One of the first ever full length solo Australian hip hop albums, Brad Strut’s The Authentic LP was a landmark release when it dropped in 2001. The Melbourne MC connected with Bias B, Bigfoot, Brisbane icons Brothers Stoney, the original Seany B (4ZZZ’s long running Phat Tape Radio Show) and Ken Oath (750 Rebels) to craft a template for much of the local hip hop that was to follow. The album also features the original Lyrical Commission line-up of Brad, Trem, Bob Balans and Rob Nat. Produced by an all star line-up of Prowla, Lazy Grey, Trem, Seany B, Mnemonic Ascent and Jase, Authentic boasts a dusty production style that helped put Australian hip hop on the world stage. As if proof of this was needed, DJ Numark of Jurassic 5 included lead track “A Good Thing” on his first official DJ mix release, Hands On.
Brad Strut has gone on to be a core member of Melbourne’s almighty Lyrical Commission, spitting fire on their Stage Is Set and Murderous Metaphors releases, and to drop the massively acclaimed 2007 sophomore solo album Legend: Official. He is currently based in the UK, performing around Europe and working on a concept project with producer Beat Butcha. This project will be released with a selection of commissioned remixes in early 2009. In the meantime, don’t miss the limited edition re-press of the album that started it all.
Available @ all good music retailers!
It's here! LEGEND: OFFICIAL is the long anticipated sophomore solo album from BRAD STRUT of LYRICAL COMMISSION. Brad is at the top of his
lyrical game, spitting sixteen tracks of pure heat with select appearances from TREM and BOB BALANS of LYRICAL COMMISSION, OUTERSPACE (Army of the
Pharaohs, Philadelphia), SEAN PRICE (Boot Camp Clik, NY), DANIEL MERRIWEATHER and LEE SISSING!! Banging production from TREM, PROWLA and more.
Executive produced by Trem (who handles the beats on 11 of 16 tracks), LEGEND: OFFICIAL raises the bar both lyrically and sonically and will not
disappoint. This is guaranteed fire from the Unkut stable.
TRACKLIST:
1. Intro (Legend: Official)
2. Beast on the Mic
3. Monopoly
4. Bounty Hunterz ft Lyrical Commission
5. One ft Lee Sissing
6. What the Deal?
7. Caught Up ft Daniel Merriweather
8. It’s Official
9. Terrordome ft Outerspace & Trem
10. Strut Life ft Lee Sissing
11. The Ritual
12. Incite the Premises ft Trem
13. Automatic ft Sean Price
14. Never Ending Blue
15. Splash of Hope
16. Last Omen
Available @ all good music retailers and ...
'Monopoly' video clip
Monopoly live in Adelaide '09
And if you missed it ... Brad Strut's Legendary: The Official Mixtape (Peruvian Gemz/Unkut) - this mixtape is the first of it's kind in Australian Hip Hop. Generally mixtapes are a collection of quickly recorded throw away verses over the latest club bangers but Brad Strut has delivered a mixtape containing an array of original production courtesy of Trem, a stack of dope guests, precise cuts from Big Zed, a couple of killer borrowed beats and of course non stop gob-smacking rhymes! Guests include Trem, Bob Balans, Clandestien, Rhys, Bigfoot, L-Flows, Verb Ill and more! Twenty-two tracks in total including 'It's Official' which is the official promo track for the mixtape. COP IT!!!
