison Officer for Medicare Australia

Mandy Garling AKA Dizzle. Vocals/instruments. Born and bred in Darwin. Singer-songwriter, IEW at Sacred Heart Primary School.

MuNT: When and how and why did you get together?
Gusto: We first got together as a hip hop crew in around 1999 and really started making music in 2001. It felt natural for us to become a crew and make music. We were already friends and had known each other since we were kids, we all loved music - really loved it and lived it - and it kinda kicked in from there. Once we started we’ve never stopped.

MuNT: How would you describe your music?
Fliz: International hip hop with a laid back tropical vibe.

Gusto: Good music, straight up. Nothing but the truth.

'O' Zee: Good variety of beats with a hip hop feel.

Dizzle: Great Harmonies.

MuNT: Do you have a particular ‘philosophical’ approach to creating your music?
Gusto: Me personally - as long as I do what feels good I'm happy. Don't force the music, it should be a natural process. If it feels good, chances are it sounds good.

'O' Zee: No, not really, just get into the mindset of creating music and let it flow…

Dizzle: I just think happy thoughts and fine music is happy with me.

MuNT: What kinds of stories do you tell in your music? And who are they aimed at?
Fliz: We tell stories based on our experiences and lifestyle in the far North of Australia. Growing up in the tropics, partying, playing sport, relationships and the hard times as well. Our songs are about our love of where we are from and how lucky we are to live the way we do. We don’t target our music for any particular demographic or group and because of this we are constantly surprised at the wide range of people that provide positive feedback to our music.

Gusto: My lyrics are inspired by the truth. I'm non-fiction at heart but we all elaborate as writers. I still need music to be believable though. Life is about experiences and music is life - so experience it!

'O' Zee: We tell a variety of stories from life experiences growing up in Darwin, through good and bad and the lifestyle we live. I don’t think our music is aimed at anyone particular, though with our variety of songs people should be able to relate to a part of it.

Dizzle: Our lyrics are based on truths, friendships and family. I think a lot of youth can relate to some of our music we sing. It’s fresh, it’s groovy, it’s got wicked beats and it brings a great story to each song.

MuNT: How has living in the NT shaped your sound and performances?
Gusto: Moil represent, Darwin all day! Living here in Darwin as a young bloke meant absolutely no hip hop or RNB live or in the clubs so everything we listened to was worked for. I remember staying up till 4am in the morning just to see a Wu Tang video... a lot was word of mouth, everybody shared their music with friends and family, at parties and school, and it created a community, a family - the Pott Street family. So the taste in music our friends and family had was a huge influence on us in my opinion. I think because we had to work so hard just to hear hip hop in the early days we appreciate the artform that much more. And the passion and love we have for the music really transfers to our live performances.

'O' Zee: I think the laid back life lifestyle of living in the NT compared to anywhere else has enabled us to create music to reflect that.

Dizzle: Growing up in Howard Springs I only new country music. Every weekend me and my family would have great big gatherings where we sang around the campfire all night. When I got introduced to Pott Street I just knew in my heart this is the place I wanted to be. Singing a new style of music has opened a lot in my world. Hip hop is not just being cool, it brings more feeling and passion inside and gives us determination to wanna keep writing and doing great performances for the Northern Territory.

MuNT: What does being an NT hip hop band mean? How would you define it?
Fliz: it means a unique perspective on life and therefore unique content, language and sound to our music.
Gusto: It means fighting the long battle, the good battle, the battle for our own lane in the Australian hip hop community, a lane for us and all the future hip hop artists coming out of the NT. We need to provide that lane and that is what we have been working towards for close to 10 years now.

'O' Zee: It means representing where we're from and putting the NT on the map.

Dizzle: It means doing what we’re good at and who we are in the Northern Territory. We are unique in every way, it’s our destiny.

MuNT: Who goes to your gigs? And what kind of audience reactions do you get?
Fliz: We have performed around Australia every type of gig - from youth events to gala balls so we have literaly performed for people from all walks of life. O'zee has even performed in China. We always perform to entertain so we encourage dancing and audience participation at our gigs. Darwin crowds especially never fail and we appreciate everyone that comes along to the live shows.

Gusto: Man, we play all types of gigs so we get em' all. Old, young, drunk, sober, we don't care, just as long as they have a good time with us we're happy.

'O' Zee: We get a variety of different people at our gigs - young, old, locals, people from interstate and overseas. We get good responses and positive feedback which we appreciate from all the people who come to our gigs.

Dizzle: We get a lot of people from all around different places. Every gig I have done with Pott Street – we always get great feedback about our performances.

