16 August 2023
Seminal Australian hip hop trio Hilltop Hoods are touring New Zealand for the first time in four years with sold-out gigs in Wellington, Auckland and Christchurch. The last time they were here they supported Eminem and played to audiences of over 46,000. This time around they'll be performing songs from their upcoming album, including their latest single, Laced Up. Joined by Tāmaki Makaurau rapper Freddy Reynold, this is a show not to be missed.
I had a chance to catch up with the guys before they hit our shores and had a chat with them about their 30-year career in music, and what they're most looking forward to in Aotearoa.
You’ve been around for over 30 years now. How has the Australian hip-hop scene evolved since you started? Do you believe Hilltop Hoods has had a role in that?
Yeah, we started out when we were like 13 or 14, so it’s safe to say that we’ve been around for a minute.
When we started out the scene was completely different. It was pretty much made up of writers and skaters (mostly men), and there wasn’t much diversity.
The scene, much like the broader social landscape, has changed for the better now. There’s much more diversity in the artists and music, as it should be.
As for our part in that evolution, I’d definitely say that we were part of a wider group of the community that’s brought about change in the makeup of the scene.
Your lyrics touch on social and political issues. How do you decide which topics to address? And is there any topic you don’t think artists should touch?
As you say, we touch on issues. I don’t think that the Hoods are, or have ever been, an overtly political group. Having said that, we try to write with a social consciousness in mind nowadays. I think that comes from seeing how your music can impact and affect people.
And no, I don’t think there’s any topic an artist shouldn’t touch. As long as they’re willing to accept the consequences of how it’s received.
How do you think your Australian roots have influenced your music? Are there specific elements of Australian culture you try to incorporate into your songs?
We don’t actively try to incorporate any elements of Australian culture. Having said that, everyone’s a product of their environment, so certain things inevitably end up being present in our music - accents, references and colloquialisms. It’s like there's a passive influence there.
When we were first starting out the pool of records we had to draw on for samples were our parents' records collections, which included a lot of Australian music. So that’s an example of how Australian culture can passively influence our production/songwriting.
Do you think your extensive touring has influenced your songwriting?
Definitely. Touring, and just travelling in general, shifts and shapes your world view. In a lot of ways the world becomes a smaller place and I think as a songwriter you get a better understanding of the commonalities that people share. As a result your writing becomes less narrow, or sheltered.
And, as touring’s such a big part of our life, it comes up for us topically a lot in songs for us. You can hear it in songs like ‘I Love It’, ‘Here Without You’ and ‘Higher’.
What are you looking forward to the most on this New Zealand tour?
I’d be lying if I didn’t admit that the thing I’m looking forward to most is Fergburger in Queenstown, haha. Their refusal to franchise means the only time I get to smash those insane burgers is when I’m on tour.
For real though, New Zealand crowds are the best - so much enthusiasm and energy. We feed off of that and as a result it makes the shows that much better.