CD Track Listing -
1. Intro 06 *
2. The Mixtape *
3. It's Official *
4. C'mon Snipers *
5. Legendary *
6. Never Ending Blue *
7. Generation Vexed (ft L-Flows & Verb Ill) *
8. Forever Pissed Dialect (ft Billy Bunks) *
9. Check The Strategy
10. What Gives?? (ft Rhys) *
11. Underground *
12. Question (ft Clandestien) *
13. Short Souls *
14. Carlton United Tragedy
15. Swear To God *
16. The Demon Speaks
17. Wow! *
18. Gatheround (ft Bigfoot) *
19. Pretty Thing *
20. Timebomb *
21. Gemstones (ft Lyrical Commission) *
22. Underbelly Outro
Fallout Shelter is the new EP from Melbourne-bred, North London-based MC Brad Strut. In a radical departure from his acclaimed 2007 sophomore Legend: Official, the core member of Australia's pioneering Lyrical Commission has crafted a stunning narrative that runs through six hard hitting tracks by Beat Butcha, whose work with the likes of Braintax and Jehst has put him in the ranks of the UK's finest contemporary hip hop producers.
Densely lyrical, personal and intense, this project fully exploits hip hop's potential as a medium for storytelling. Ostensibly a post-apocalyptic diary, Fallout Shelter contains a wealth of insights into life, hip hop and everything. From the panicked opener "Hello To Goodbye" to the serene conclusion of "Looking At You", Brad evokes the range of emotions facing the last man on earth: anger, denial, hope and a fatal acceptance. As with Strut's previous work, his words seep in gradually, divulging deeper meanings with multiple listens. Likewise, Beat Butcha's nuanced production shows its true colours over time, providing enough flourish to accentuate Brad's words without overwhelming them. From the heraldic outro to "New Dawn" to the synth bridge on "Believe", Butcha shows how a good hip hop producer does more than chop and loop drums, but never overwhelms the MC's presence with unnecessary fanfare.
Fallout Shelter is packaged with Rejuvenation, a full length remix project which finds Brad reaching out to the leading producers from Australia and the UK: M-Phazes, Trials of Funkoars, Simplex of Terra Firma, Chemo, Beat Butcha, Ciecmate of Hospice Crew, Tornts, Dazastah of Downsyde, Mortar of Clandestien, Dontez of KingsKonekted, Methodz, The Last Skeptik and Jehst. Each producer brings their own distinct ring to a Strut classic from Legend: Official or The Legendary Mixtape. From M-Phazes's bombastic reimagining of live anthem "Incite The Premises" to Tornts' vitriolic new verses on "The Ritual" to Jehst's appropriately ominous take on "Last Omen", these remixes all uniquely expand on Strut's already impressive catalogue.
TRACK LISTING:
Fallout Shelter - CD
1 Hello To Goodbye
2 NO!
3 Blastin' Em'
4 New Dawn
5 Believe
6 Looking At You
7. Hello To Goodbye - Instrumental
8. NO! - Instrumental
9. Blastin' Em' - Instrumental
10. New Dawn - Instrumental
11. Believe - Instrumental
12. Looking At You - Instrumental
Rejuvenation (Remix LP) - CD
1. Incite The Premises Ft. Trem (M-Phazes Remix)
2. Terrordome Ft. Outerspace & Trem (Trials Remix)
3. Demon Speaks (Simplex Remix)
4. Automatic (Chemo Remix)
5. It's Official (Beat Butcha Remix)
6. What Gives Ft. Rhys Aka Diem (Ciecmate Remix)
7. The Ritual Ft. Tornts (Tornts Remix)
8. Question Ft. Tomohawk & Graphic (Dazastah Remix)
9. Beast On The Mic (Mortar Remix)
10. Bounty Hunterz Ft. Lyrical Commission (Dontez Remix)
11. Short Souls (Methodz Remix)
12. Never Ending Blue (The Last Skeptik Remix)
13. Last Omen (Jehst Remix)
Click image to buy:
Just Drink is a limited edition, hand-numbered CD & Vinyl package. Included is a 7" Vinyl with 'Just Drink', 'Sucker Free Zone' (both featuring Brad Strut) and instrumentals, with an enhanced CD including 'Just Drink' & 'Sucker Free Zone', plus 3 previously unreleased tracks and the video for Just Drink.
Brad Strut portrait by Therese Derrick (Men We Love 2 Collection, 2007) ...