MuNT: Describe the best gig(s) you’ve ever done?
Fliz: Performing in Kings Cross Sydney for the Redfern Records label launch was definitely a highlight. It was attended by Indigenous Australians from around the country including heaps of celebrities like Anthony Mundine and Jessica Mauboy. And the response to our performance was incredible. In saying that though we always have a great time performing in Darwin and events such as the NAIDOC Ball, Darwin Festival and our own Pott Street hosted hip hop nights are great fun.

Gusto: I'd have to agree with the crew, the Redfern gig was crazy, we ripped it. Jess Mauboy and The Man Mundine were in the house, we did an interview with SBS and The Age Newspaper, met the guys from Sony and pretty much had a ball with it. I need some more of that in my life.

'O' Zee: Definitely the Redfern Records gig in Sydney, with Jess Mauboy. NAIDOC Ball 2009 and the Arafura Games closing ceremony gig in 2007.

Dizzle: What can I say - every gig has been a blast!!! But I do have to say my very favourite was in Sydney with Redfern Records. It was so good to see my cousin Jessica Mauboy come support Pott Street. That was one of my best highlights ever!!!!

MuNT: What’s the best gig you’ve every been at?
Fliz: Definitely Snoop, Ice Cube and Bone Thugs all on the same bill last year in Sydney.

Gusto: In Darwin, for a big act probably Regurgitator. That show was intense - I never moshed so hard in my life. For a local act then of course it would be any one of the Pott Street parties we've held at The Rox over the last few years. Our 2008 Xmas Party was nuts. As far as the really big gigs go, it would be a toss up between Cypress Hill at The Metro (Melbourne) in 2006 or Eminem at Rod Laver in Melbourne back in 2001.

'O' Zee: Snoop Dogg and Ice Cube.

Dizzle: The only gig I really liked was Kasey Chambers. Still gotta love the country hehe!!!

MuNT: Who are your musical influences?
Fliz: Everything I have ever listened to has influenced me in some way. I would say in order of importance: Play School, Sesame Street, The Beat...

Gusto: The greats of music and my family. My Dad has always had mad musical instruments around the house so he definitely influenced me with his musings. I grew up on all sorts of music thanks to my folks and fell in love with hip hop when I first heard MC Hammer, Tone Loc, Young MC & Coolio. After that I discovered probably my biggest musical influences which are Cypress Hill, Wu Tang Clan and Dr Dre.

'O' Zee: I was brought up listening to a variety of music from the 1950s right through. I still listen to a variety of genres including rock, country, pop and reggae.

Dizzle: I have to say my family. That’s where I learned how to sing, write and play guitar. My influence would be the (late great) ‘King of Pop’ Michael Jackson, Tracy Chapman, gospel, Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Chris Brown, Beyonce, Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson and Troy Cassar Daly.

MuNT: What attracts you to hip hop as a genre?
Fliz: I've always just loved the feel of the beat from a young age but in terms of performance it’s the ability to paint pictures with words and tell your story much more literaly than with other genres.

Gusto: The ability to say whatever I want and to create whatever I want. That's what drew me to hip hop in the early days. It was real, raw and vivid, it was the streets CNN, and people didn't bite their tongues like I found with all the music on radio and the TV.

'O' Zee: Always liked the feel of the beats, they can get you hyped in the club to dance but also can be slowed down to tell a story. I like the way hip hop as a genre can do that.

Dizzle: I always liked to dance to a wicked beats when I was young. I would just listen to the background music of hip hop and always just feel the music. Hip hop attracts me to the beat and the feeling of the lyrics. I like a song that has a great storyline behind it. And with Pott Street our words are from the heart, not just made up stuff.

MuNT: How far do you want to take Pott Street i.e. what are your ultimate ambitions for the band?
Fliz: We don’t place any limitations on that stuff; the goal is to reach as many people as we can in order to share our message, viewpoint and lifestyle with the widest audience possible.

Gusto: I would like to achieve some real success in the Aussie music scene and then take Pott Street international and make music my living. Touring, writing and producing music for the rest of my life is the goal.

'O' Zee: I want to take Pott Street to the top, get the most out it, while we have the opportunity to do so… At the same time, always making good music and getting it heard.

Dizzle: I would like to see Pott Street on the charts one day, being heard on every radio station in Australia. Also to share our music with the world.

MuNT: You’ve also recorded a fair bit of music – your new songs appear very regularly on the Music NT Forum – can you tell us about your songwriting and recording process?
Fliz: All of our music is made in-house from a mixture of live instrumentation, sequencing, synths and sampling. We usualy start with a new beat or song idea and we then each come up with a personal take on the topic and write our individual verses. Choruses are generaly a collaboration or are written by the person who made the beat. We then record, mix and master our own music in our home studio "The Dope Den".

