A great storyteller has stories worth telling. Col Darcy has many such stories.
Growing up in rural Australia, Col's world turned upside down when he heard music that resonated with his soul, and placed him on a path of ups and downs that every good story should have.The Melbourne-based hip hop multi-disciplinarian has released a plethora of albums recounting his tales, and he isn't slowing down anytime soon. He sat down to reminisce on where it all began.
"I was born and raised in a small country town called Whyalla, west of Adelaide. Then when I was 15, I was recruited by a professional football team, so I made the move to Adelaide. I lived there for many years, until I moved to Melbourne two and a half years ago.
"I first heard hip hop through my cousins, who would come down from Adelaide. In a small country town, we only had a couple of TV stations and radio stations, so the stuff we got wasn't up to date.
"When I heard hip hop through my cousins' playing it in their cars, I was blown away as soon as I heard it. Artists such as N.W.A and Public Enemy. I gravitated to the grittiness, the truth, the rawness. They were touching on what was going on in their lives and the world, and having music reflecting that."
Darcy's immersion into hip hop's passion unlocked emotions he realised he had kept away for years. "I grew an appreciation as I got older to understand what they were talking about through their music, and relating it to my life.
"I grew the emotional connection around 14, and started creating music at 20, I just started writing. It was an outlet to express life experiences that I've kept inside and haven't expressed since I was a kid."
Released into newfound freedom, Col now found himself attempting to wear multiple hats, before settling into his calling. "I got my own [music-making] equipment and tried to create beats, but it was tough trying to juggle perfecting a good rap style, creating good content, and being a producer.
"I created beats for many years until I realised that beats were more accessible to buy online. That way I could save time on production and focus on writing and perfecting my flow and style."
Self-discovery and growth have always been at the heart of Darcy's music, and his recent period has seen him transition from original stage name Caper to his given name Col Darcy, something he sees as a reflection of authenticity.
"I needed to reinvent myself to reflect my true self, my name. I saw it as an opportunity to grow as an artist and, in a sense, press that refresh button. I did a lot of experimenting with Caper, going through ups and downs as an artist trying to create radio songs, but at the same time trying to stick to my core.
"Now with Col Darcy, I don't give a crap about that stuff. I create whatever comes out and then so be it. I've had less anxiety with it too, because I rely on music so much, putting so much time and effort into it. So I've let go of that anxiety of being successful, to where now I create just to please myself."
Darcy's latest offering 'Love & Chaos' charts his journey from Adelaide to Melbourne, and his interpersonal interactions through this time. The album features Darcy's signature flow and tight verses traversed with experimental, lo-fi production that make for engaging listening. Powerful tracks such as 'Restored' explore Darcy's quest to rediscover his passion for music after becoming a father.
He recounts the album's creation. "When I moved to Melbourne, it took a while to get back up and running to start recording. When I did eventually start creating, I had to practice and learn how to flow tightly again, it was a bit of a process. Every time I create, I don't have an intention of creating a certain song. I just put the beat on, and whatever comes, I write to.
"The songs on 'Love & Chaos' have a consistent theme. It's a reflection of the period of time before I moved to Melbourne, so it made sense for my last album to have this as the next part of my story after [my 2022 album] 'Beautiful Hopeless'."
While all good stories have heroes and villains, Darcy prefers to avoid hip hop's tendency for quarrels and focus on the music instead. "I'm not that tapped in, I don't dial into that stuff in the Australian industry. I've always gravitated to artists in America, because their content's more universally relatable to me in terms of black struggle.
"I did dial into the Kendrick and Drake beef," he relents. "It was super entertaining to watch. Kendrick's my favourite artist, he has been for awhile, so it was great to see him do what he did. Truthful music is always going to come out superior over time."
Truthful music is something Darcy knows a thing or two about, and 'Love & Chaos' holds nothing back.