Biography
A prolific wordsmith, Brad Strut has been fine tuning his craft and contributing to the growth and evolution of Australian Hip Hop since the early ‘90s. Engulfed in the breakdance craze that swept this country in the late 80's, Brad became a staunch devotee of hip hop music and as his interest and skill level flourished, Brad could be heard on any sound system available to him. He released his first demo Rock On in 1993, regularly clocked air time on influential radio shows such as Steppin to the A.M. with Krissy and The Formula (PBS) and, intent on honing his lyrical dexterity, would be in attendance at any venue hosting a hip hop event.
His development continued with his first studio experience, under the guidance of DJ Ransom, recording a demo for the unreleased Faces of Debt EP alongside MCs Mama’s Funk (Strait Up Records), Raph Boogie (Crookneck) and MC Que (Nuffsaid Records). In 1999, he hooked up with Trem to record the Australian rap gem “Basic Fundamentals”. Released on Trem’s classic second 12”, Amateurs (Unkut Recordings), the song featuring a level of wordplay previously unheard within the local ranks.
In 2001 Brad released his debut long player The Authentic LP, an album which, along with Bias B’s Beezwax and Culture Of Kings 1, marked a turning point in Australian hip hop. With its unforgettable cover of a vicious looking kangaroo caricature wielding a microphone, The Authentic attained phenomenal sales, moving 8000+ units with no industry hype in a time of minimal support for credible Australian hip hop. The album was heralded as groundbreaking, receiving acclaim from hip hop fans the globe over and the track “A Good Thing” even appeared on Jurassic 5 DJ Numark’s mix CD Hand’s On (Sequence Records 2004). The Authentic LP featured names such as Lazy Grey, Sean B and a freshly formed Melbourne crew Lyrical Commission, who had recently featured on, Culture of Kings Volume 1 with their track “Lyrical Mongrels”.
During this period Lyrical Commission, alongside Bias B, worked with the infamous Australian criminal identity Mark Brandon ‘Chopper’ Read on the track “Chop Chop” for the soundtrack to the movie Trojan Warrior. This track also featured on the Obesity compilation under the name “Machete”.
With intense hype surrounding the crew, Lyrical Commission released their debut LP The Stage is Set (Unkut Recordings) to a blood-thirsty market and an already intensely loyal fan base in 2002. It received the highest of accolades for the straight up, back to basics, no nonsense skill-fest it delivered both musically and lyrically. It created a street buzz unseen for a local underground hip hop act, exceeding sale predictions and becoming the first Australian hip hop release to attract significant interest on a worldwide scale.
The group toured the album extensively, all the while cementing their reputation as masters of individualised style and technique. There is no disputing that Brad is an accomplished live performer, and has shared the stage with the likes of Tha Liks, Hilltop Hoods, Eternia, Celph Titled, Apathy, Kool Keith, The Roots, Swollen Members, A-Trak, Aceyalone, Foreign Legion, People Under The Stairs to name a few, and has also played all major Australian festivals such as Livid and the Big Day Out.
After a year of touring, and recording with Celph Titled (Demigodz) for the title track “All Out War” on the Terntable Jediz All Out War EP (Unkut/Blue Corner 2004), LC got to work on their next release, Murderous Metaphors EP. Metaphors contained nothing but pure rap skill from beginning to end with tracks like “F**k all the B.S.”, “Indicted”, and the Strut solo track “Check the Strategy”. With Lyrical Commission sound and style locked down, the time had come for the crew to branch out into new solo endeavours to appease the long time supporters and win new fans.
2006 was a pivotal year for Brad, as he reignited the fervour for his solo mission. Early in the year, he dropped Legendary: The Official Mixtape on his newly formed Peruvian Gemz imprint, a subsidiary of Unkut that would focus on his own projects and assist emerging artists. Intended as a teaser for his upcoming sophomore full length, the mixtape took on a life of its own and became one of the hottest underground releases of the year, featuring guest spots from Perth’s Clandestien, Rhys of Hospice Crew and notorious booze hound Billy Bunks. Later that year, Strut represented Australia at Hip Hop Kemp 2006 in the Czech Republic, a massive three-day hip hop festival (Europe’s largest and best) which hosted Non-Phixion, RA The Rugged Man, Planet Asia, Klashnekoff and the finest acts from across the continent. Here, Strut made international connections with crews such as Poland’s WWO, whose upcoming album he features on.
