A member of local collective 750 Rebels, Jake Biz is stepping out from the shadows with the release of his debut album, the unrelenting ‘Commercial Hell’.
What is your history with the 750 rebels? Peter and myself were put in the crew around 2003 I think. We were doing most of our shows at the time with Ken Oath and the Brothers Stoney, opening for them, then Oath joined us in the Towndrunxxx when Writers Anon stopped being as active. We’re all from the same areas of Brisbane with the same views and ideals. I’d actually met Lazy [Grey] at a party in ’97 when I was still in school, but it wouldn’t be for a few years before we all formed like Voltron so to speak.
What does being a part of the group mean to you?
It’s everything! It’s who I am. I don’t live hip hop, but I do live being a 750 Rebel. Simple!
What’s your earliest memory of hip hop in Brisbane?
Probably Hype Mag or Phat Tape in the early ‘90s. DJs Katch and Frenzie ran the show on Sunday nights after Blackbeat and I used to stay up and tape it. Hype Magazine was available in most newsagents back in those days for $3.95 and that was always good too.
What is your favourite lyric on the new album? Explain it.
“The revolution won’t be broadcast on apparent youth networks who network your net worth based on your next word.” Triple J have masqueraded themselves as the all important ‘youth cultural’ network for sometime now, whereas I’ve viewed them as little more than a mainstream alternative to Nova. If Triple J were a shop they’d be JB Hi-Fi. They have little to no concern for true independence within the music industry or the music they push no matter how they attempt to portray themselves otherwise.
What are your ambitions for ‘Commercial Hell’?
My only real ambition for the album is that people enjoy it. I don’t try to sell myself or the music I make as anything more than it is. I’m a massive fan of rap music so I generally write songs about being that. I’m not too interested in moving into the mainstream or changing the world. We don’t chase that mass appeal.
‘Commercial Hell’ is out now through Karsniogenics.
