What up fam! It’s been a bit since I’ve written a blog so it’s really cool to get back in the drivers seat. It seems running a start-up business takes a lot of time and effort. Who would’ve thought right?
My special guest today is underground legend Scarecrow. 1 half of Beat Theory with Mr.Nat and 1 half of VSP with Pyne, Scarecrow delivers powerhouse live shows, dope bars and intricate flow. He is a beast.
I 1st saw Scarecrow perform at the Agincourt Hotel around 5 years ago at an NJE show. I was immediately a fan of Scarecrow. His lyrical ability was top-tier and he had such a powerful stage presence. He was giving out CDs after his set and I went up and got one signed. I was a bit of a fan boy that night.
One of the nicest guys I’ve met on the scene, the homie Scarecrow.
Thanks for your time bro. Tell me, how long have you been making music/creating?
I started writing around 15. It was all terrible. I recently found one of my old rhymebooks from my teens in a box from when my parents moved house. Truly cringe-inducing bars.
I didn’t have a proper crack at it until I moved out of home and back to Sydney from the country at 19. I met Mr.Nat at TAFE not long after that and together we formed Beat Theory.
Dope. What’s your ideal creative environment?
This has changed a lot over time. Originally I needed to write alone in my room.
When I was living in Sydney, public transport was great for writing. I’d sometimes get on the train and ride from Burwood to Penrith and back just to write.
These days I enjoy creating in the same room as others as much as writing alone. Whether it’s other emcees bouncing lyrics off each other or working with a producer, them making a beat while I write and then constructing the song together.
I like what different environments can inspire.
Who are you listening to these days?
Mostly still hip hop, although I’m loving the last Rag’n’Bone Man album.
The last Lloyd Banks album was nuts! Been a fan of his since 2003 when the G Unit wave hit.
Conway The Machine’s new God Don’t Make Mistakes album is bonkers too.
I probably listen to more UK stuff than Aus or US. Jam Baxter has been a fave emcee for a while now. Lee Scott, Jehst, Dirty Dike, Ocean Wisdom, Trellion & Sniff and The Four Owls are all in high rotation.
I also like my locals. Mighty Ash & Bugsy Ocampo’s album was a highlight from the last couple years. So were the albums from Mortar, Tenth Dan, Viliani, Jimmy Nice and Talakai.
What does music give you?
Moods. A way to either escape or lock in depending how I’m feeling.
An eye opening way to embrace language.
An emcee can say something other emcees have said but in a completely obscure and unique way. The kind of stuff you might not understand on first listen but then it clicks later on. That’s the sort of shit that blows my mind.
For me Jam Baxter is a master of that.
B.C. will tell you it’s Aesop Rock.
Mr.Nat would say it’s Buck 65. All dope.
For sure! What do you write about?
A bit of everything. I wouldn’t call myself a ‘concious’ or ‘political’ artist. I like the wordplay and friendly competition side of being an emcee so sometimes I’m just flexing my pen game on tunes.
I’ve been getting a bit more personal and reflective on some recent tunes too, like Tea Leaves off my ‘Time Flies’ EP and some of the new VSP songs.
I can probably credit that to having a son, marriage and mortgage now compared to having none of that when I put out my last project in 2017.
So what’s next for you bro?
Well, I didn’t do much music from 2017-2020. Aside from just generally feeling uninspired, I also changed jobs and had little to no down time to be creative. I also got married and had a kid.
2021 was kind of a musical resurgence for me. I spent it writing like crazy.
For 2022 I have a new Scarecrow EP called Time Flies. It’s completely produced by Canberra local Newborn Noise. Not sure what I’ll follow that up with but I’ve been working on Beat Theory, solo and collab tunes and also a full length VSP project.
I also have a stack of collabs in the works. I really enjoyed writing for the recent tracks I featured on for MN Cappo and Zaccy P.
Early in 2021 I was approached by Amber Dubs, Ghostattack and B.C. to join Rah Records. It was a boost to the motivation and I’m very keen to get some work in with them too. I had a recording session at Rah HQ. It was the first time I’d spent with Ghostattack outside of gigs and we hit it off. He’s going to be producing a few tracks for VSP. Really solid guy. Shout out to the Rah fam.
I’m hoping 2022 will come with a few opportunities to get back on stage too. Been feeling the itch lately.
Funniest moments in music?
Oh man. One that was embarrassing at the time but hilarious in hindsight…I was performing at Auburn Festival with my mate RJ and I had a fucking rotten cold. I shouldn’t have gone on but I was still fairly green as a performer and felt I had something to prove so I smashed the meds and orange juice and got up.
We were performing outdoors, the stage was about a metre high and there was a few metres of empty ground between the stage and the barrier/crowd. So at one point I jumped off stage to go and be closer to the crowd and as I hit the ground I exhaled sharply and the absolute…biggest…booger ever seen rocketed out my nose and splattered the pavement.
This thing had 4 shades of green and bits of blood in it. Goes without saying the crowd didn’t want me any closer to them anymore…I felt a million times better though.
Haha big ups to Scarecrow for talking the time to share his time, energy and experiences with us.
You can find him here:
Bandcamp: https://scarecrowmc.bandcamp.com/
Instagram: @scarecrowbt
Facebook: www.facebook.com/scarecrowmc
Thanks for rocking with ya boy Prim!
Until next time, peace fam!
Instrumentally wise, at this point in time, my influence is to share my religious beliefs, my views on other religious beliefs, and the connections between religion, history and governance through my own beat art and artistry, as well as produce artists that address societal, political, economical, and environmental isses that need to be addressed on a world stage, as well as explore my spirituality beliefs.
Vinatgeman Produckja and The Alchemist are two of my biggest influences as music producers within the current industry. Hopsin, Dax, ChillinIT, and Sticky Fingers are my most listened to artists on my current playlists for 2020.
My old time influences back in the day are J5, Naughty by Nature, Souls of Mischief, Pharoahe Monche, J Dilla, and Dre.