2007 sees the release of Brad’s sophomore LP, Legend: Official. Produced by Trem, it is the darkest, deepest manifesto to emerge from Antipodean hip hop. Featuring Lyrical Commission, Sean Price, Outerspace, Daniel Merriweather and Lee Sissing, the album is alternately sinister and soothing, melancholy and belligerent, and it shows Strut’s technique at its most developed. The real deal with all flows locked, Brad Strut delivers the full package, the “proper without the ganda”. His history is undeniable, and the future unlimited.
On The Reel
Has shared stages with the likes of Immortal Technique (US), Non Phixion (US), R.A. The Rugged Man (US), Cali Agents (US), Klashnekoff (UK), Tha Liks (US), Hilltop Hoods, Eternia (CAN), Celph Titled (US), Apathy (US) and Kool Keith (US) among others.
Has blessed tracks with the likes of Q-Unique (US), Taskforce (UK), Celph Titled (US), LilAngryman (UK), OuterSpace (US), Sean Price (US), WWO (Poland) and Chopper Read among others.
Has featured on some of Australian hip hops most noted releases including LC's The Stage is Set, The Authentic LP, Boney & Stoney's Black Stump EP, Culture of Kings Volume 1, Bias B's Beezwax and Trem's Amateurs 12" to name a few.
Has featured in publications such as Stealth, Hip-Hop Connection (UK), Peak Street, Acclaim, The Age newspaper (album of the week), Out for Fame and countless other street press and website editorials.
Has performed 100+ shows to crowds all over Australia (Livid Festival, Big Day Out, toured nationally etc.) and the world including Austria, Edinburgh Festival (2007) and Hip Hop Kemp (2006/2008) in Czech Republic.
He sees his growth as a person through a timeline in his discography like a work in progress. Check below for details.
Discography
Brad Strut Fallout Shelter EP CD, Peruvian Gemz 2009
Features on tracks: Hello to Goodbye, No!, Blastin' 'Em, New Dawn, Believe, Looking at You
Brad Strut Rejuvination LP CD, Peruvian Gemz 2009
Features on tracks: Incite the Premises (M-Phazes Remix), Terrordome (Trials Remix), The Demon Speaks (Simplex Remix), Automatic (Chemo Remix), It's Official (Beat Butcha Remix), What Gives (Ciecmate Remix), The Ritual (Tornts Remix), Question (Dazastah Remix), Beast on the Mic (Mortar Remix), Bounty Hunterz (Dontez Remix), Short Souls (Methodz Remix), Never Ending Blue (The Last Skeptik Remix), Last Omen (Jehst Remix), N16 (Simplex Remix)
Just Drink EP CD/Vinyl (Just Drink and Sucker Free Zone feat. C.O.T.D), Blah Records 2009
Tornts Hells Burn LP CD (Keep Dreamin' feat. Brad Strut and Bigfoot), Broken Tooth 2008
Various Battlehoggs Vol 2: Offical Mixtape - Hosted by Brad Strut CD/DVD (Intro, Monopoly, Exclusive (Verse), Automatic (Official Remix), One (Official Remix) by Brad Strut), Battlehogg Music 2008
Brad Strut Legend: Official LP CD/2 LP, Unkut Recordings/Peruvian Gemz 2007
Features on tracks: Intro (Legend: Official), Beast On The Mic, Monopoly, Bounty Hunterz, One, What The Deal?, Caught Up, Its Official, Terrodome, Strut Life, The Ritual, Incite The Premises, Automatic, Never Ending Blue, Splash of Home, Last Omen
