Love it or hate it, hiphop is undeniable HUGE. Artists like Eminem, 50 Cent, and Missy Elliot have sold phenomenal amounts of records at a time where music sales are plummeting due to a whole range of factors. This, of course, reflects well on smaller, more local scenes such as the one we have here in Australia. Acts like Resin Dogs, Downsyde, and 1200 Techniques are being heard on more and more radio stations, and not just confined to Triple J and community radio. Beats and rapping are being heard everywhere, from the cars that cruise Hindley Street, to the shops in the mall, to adverts advertising everything from jeans to burgers.

One act that has been a major player in the underground hiphop scene in Australia are the Hilltop Hoods. Hailing from Adelaide’s south, the Hoody’s incredible live show along with their magnificent studio production has seen them last an amazing 10 years in a scene that loves fads, but appreciates real talent. The Hoods have claimed many achievements that most acts have never experienced. They have received nominations for the Best Hip Hop Act in 2001 and 2002 at the 3D World Dance Music Awards, and were nominated for Triple J’s Hottest 100 in both 2001 and 2002. These are amazing accomplishments for any artist, let alone an Australian hip hop act in a scene which is still growing. They’ve released three successful recordings: ‘Back Once Again’, ‘A Matter Of Time’, and ‘Left Foot, Right Foot’ and have just completed their latest ‘The Calling’.

“We started 6 months after our last album, so that’s about one and a half years,” MC Suffa says on how long it’s taken for the album to come out. “We take our time,” he laughs. “We toured up until about 6 months ago, when it got pretty busy with recording and artwork and mastering and all that sort of biz.” Incidentally, the artwork on this album is as good as its production, and I found out the artwork and illustrations are all from an artist called John Engelhardt. “We grew up with him and he’s worked with places like Disney and that. He’s been our artist since the first album, it’s a continuing thing”.

I wondered what kind of impact growing up in Adelaide’s south had on the boys. “It probably made us more ‘pub style’ hiphop”, Suffa says. “What we mean by pub style is aimed for the front bar of a pub, real Aussie, not ‘club’ style hiphop”, he explains. “It’s also affected the people who we collaborate with, Crossbred Mongrels and After Hours and Terrafirma.” Like a lot of hiphop crews, the Hoody’s grew up listening to Public Enemy, Tribe Called Quest, NWA and “groups like that”. Suffa says that most of the stuff he listens to now is similar : “You stick with the era you get into. But I like a lot of funk too, my favourite singer is Curtis Mayfield”.

Of their biggest achievements, Suffa laughingly says he believes that it is them “staying together for so long. Other groups we started with aren’t around anymore. As the Hoods, we’ve stuck with it for so long.” The reason they’re still together? “

Because we’re good mates,” he says “and that comes before the music.” Lots of groups are reforming and touring years after they initially call it a day, and I had to wonder if Suffa and the Hoods would still be at it in another 10 years. “Ten years time, hmmm, I doubt it, maybe, who knows!” he laughs. “Whatever happens I will be involved in music in some way, whether it’s producing or whatever…but I can’t really make that call.”

This great sounding album, ‘The Calling’ is being released in Australia on 24 September, followed by a national tour, as well as getting a major release in Europe, and limited release in the USA.