It’s not actually that long since Australian hip hop was a divisive, underground sub-genre. It certainly can’t be deemed a minority movement anymore, and acts such as Bliss n Eso seem inextricably woven into the fabric of the local music scene.
Ahead of the Sydney trio’s biggest tour yet, MC Bliss (AKA Jonathan Notley) recognises the role they’ve had in hip hop’s rise into the mainstream. "There’s a handful of groups that are really the pioneers of bringing the culture forward in the country,” he says.
“First it was 1200 Techniques who had success on radio, then the Hoods were the first real big group. We were the second, equally as big group, and we led the way with them [and] a bunch of other acts. We’re very blessed and honoured to be a part of some of those pioneering artists.”
This autumn’s ‘Circus Under The Stars’ tour will be another instance of the group breaking into new ground. Not only does the tour encompass a mammoth list of venues nationwide (in capital cities and regional centres), but they’ll be backed by a full live band for the first time. “That brings an entirely new energy to the show, which is fantastic,” Notley says of working with the band.
“The DJ’s still the heart and soul in terms of the beats that everyone knows, it’s just we’re adding on to that. It’s more embellished and a little bit deeper.”
‘Circus Under the Stars’ will largely be presented in venues customarily used as festival sites, including Brisbane’s Riverstage on April 24. Melbourne MC Seth Sentry and Sydney duo Horrorshow will also be along for the ride and Notley says the shows will emulate the festival experience. “This is definitely the biggest tour we’ve ever done and it’s probably the strongest lineup we’ve ever had. It’s three super solid acts, so it’s going to be amazing. They’re all outdoor shows, it’s licensed and all ages so there’s no restrictions there. It’s exciting for us to do something on this scale,” he enthuses.
Seth Sentry and Horrorshow are two of the many contemporary Australian hip hop acts advantaged by the foundations laid by acts such as Bliss n Eso. The accomplishments of early Australia hip hop practitioners provide a launchpad for a wave of innovative local performers to come into public view. Indeed, the collective tag ‘Aussie hip hop’ seems ill-equipped to account for the diversity of music being made at present.
”When I’m driving around it’s amazing how often I hear Australian hip hop artists on Triple J. It freaks me out, there’s all these new artists coming out that I’ve never even heard of. The quality of the music is just getting so much better these days and it really has evolved so much from its humble beginnings. It’s really good to see and it’s inspiring.”
Bliss n Eso’s career has progressed alongside the growing public acceptance of Australian-made hip hop and, rather than being superseded by the new breed, their success continues to grow. 2013’s ‘Circus In The Sky’ LP was their second straight ARIA number one album, but despite this commercial triumph Notley says they try to ignore all extraneous pressures when they’re in the creative zone.
”Every time you put out a record you have to inject all your heart and soul into it, do the best you can. The main thing is you’re feeling it, that’s first and foremost. We don’t really go in with major expectations of ‘We’ve got to sell this much,’ or ‘We’ve got to hit this number of views on our videos,’ because that kind of thinking can sabotage the creative process. We just try to focus on the music and then if people like it, they like it.”
Notley, MC Eso (Max MacKinnon) and DJ Izm (Tarik Ejjamai) have been working together since the late 90s and their collective bond clearly helps fend off contamination from outside voices. Likewise, the threesome’s perseverance through the scrutiny heaped on Aussie hip hop in the early years lets them truly appreciate the significance of each new achievement.
“Sometimes you get a little bit burnt out by the years and years of plugging away and you just need to remember how hard you’ve worked to get here. It’s inspiring to go, ‘Fuck man, I’m sitting in this position where people care what I say’. I can put everything into it and actually bypass what it was when we started, how hard it was just to get people to hear your music.”
Bliss N Eso headline The Big Pineapple Festival on Saturday May 17.
They'll also play the following venues:Fri Feb 28 — Clipsal 500 (Adelaide)
Sat Apr 05 — Bathurst Showgrounds
Sat Apr 12 — Nobbys Beach Reserve (Newcastle)
Thu Apr 17 — The Domain (Sydney)
Sat Apr 19 — Coffs Harbour Showgrounds
Thu Apr 24 — Brisbane Riverstage
Fri Apr 25 — Mackay Stadium
Sat Apr 26 — Fogarty Park (Cairns)
Fri May 02 — Signal Park (Busselton)
Sat May 03 — Wellington Square (Perth)
Fri May 09 — Wagga Wagga Showgrounds
Sat May 10 — Ballarat Showgrounds
Thu May 15 — Bendigo Showgrounds
Fri May 16 — Flemington Racecourse (Melbourne)
Fri May 23 — Mount Gambier Showgrounds