Jedker Realista Czas Na Prawde LP CD (Wielkie Miasto feat. HiJack, Popek (Firma), Brad Strut, Kaczy), Prosto (Poland) 2007
Celph Titled The Gatalog: Collection of Choas LP CD x4 (All Out War feat. LC, All Out War Remix feat. LC), Endless Recording Co 2006
Brad Strut Legendary: The Official Mixtape LP CD, Peruvian Gemz 2006
Features on tracks: Intro (06), The Mixtape, It's Official, C'mon Snipers, Never Ending Blue, Generation Vexed, Check The Stategy, What Gives??, Underground, Question, Short Souls, Carlton United Tragedy, Swear to God, The Demon Speaks, Wow, Gatheround, Pretty Thing, Timebomb, Gemstones
Lyrical Commission Murderous Metaphors EP CD/Vinyl, Unkut Recordings 2005
Features on tracks: Hells Basement (intro), F**k all the B.S., Check The Strategy, Murderous Metaphors (feat. Q-Unique), Sink Quick (+CD version w/ extra verse), F**k all the B.S (remix), All Out War (remix feat. Celph-Titled)
Various In Case You Didnt Know Compilation CD/Vinyl (The Demon Speaks by Brad Strut), Nuffsaid Records 2005
Phrase Talk With Force LP CD (Does She Like It feat. Brad Strut), Marlin Records/Universal 2005
DJ Numark Hands On Mixtape CD (A Good Thing Brad Strut feat. Lazy Grey & Bias B), Sequence Records (US) 2004
Various Straight From The Art 2 Compilation CD (Press Release by Lyrical Commission), Empirical/ Warner 2004
Terntable Jediz All Out War Compilation EP CD/Vinyl (All Out War feat. Lyrical Comission & Celph Titled), Unkut Recordings/Blue Corner Records 2004
J-Red Streets Ahead Mix CD (Press Release by Lyrical Commission), Crookneck 2003
Jolz Down Pressure LP CD/Vinyl (Forward feat. Taskforce, Brad Strut & Raph Boogie), Down Pressure 2003
Lyrical Commission The Stage Is Set LP CD/Vinyl, Unkut Recordings 2002
Features on tracks: Press Release (remix), Blood Red Skies, Carlton United Tragedy, Custom Made, Walkabout (remix), Sex Fiend, Hate the Scene, Press Release (original)
Various Obesecity Compilation LP CD/Vinyl (Machete Chopper Read feat. LC & Bias B), Obese Records 2002
Various Trojan Warrior Soundtrack CD (Chop Chop Chopper Read feat. LC & Bias B), Mushroom 2002
Beefeaters Can O Worms EP Vinyl (Walkabout feat. Brad Strut), SFDB Records (UK) 2002
Brad Strut The Authentic LP CD/Vinyl, Obese Records/Unkut Recordings 2001
Features on tracks: Love This, A Good Thing, Toowong, Every Now & Then, Ceremony Master (8 Bit Mix), Fly Away, Authentic, Demolition Derby, My Joint, Intro 01 (Hip Hop, Happiness, Health), Fly Away (Jase Remix)
Nuffsaid Beats From The Vaults Vol. 1 CD (My Joint by Brad Strut), Nuffsaid Records 2001
Various Stealth Magazine CD 2 (Intro by Brad Strut), 2001
Various Culture Of Kings Volume 1 CD/Vinyl (Lyrical Mongrels feat. LC & Cross Bred Mongrels), Obese Records 2000
Various The Formula PBS-FM Vol.1 Tape Only Release (Various Freestyles feat. Brad Strut), Wild Child Productions 1999
Boney & Stoney Black Stump EP Vinyl (States Of Mind feat. Brad Strut), Wild Child 1999
Yo b,im chilln in Montreal atm blazen Captain atomic x blueberry hash bluntz...killin itt.Eating ribz with a side of mac n cheese 4 breaky ya heard.Holla.
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