In 1996, at a high school in the northern suburbs of Perth, two hip hop obsessed students decided to put pen to paper and start their own rap group.
One of those two students, Scott Griffiths – or, as he would come to be known, MC Optamus – could not have possibly predicted he'd still be fronting what is technically still that very rap group, Downsyde, some three decades later. That's just the thing about Downsyde, though: They have spent an entire career defying the odds and remaining in the present tense, long after the majority of their erstwhile contemporaries turned off their mics. "I don't know if childlike is the right word, but there's a big connection with hip hop between us that has been there since we were kids," Scott explains.
"The culture permeates every part of our life. We've never had a hit single; we've never won an ARIA. It's always been grassroots for us – from the albums we make to the work we do in our community. The totality of this group, ultimately, comes down to our love for beats and rhymes."
Earlier this month saw the veteran Perth act release their seventh studio album, 'Stereotypez'. It marked their first new material in seven years, as well as the first to feature a changing of the guard of sorts.
"The reality is you're not going to be able to connect with a younger demographic unless you get out there and tour. It's up to you to remind people what your legacy is." - MC Optamus
Shahbaz Rind, who was the other student in class with Griffiths, who later became known as Dyna-Mikes, stepped away from the group in order to focus on his family and relocating away from their native WA. "Everything was almost completely dismantled with him leaving," Griffiths says.
"It was what he needed to do, and we supported him with it, but the thing we'd disagreed on was the future of the group. He wanted us to carry on, but for us we were planning to shut it down out of respect – that's our brother, and he was such an important part of what the three of us did together."
After soldiering on as a duo briefly, Griffiths and MC/ producer Darren Reutens (aka Dazastah) befriended Noongar rapper Benjamin Hasler – aka Beni Bjah. After doing some shows together, Hasler made Downsyde an offer they couldn't refuse. "We were carpooling down to a gig, and he just presented us with the idea: 'Why don't I join the group?'," Scott says.
"We were like, 'Are you serious?' We'd never even entertained the idea of replacing Shahbaz, but Beni is just such a brilliant rapper and the whole thing felt like the most beautiful timing.
"He's come into a group that has its own established story and history, and brought in his own in the process. This isn't Downsyde mark two, it's just us doing things differently. We're bringing in new people to our world."
Their new album arrived just shy of a major milestone for Downsyde: The 20th anniversary of their breakthrough third album, 'When The Dust Settles'.
Following a stint on the 2004 Big Day Out line-up, alongside giants like Metallica and The Strokes, Downsyde found themselves on the receiving end of major national airplay and collaborating with acts like fellow Perth rapper Drapht and industry vet Hau Latukefu – then of the ARIA Award-winning duo Koolism.
The album was nominated for triple j's J Award, notably being one of only two hip hop acts to receive the nod alongside The Herd; although, in a sign of the times, both lost out to Wolfmother's self-titled album.
It's this period of the group's career, Griffiths theorises, that ensured Downsyde would always be cult-classic and not best-seller. "We didn't gel with the industry presented to us," he says.
"Back in those days, we couldn't escape the constant comparisons to the Hoods or to Bliss N Eso. It's one of those things where, perhaps if we'd broken through at a different time, the industry might have seen us on our own merit as opposed to being paralleled with others.
"It was also a time where that industry was going through a metamorphosis of racist attitudes, as well. Downsyde has always been multicultural: We have ties to the Yamatji people, as well as Burmese, Italian and Latin heritage amongst us.
"I feel like this is something that's a lot more celebrated in hip hop currently – there's a very beautiful and very diverse voice to it now."
Griffiths praises the likes of Kobie Dee, Barkaa and Posseshot as some of the more important newer acts coming out of Australian hip hop. "The genre needed to evolve," he states matter-of-factly.
"It couldn't have stayed where it was when we first broke through, and that's including the way that we all wrote songs. Whether it's something big and anthemic, or it's something more underground like the Sydney drill scene, there are artists out there proving you don't need to be on commercial radio to be successful."
Scott is proud of what Downsyde have forged for themselves in all the years they've been together. He'll proudly tell you they're still one of the best on the Australian hip hop circuit. "We've got a f...ing sick live show, and some nights we're untouchable," he says, "and I say that with no ego and absolute belief."
He also knows, by that same token, that for all your accomplishments and accolades, you're only as good as your last hit. "Being a pioneer doesn't mean sh.t," he says.
"It's just a term people throw around. The reality is you're not going to be able to connect with a younger demographic unless you get out there and tour. It's up to you to remind people what your legacy is.
"We're lucky enough to be in that position where we can go out on the road and have a bunch of 20-something skate kids come to the show, buying up all our merch and our records.
"I'm always like, 'you guys know this sh.t?' and they'd talk to us about discovering our music on Spotify and cranking it every time they hit the skatepark. I f...ing love that."
'Stereotypez' is available.
Downsyde 2024 Tour Dates
Sat 19 Oct - Laundry Bar (Melbourne)Sat 2 Nov - Northern Sound System (Adelaide)
Sat 9 Nov - Republic Bar (Hobart)
Sat 30 Nov - Mojos (Fremantle)
