VIRUS

Hi I'm Jfrog the Virus of the Christchurch hiphop crew Tuchul Linguists which consists of myself, Mr Diggler and Repsac. Our extended family includes Tasman MC (Christchurch) of the trans-Tasman duo Braintrust and his producer Mitch Moreton (Brisbane). Also, my bro Toby One Kenobi (our resident artist), and producers Haphazard (Christchurch), Juddabarz (Christchurch), and John Doe (Perth). We have been rapping and recording together since 2005 at which time we were little more than a rag-tag five man band of aspiring rappers with questionable skill and little or no work ethic. Since then the group has down-sized by two, leaving the three MCs who make up Tuchul Linguists today, and become focused, dedicated and productive, performing at various venues in both Christchurch and Brisbane. We have done numerous gigs both under our own steam and with local heads Grymeworks and Menace Records with whom we are also planning several collaborative projects and events for the near future. As far as the group Tuchul Linguists is concerned, we are primarily dedicated to the resurgence of quality hiphop in Christchurch and the strengthening of our local scene. We are probably most easily distinguished by the fact that we rap in New Zealand accents, which has brought us both praise and criticism, but this should not be taken as our one defining feature. Indeed, I think some people make too much of the issue, for without skill and content, factors such as accent and style boil down to little more than gimmickry. To that effect we focus on humerous and provocative content with an emphasis on punchlines and wordplay. Recently we have been exploring a more serious side of lyricism, concentrating on message rap and story-telling, although the dark humour and battle-style raps that characterise most of our early work still account for a significant portion of our output. Over the past year we have been refining our technical skill both on stage and in the studio, and dedicating much time and effort to writing and production. Essentially we try to make our music as real as possible. We don't rap about bitches and bling or sipping Hennessey "up in the club" because that shit isn't what we're about and does not accurately reflect our lives. We despise pop-culture and the mass-marketed commercial crap that saturates the music industry (especially in the hiphop sphere). On a personal note, I love real, underground hiphop. I have always had a passion for language and hiphop has provided me with a vehichle through which I can express this. I take my inspiration from virtually everywhere that isn't "popular" and "mainstream". I like all sorts of music; hiphop, punk, folk, indie rock, classic rock, jazz, dub, ska, grunge, even classical music. As long as it has feeling and meaning, and enriches my life by communicating something real and visceral, then I'm down for it. I feel sorry for the millions of mindless robots who take life at face value and listen to what ever commercial radio and MTV tells them is hot. I spit in the face of commercial music and mainstream culture (or should I say lack of culture). I am sceptical and scornful of the popularity of drum n bass and other such electronic phenomena here in my hometown because I belive that it is a plastic two dimensional kind of music. I have done the whole DnB thing and was only ever able to enjoy it if I was off my head on amphetamines or BZP, and an educated guess leads me to believe that this is true for up to 95% of people who regularly attend such events. My question is simple: Is there really any value in music that you have to be on ecstasy to enjoy? I listen to hiphop and make hiphop because it has meaning to me. I don't need to be high to enjoy it and, to me, the lyrical componet of hiphop is the most dynamic and truthful aspect of any and all contemporary music. The art of modern poetry - as expressed by the hiphop MC cannot be summounted in terms of pure, raw communication. It can make you feel anything from anger to love, from excitement to depression. As an MC it can take you wherever you want to go and as a listener it can complement any mood. These are the reasons I make music. To anyone who doesn't understand everything I've just said - then you're on the wrong Myspace page. To all of you who get it - much love. Keep it real, keep it fresh. Peace.