CMW: Hilltop Hoods

I’ve really started getting into the whole Australian music scene and have been checking out a lot of the artists and finding awesome new music! During CMW, I had the opportunity to meet up with the guys of Hilltop Hoods, an incredibly popular hip hop trio from Adelaide. They were playing at The Opera House on March 22 and were glad to be back in Toronto.

“The first time we played in Canada was in Canadian Music Week, 5-6 years ago. Before that, we played in Whistler, which doesn’t really count as playing in Canada - that counts as playing a territory of Australia within Canada because there are a lot of us there,” says MC Suffer. “So yeah we look forward to coming back because our first experience in Toronto was so awesome.”

“Every time we’ve come it’s been snowing, so this time it’s nice to see the concrete,” says DJ Debris.

The last time they were in town was back in February 2010, but they’ve also travelled all across Canada - touring with Canadian rapper Classified.

Made up of MCs Suffer and Pressure, along with DJ Debris, the guys have gained popularity over the years worldwide and this year, their newest record, Drinking from the Sun, even bumped Adele’s 21 from the #1 spot on the Australian top albums chart.

The album took a lot of time and effort and was in the works for three years, but was worth it in the end.

“We always take our time with our music,” says Suffer. “We made over 300 beats for the record and ended up choosing around six.”

And other than working on the album, the Hilltop Hoods have their own record label, Golden Era Records, representing up-and-coming Australian talent. They also released a zombie DVD, which was shot at an old jail, supposedly the most haunted place in Adelaide.

Q: So how has your sound changed over the years?

Suffer: We’ve hit our thirties now and I guess it’s different music to what we made before. And about 10 years ago, I think it’s matured a little since then. Hopefully we’ve gotten better with our sound and the way we craft it. With more experience and that sort of thing, I think it reflects in our music.

Q: How has Australia influenced you as artists?

Suffer: With hip hop, it definitely gives us a different perspective. We’re white kids from the ‘burbs and I think our music reflects that, it doesn’t try to be anything else. So from a hip hop point of view, that’s definitely what separates us in a way.

Q: What’s the hip hop scene like over there?

DJ Debris: It’s huge and it’s growing. Every year it’s getting bigger and bigger. The national radio is taking it on board and playing it more and more. And all the festivals want to headline hip hop acts on the main stage, so it’s great.

They’ve definitely gained recognition and fans throughout the world, even telling me about fans that have gotten Hilltop Hoods inspired tattoos. For the rest of this year, they have a lot of upcoming shows and will be touring non-stop. To get more info on Hilltop Hoods, check out their website.

Here is one of their favourite songs to perform, “Rattling the Keys to the Kingdom”

And check out their awesome music video for "I Love It" ft. Sia

- Christina

Follow my adventures on Twitter: @christinaaa28