Gusto: Fliz don't lie.

'O' Zee: Pretty well summed up there Fliz.

Dizzle: Spot on there Fliz, you the man.

MuNT: Who would you ultimately like to produce your music and work with?
Fliz: I would like to work more with local artist to help grow hip hop in the NT and around Australia, and also to link in with people who can help more in terms of distribution and marketing rather than production. If I got the chance though I would definitely love to work with Rick Rubin, drop a verse on a Hi Tek beat or collaborate with M-Phazes.

Gusto: I'm all for continuing our work with more local artists so we can keep pushing hip hop in the N.T forward. We need to develop the NT hip hop community and support each other. If I could work with anyone in the world though it would Dr Dre, DJ Muggs and RZA, and I'd love to spit a verse next to Nas. That would be dope. I can dream. Def Jam holler at ya boy. Locally I would love to work with P-Money from New Zealand and M-Phazes from Melbourne - both are ridiculous with their production games.

'O' Zee: Ultimately? in the world? Dr. Dre and DJ Muggs. But yeah working with other local artists, to build hip hop in the NT

Dizzle: I would like to work with anyone that has great experience in the music industry.

MuNT: You’ve been nominated for an award at this year’s NT Indigenous Music Awards… Is this the first time you’ve been recognised at the Awards? What does it mean to you?
Fliz: It means a lot, both to Pott Street and to hip hop in the NT. We hope it can help us to reach a wider audience, to spread our message and maybe help us reach some other goals such as running music workshops for Indigenous and underprivileged kids in the NT.

Gusto: I do believe this is a first for us as a group. Dizzle has been nominated before for her solo work though because she has skills like that. Personally I'm stoked to be nominated; it means the world to me that the people of the NT are recognising our music and our hard work and persistence. Thank you NT!
'O' Zee: Yeah it is the first time. It means a hell of a lot to be recognised as an emerging act, it's exciting.

Dizzle: This is my second time for the NT Indigenous Music Awards. In 2006 I won the Best Emerging Act. But this is my first time with Pott Street and it’s great to be on board. I am so excited too ozee!!!

MuNT: Do you think hip hop holds a special place in the NT – especially with Indigenous communitites? And if so, why?
Fliz: i think today’s young people in general are more receptive to hip hop, and the songs from our upcoming album in particular are relevant to all Territorians. There has always been the ‘party association’ with Pott Street’s music but it is also balanced by songs such as "Struggle" which I think is particularly relevant for the Indigenous community. There is still a gangsta rap stigma that some people associate with hip hop music but hopefully they can listen to the album and judge it in terms of good music, not just good hip hop music.

Gusto: I think hip hop is the key to speaking to a lot of kids, especially in the communities. You look around and the kids are still rocking Tupac T-Shirts so you know the music speaks to them - even thirteen years after Pac ‘s death, the kids still listen to him and idolise him. That is truly powerful. The Pott Street voice speaks a positive message so we just hope the kids will tune in and listen to us too. A bangin' Pott Street beat will help catch their attention.

'O' Zee: Yeah what Fliz said.

Dizzle: Yep Fliz you the man again.

MuNT: And is it likely that we’ll see more and more hip hop artists recognised not only at the Awards but also springing up in the NT?
Fliz: There are already a number of quality hip hop artists performing around Darwin and the NT. We work together and support each other’s music and I think this type of recognition can only help shed more light on the local hip hop scene.

Gusto: Most definitely. The talent is here, the artists just need the opportunity to record and perform and I think those opportunities are beginning to present themselves far more often. I know we are trying hard to provide them with the opportunity, we just need more people to get in on the act. Overall it's just great to see hip hop gaining acceptance amongst the broader NT music community.

'O' Zee: Yeah definitely.

Dizzle: Yeah definitely there will be a lot of young people rising. Hip hop music is getting more popular each year.

MuNT: What’s the one thing about making music that you’ve learned, as a group, that you could pass on to other aspiring musicians?
Fliz: It’s never been easier to take the independant route, don’t wait for someone else to do the work for you and if you believe in your music get it out there, network, play every gig you can… People will take notice and the offers will come!

Gusto: If you love it, do it. Don't think twice. Lock in on that dream and make it reality. Will it into existence.

'O' Zee: Believe in yourself and your music and don't be afraid or ashamed to give it a go

Dizzle: If music is in you, don't be afraid to let go. Follow your dream.

High North will be released late 2009. Check out Pott Street's upcoming gigs at their My Space, their music on their MuNT Forum page and you can also rate them on Unearthed.