The Grim Rapper

Photo by Andrew Boyle

We haven’t said a whole lot about Aussie hip hop before, mainly because much of it is truly frightening and we find its obsession with average colloquial humour hard to take. So, when one of the guys who has been in it from the get go, puts out a new album that shits on anything we’ve heard in its field in ages, we need to pay some respect. While most young rappers were sitting around their bedrooms smoking bongs and bitching about never getting a break, Pegz was out there consolidating the scene and releasing albums as the cherries on top. A couple of years ago he took over Australia’s largest independent hip hop label—Obese Records—and continues to sell hip hop paraphernalia in the shop of the same name in Prahran while simultaneously operating a touring company, managing a distribution arm and, as of very recently, running the only vinyl press in the southern hemisphere. He is basically the Jenga piece at the bottom of the hip hop pile, which supports the tower above and keeps it from toppling. VICE: Your album was about two years in the making. Did you have some horrific times making it? Pegz: No. For the first time ever I had all the equipment I needed at home so it was a really good experience. How have the Australian bands on your label gone down overseas so far? The Hilltop Hoods sold out shows in London and South Korea. They must be buggin’ out on these Aussies over there. I’m sure they have no idea what the hell the guys are talking about. The songs are really representative of our way of life. I constantly bug out when I hear the stuff people in Australia are making. A lot of it blows my head off. What’s your favourite horror film? There is a movie which has scarred me to this day. It was called Cocksucking Freaks and I saw it when I was nine. I have no idea how it even got into our house. What’s the best Halloween costume you ever saw? One dress up party I went to, someone came as a European gigolo. The dude had his hairy chest hanging out of this extra tight leather jump suit. That was really horrifying. Who is the scariest person in hip hop? I’d have to say, Little John. He’s so shit that he’s scary. MAX MILLS
Axis is out now through Obese Records.