"I just believed I had something that the rest didn’t and so did a handful of people..." |
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Mitchos Da Menace is one of the many rappers who have come out of the Western suburbs of Sydney bars a-blazing. Despite the notoriety of the area and the sometimes negative connotations within the mainstream media, Sydney's West is a hotbed of talented artists for the underground Hip Hop scene in Australia.
In just a short but consistent amount of time, Mitchos Da Menace has joined the ranks of some of Western Sydney's notable names including Kerser, Fortay and Rates, and more recent acts making waves across the continent, such as OneFour, Hooligan Hefs, B Wise and The Kid Kearve (just to name a small few!).
What separates Mitchos Da Menace from the overwhelming number of artists in the Australia Hip Hop scene, is that the dude has been rapping for a number of years and built a bit of reputation freestyling locally before he decided to put pen to paper and officially release music. This natural turn of events sees a dedicated and driven Menace which is reflective in his music. Menace's music is open and honest and his bars and wordplay are tight.
Rappfox interviewed Mitchos Da Menance in the lead up to the release of his fourth studio album in as many years, Pray For Them. Menace talks about his growth as an artist, writing candid single Thoughts and surviving the covid pandemic with his family.
In just a short but consistent amount of time, Mitchos Da Menace has joined the ranks of some of Western Sydney's notable names including Kerser, Fortay and Rates, and more recent acts making waves across the continent, such as OneFour, Hooligan Hefs, B Wise and The Kid Kearve (just to name a small few!).
What separates Mitchos Da Menace from the overwhelming number of artists in the Australia Hip Hop scene, is that the dude has been rapping for a number of years and built a bit of reputation freestyling locally before he decided to put pen to paper and officially release music. This natural turn of events sees a dedicated and driven Menace which is reflective in his music. Menace's music is open and honest and his bars and wordplay are tight.
Rappfox interviewed Mitchos Da Menance in the lead up to the release of his fourth studio album in as many years, Pray For Them. Menace talks about his growth as an artist, writing candid single Thoughts and surviving the covid pandemic with his family.
Hey Menace, thanks for taking time out for this interview. You’re just about to drop your album (by the time this interview drops, Pray for Them will be out!). You’ve described this album “as a different level of The Menace”, what do you mean by that?
Growth mainly and versatility I wanted to expand my beat choices and show I can cover all things rap, I feel I need to better myself with every track that’s a big thing for me, I feel I’ve shown that.
Your latest single Thoughts is a gut-wrenching portrait of domestic violence, what inspired you to release such an open and honest piece of art?
To be honest, I’m holding stuff like the track Thoughts in the mind all the time so it’s good to turn it to tracks via my art. I need to say these things in a way through music aye, I’ve never really had anyone to speak to about these things yeh.
You mention in your music about having your own kids, what do they know of your rap superstar status in Australia?
They know their daddy’s a superstar haha. Na they just know I have a YouTube channel and heaps of people stop me when we are out. Sometimes I hear my youngest son play my tracks and I laugh, tbh it trips me out but I don’t let him listen to my stuff it’s not for his ears just yet, tbh they want me to make a gaming YouTube for them lol.
I read that you’ve been rapping for years but have only started taking it seriously in the past few years. And in those few years, you have been very consistent. What changed that made you think “shit, I want to do this rap thing”?
I just believed I had something that the rest didn’t and so did a handful of people in my life. So when I want something, I like to think I can manifest it to make it a reality if I choose to, and I wanted this so much so I’m getting it.
Growth mainly and versatility I wanted to expand my beat choices and show I can cover all things rap, I feel I need to better myself with every track that’s a big thing for me, I feel I’ve shown that.
Your latest single Thoughts is a gut-wrenching portrait of domestic violence, what inspired you to release such an open and honest piece of art?
To be honest, I’m holding stuff like the track Thoughts in the mind all the time so it’s good to turn it to tracks via my art. I need to say these things in a way through music aye, I’ve never really had anyone to speak to about these things yeh.
You mention in your music about having your own kids, what do they know of your rap superstar status in Australia?
They know their daddy’s a superstar haha. Na they just know I have a YouTube channel and heaps of people stop me when we are out. Sometimes I hear my youngest son play my tracks and I laugh, tbh it trips me out but I don’t let him listen to my stuff it’s not for his ears just yet, tbh they want me to make a gaming YouTube for them lol.
I read that you’ve been rapping for years but have only started taking it seriously in the past few years. And in those few years, you have been very consistent. What changed that made you think “shit, I want to do this rap thing”?
I just believed I had something that the rest didn’t and so did a handful of people in my life. So when I want something, I like to think I can manifest it to make it a reality if I choose to, and I wanted this so much so I’m getting it.
The current Australian scene is taking cues from the UK scene, but I know you’re a bit of an OG, so who are some of your favourite US rappers?
Eminem, Method Man, Big L , Tupac, Biggie, The Game, Dave East, shizzzz I have a huge list I could really go on for a bit, haha, but my love for these guys and their style is big.
We’re living in some crazy COVID times, what are you and the fam doing to keep safe and sane?
Haha real talk it was good staying home with the family I love that more than anything aye. Fuck the outside world for a couple of months, I needed the fam time ... but for real I work so I was at work a lot still, and we built LEGO hahaha a fair bit of LEGO. Safe to say I’m over it for the rest of the year haha.
You’ve released the album and, usually the next thing would be touring but I guess, what's next for Mitchos Da Menace?
I’ve already written and recorded a few tracks aye, and I’m doing a EP with a producer from Serbia so really keen to get amongst that too. I need to keep busy with the pen it helps my mind and I live for this tinggg aye, I hope we can tour ASAP though, promoters get at me! Eskkk get ittttt!
Thanks again for your time. Peace.
My pleasure, thank you for listening, bless.
Follow Mitchos Da Menace on: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | iTunes | Soundcloud
Eminem, Method Man, Big L , Tupac, Biggie, The Game, Dave East, shizzzz I have a huge list I could really go on for a bit, haha, but my love for these guys and their style is big.
We’re living in some crazy COVID times, what are you and the fam doing to keep safe and sane?
Haha real talk it was good staying home with the family I love that more than anything aye. Fuck the outside world for a couple of months, I needed the fam time ... but for real I work so I was at work a lot still, and we built LEGO hahaha a fair bit of LEGO. Safe to say I’m over it for the rest of the year haha.
You’ve released the album and, usually the next thing would be touring but I guess, what's next for Mitchos Da Menace?
I’ve already written and recorded a few tracks aye, and I’m doing a EP with a producer from Serbia so really keen to get amongst that too. I need to keep busy with the pen it helps my mind and I live for this tinggg aye, I hope we can tour ASAP though, promoters get at me! Eskkk get ittttt!
Thanks again for your time. Peace.
My pleasure, thank you for listening, bless.
Follow Mitchos Da Menace on: Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify | iTunes | Soundcloud