Adelaide’s Nurcha Fest is the first event of its kind to hit our hip hop obsessed city. Taking place over twelve hours, covering both levels of Viva, and with a live graffiti wall painted on the day, it is like no other event seen in SA. The event will showcase nothing but Australian talent, some of which will still be unfamiliar to many. Never fear, though, as inthemix is here with a guide to some of the day’s acts.

Last Credit will arrive fresh from Sydney, ready to storm the stage with their energetic live show. Mind Over Matter are another crew of rising stars on the Nurcha label, and this will be their second show in Adelaide in a year. They’ve got a stack of new material ready to debut. Headstrong Company, in my opinion, will be the next big crew to break out of Adelaide. Their lyrics, beats and live performance have won praise from Def Wish Cast, and they’ve got a massive local fan base.

Social Change may be a relatively new crew on the Adelaide scene, but their talented members bring a wealth of experience from other crews, as well as skills to burn. The Particular People burst out of the Barossa wine country winning the 2006 Hilltop Hoods grant. They have numerous rock solid live shows under their belt and a debut album on the way.

Who are you, who is in your crew, and what sort of hip hop do you make?

Last Credit: Maekism, JMC (Last Credit). We do rock/pub/grunge/metal rap!

Mind Over Matter: We are a couple slack jawed everyday creative punks who go by the name of Mind Over Matter, consisting of Willow and Smiles Again. We make hip hop that we believe paints pictures of our personalities and how we perceive what’s around us. This incorporates plenty of humor, topical stories, live vibed tracks, as well as meaningful and personal tracks. Our debut LP will be one of the most diverse, creative releases I have heard to date, guaranteed to provoke a range of emotions of its listeners.

Headstrong Company: Our name is Headstrong Company, the crew consists of MC Visionz, Kahs, Cheech, and Ev-Omega on the production tip. We make all sorts of hip-hop. Sometimes it’s conscious, sometimes it’s political, sometimes it’s battle shit and sometimes it’s straight up funny shit. We don’t really like to be labeled as this or that.

Particular People: Particular People consists of The Specialist, two DJs – 4BC & Lotek – and Muzza MC. We’re from Barossa Valley, making new, diverse and in-depth hip hop.

What are you currently working on?

Last Credit: We recently released our debut LP, ‘Breakfast Of Champs’. Otherwise we are working on some secret projects.

Mind Over Matter: Currently we are working in the studio on our debut album titled ‘Keepin It Breezy’, being released through Nurcha Records. It’s actually all recorded and is in mix-down as we speak, due for release in January. It features some dope, dope dudes, and we’re also alright at times haha. Prior to this we have released a mixtape titled ‘For Our Hip Hoppers’ during mid 2006, which defiantly exceeded our expectations of what it would do for us as a group. The album wipes it’s ass with the mixtape though haha.

Headstrong Company: We’re currently finishing our debut LP, which has been a long time in the making. We have released tracks on various mixtapes, and we’ll be featured on Sum 1’s mixtape ‘All Frames of the Game’. I’m [Visionz] also dropping a track on the Kansel-Juice mixtape with some of the Crackhouse lads.

Social Change: Social Change will be releasing an EP mid December this year, and we’re looking to drop the full length album by March, 2008.

Particular People: We’re working on a full length-album, soon to be released.

What can we expect from your live performance at Nurcha Fest?

Last Credit: Our patented high energy set, with some new added features Last Credit set v35.1.

Mind Over Matter: At Nurcha Fest you can expect Willow to shave his back hair on stage haha. Honestly though, a set that displays some of our favorites from our mixtape, some joints that we’ve created just for the live show which we love to perform, as well as some of the new stuff from our upcoming release just to razz it up a little. Plus a flushed face Smiles and a couple sweaty undershirts.

Headstrong Company: Expect the unexpected. We love performing for a crowd and I can guarantee people will leave 110% satisfied. Headstrong Company will kill it at Nurcha Fest!

Social Change: The name is Social Change. The music is hip hop in its most authentic form. Social Change performs with Funkwig [producer] and DJ Snair [turntables], and also plays regular gigs around Adelaide with the Funk Movement [live hip hop/funk band]. Social Change, together with Funkwig, has established Butterthief as an imprint under which to release Social Change music. Social Change represents the V.HIGH.P crew, which is made up of various hip hop groups, producers, emcees and musicians. Together they are all part of a larger collective known as the Butterthief Life Members.

Social Change: You can expect some next-level music like you’ve never heard before!

Particular People: A diverse live show with different styles, from in-depth tracks to neck breaking anthems.

Who are you looking forward to seeing perform on the day?

Last Credit: Delta, never seen him live before.

Mind Over Matter: Everyone, as I know the vibe in Adelaide is absolutely incredible from prior experience. It’s like no other scene in Australia. I just looked at the line up to mention a couple of specifics and realised it’d be hard to do without reciting it completely. Particular People, Prime, Miss Linguistik & Miss Entreeg as well as our label mates Double n Big Lu + Last Credit, shit Delta & Staen1 of course.

Headstrong Company: There is so much talent performing on the day it’s hard to say! As always Delta and Staen 1 will be a highlight. Patti and Conseps put on a crazy live show too.

Social Change: We’ll be there from the start watching everyone perform. Looking forward to Conseps and Patti, Kansel, Delta and Staen-1 [in particular].

Particular People: Subsketch.

What was the best performance you have ever seen at a festival?

Last Credit: There have been quite a few over the years; System of a Down at the 2003 Big Day Out was awesome, Butterfingers in 2005 were also a real stand out, I’ve been to so many Big Day Out’s it’s hard to remember all the acts. I reckon this one, Rage Against The Machine, will be the new favourite!

Mind Over Matter: For Willow I’m sure it was Aesop Rock and Mr. Lif at Big Day Out a couple years back, he got a photo with Lif and never let me forget that I wasn’t able to go.

Headstrong Company: One of the highlight performances I have seen at a festival would have to be Gangstarr at Good Vibrations in Melbourne. I grew up listening to Gangstarr and it’s was dope to see them performing in the flesh.

Social Change: The original Freestyle battles on the Lilly Pad at the Big Day Out back in the late 90s, with Hilltops, Simplex, Delta, Kolaps, the Expressionist and every other dope Adelaide emcee that I aint forgot! Represent!

Particular People: Vents & Trials at the Obese Block Party.

Finish this sentence: “At Nurcha Fest 2007 we will…”

Last Credit: Rock your facial hair and your girlfriend’s $2 make-up off with our return show! Then proceed to get blotto off West End Draught.

Mind Over Matter: Come out with a mixture of fire and Jaeger in our bellies, and hopefully leave the crowd with the same feeling.

Headstrong Company: Try and stay sober before our set. I did say trying, didn’t I?

Social Change: Showcase all the tracks from the upcoming EP with DJ Snair on the turntables and Funkwig on the MPC, for the first official time.

Particular People: Will get the crowd jumping like tits without a bra.

Nurcha Fest 2007 takes place on Saturday November 10th from 12pm at Viva, Light Square Adelaide. Tickets available from all good hip hop stores or online at www.nurcharecords.com/tickets.htm. Check out ITM Whatson for more info.